Dental Implants in Thames Ditton

Treatment begins with a detailed consultation including advanced imaging to assess your bone volume and confirm suitability. A titanium implant post is then placed into the jawbone under local anaesthetic during a surgical appointment. A healing period of typically three to six months follows, during which the implant integrates with the surrounding bone (osseointegration).

Once integration is confirmed, an abutment (connector) is attached to the implant, and a custom-made crown is fitted on top to complete the restoration. The final crown is matched in colour and shape to your surrounding teeth. Dr Bravis plans each case in full before any treatment begins, to ensure the implant position, bite, and aesthetics are all optimised.

With good oral hygiene and regular dental check-ups, dental implants can last 15 to 25 years or more — and in many cases remain functional for a lifetime. The implant post itself (the titanium root) is designed to be a permanent fixture; the crown on top may eventually need replacing after 10 to 15 years, as with any crown.

Long-term success depends strongly on diligent oral hygiene around the implant site, avoiding smoking, and attending regular maintenance appointments.

Both are fixed, natural-looking solutions for replacing a missing tooth, but they work differently. A dental bridge spans the gap by crowning the teeth on either side, which involves removing healthy tooth structure from those adjacent teeth. An implant is entirely free-standing — it does not affect neighbouring teeth at all.

Implants also preserve the jawbone at the site of the missing tooth, which a bridge does not. For most patients with adequate bone volume and no contraindications, an implant is the preferred solution over the long term. A bridge may be more appropriate where bone volume is insufficient or where adjacent teeth already have crowns in place.

Implants are fixed and feel like natural teeth; dentures are removable and can move during eating or speaking. Implants preserve jawbone; dentures do not, and over time the continued bone loss under a denture can cause the face to take on a sunken appearance and the denture fit to worsen.

Many patients who have worn dentures for years find implant-retained or implant-supported alternatives transformative for comfort and confidence. For patients who are not suitable for conventional implants, implant-retained dentures (where implants anchor a denture securely) are also available and discussed at consultation.

Most healthy adults with adequate jawbone volume are suitable candidates for dental implants. Factors that may affect suitability include insufficient bone depth (which can sometimes be addressed with a bone graft), uncontrolled diabetes, heavy smoking, and certain medications. A thorough assessment — including advanced 3D imaging — is always carried out before any treatment is recommended.

Being declined elsewhere is not necessarily a barrier: Dr Bravis, as a prosthodontist specialising in complex restorative cases, assesses patients whose situations may have been considered too challenging by other practices. We encourage you to book a consultation to find out where you stand.

Dental implant placement is a surgical procedure that requires detailed planning. At your initial consultation, we carry out advanced imaging to evaluate your bone structure, assess your gum health, review your medical history, and discuss your goals. This information determines where the implant can be safely and effectively placed, whether bone or gum augmentation is needed, and what the completed restoration will look like.

Proceeding without this assessment would not be clinically appropriate — it is as important for your safety as it is for achieving a reliable long-term result.

All-on-4 is a technique in which a full arch of replacement teeth (upper or lower) is supported by just four strategically placed implants. In suitable cases, a provisional set of teeth can be fitted on the same day as implant placement — which is the origin of the "same-day" terminology often associated with the treatment.

All-on-4 is intended for patients who have lost all or most of their teeth in an arch and want a fixed, implant-supported alternative to a full denture. It requires careful case selection and detailed planning — suitability is assessed at consultation including imaging and a full medical and dental review.

Yes — 0% finance is available at Thames Dental & Skin through our finance partner, allowing you to spread the cost of dental implant treatment over a set period without interest. Given that implants start from £2,500, many patients find this makes treatment significantly more accessible.

Finance options are discussed in detail at your consultation, and you are under no obligation to proceed. Full written cost breakdowns are provided before any treatment begins.

Implant placement is carried out under local anaesthetic, so you should not experience pain during the procedure itself. Post-operatively, most patients describe the discomfort as similar to or less than that following a tooth extraction — manageable with standard over-the-counter pain relief and any prescription medication provided. Swelling and mild bruising are common in the first 48 to 72 hours.

Most patients return to normal activities within a day or two. Strenuous exercise and alcohol are best avoided for the first few days, and the surgical site requires careful but gentle cleaning to support healing.

Yes — Thames Dental & Skin is based in Thames Ditton and provides dental implant consultations and treatment for patients from Kingston upon Thames, Esher, Surbiton, Walton-on-Thames, Molesey, Hinchley Wood, and Long Ditton. As a specialist prosthodontist-led practice, we also receive referrals from general dental practices across Surrey.

To begin the process, book an initial implant consultation — we will provide a thorough assessment and a clear treatment and cost plan at that appointment.