Dental Implants

Dental implants are the closest you can get to having back a natural tooth. They have several standout benefits:

  • They are fixed in place
  • They are not dependent on other teeth
  • They have the most natural appearance, by emerging from the gum instead of sitting on it.

They can be used to replace a single missing tooth, to support a bridge, or to help stabilise dentures.

A natural tooth has two main parts:

  • The crown (1) above the gum
  • The root (2) below the gum, supported by bone (5) and gum (6).


Implants are similar. They also have two main parts:

  • The implant crown (3) which is carefully crafted to look and feel like a healthy, natural crown.
  • The fixture (4), which is a medical grade titanium screw which acts as the root.


If looked after implants can last a lifetime.

Key components of an implant

Your journey from start to finish...

  1. Referral
    For implants we refer our patients to a specialist practice that has been voted the ‘Best Implant Practice in the UK’. The reason we refer for implants is simple, they are true experts in their field. The Implant Centre has surgeries in Brighton and Haywards Heath.

  2. Consultation
    The Implant Centre will arrange a consultation with you directly. Afterwards, they with provide you with a written treatment plan and quote.

  3. Implant placement
    The Implant Centre will place the implant fixture. This is usually left for 8-12 weeks before a crown is attached to it. If necessary, they may place a temporary implant crown to avoid any unsightly gaps in your smile.

  4. Implant crown placement
    Once The Implant Centre have signed off the implant fixture we can help fit a crown to it for you here at St Oswald’s. We use the same components and laboratory as the Implant Centre to ensure continuity and quality.