What do we do at Winning Smiles when your dental implants fitted by us go wrong?
Firstly we need to define ‘when things go wrong’. Generally dental implants ‘go wrong’ in the first few weeks of fitting (Early Failure/Integration failure/Failure to integrate/Osseointegration/acute infection/implant rejection)
OR
2,3,4,5….20 years after fitting (Long Term Failure, Peri-implantitis, Bone loss, Fracture of superstructures (bridges/crowns/abutments/dentures/overdentures/chronic infection)
Early failure (patients sometimes call this implant rejection)
This is where the implant (titanium screw/fixture) is inserted in to the jaw bone by the dentist or implantologist and when he checks the implant 2 weeks later it is loose and painful – at this point the bone around the implant has failed to make contact with the titanium surface and the implant is not going to firm up or ‘take’ in the usual way.
The implant has failed to integrate (or osseointegrate) and will be removed and discarded.
Normally the bone will heal around the hole left by the failed fixture and a new titanium implant/screw/fixture can be placed 6-16 weeks later. Sometimes additional procedures may be required to improve the chance of a success for the 2nd bite of the cherry eg bone
grafting or simply burying the implant and leaving it for a longer period before inspecting it again (up to 6 months).
What we do if you suffer an early implant failure
If your implant fails to integrate here at Winning Smiles we have a free replacement policy. If you would rather not take the risk of it happening again, or wish to not go ahead with surgery a 2nd time, we will refund you the cost of the implant surgery for that implant which has failed.
Late failure
A late failure occurs some time after the implant has successfully integrated – ie any time after the teeth (crown/bridge/denture) have been connected to your implants. Usually the teeth are connected 3-6 months after implant surgery – or in cases where immediate implant treatment has been performed – any time after the immediate implant treatment is completed.
Most late failures occur 5-10 years after implant placement and conditions in the mouth usually dictate how long implants will survive prior to failure. Most failures occur due to the bone slowly shrinking around the implant and creating a larger and large crater around the fixture until the implant breaks away from the bone because only a mm or two of bone is left holding it in. Many implants fail this way but whether that bone loss happens within 5 years or 20 years is of great importance to the patient!
Factors that accelerate peri implant bone loss:
- Smoking
- Poor Oral Hygiene
- Failing to attend regular hygienist sessions and inspection maintenance by the dentist
- Diabetes
- The other failure we see rarely is where an implant fractures or snaps due to a very strong bite (occlusal overload)
Feel free to browse a gallery selection of our before and after
Dental Implant case studies
What we do if you suffer a later implant failure
If your implant suffers severe peri-implantitis and fails or has to be removed due to recurrent infections some years after fitting we will replace it free of charge within the first 5 years after fitting providing you are a non smoker, maintain good oral hygiene and have been seeing our hygienists regularly (every 3-6 months) and attending your dentist at Winning Smiles every 6 months for a check up.
PS Sometimes we see fractures of the implant crown, bridge or implant denture. This is different from the titanium screw in the jaw bone failing. Usually the implants in the jaw are fine in these situations but the tooth or teeth attached to them have failed due to long term wear and tear or sudden breakage. Generally we guarantee our Ceramic/Porcelain/Zirconia/
PFM crowns and bridges for 5 years (any failure of these replaced free of charge within 5 years of fitting as long as there is not an accident involved). Our Acrylic dentures and Bridges are guaranteed for 2 years as they are weaker and more prone to breaking.
Often a small chip can be smoothed down without the need to replace the crown bridge or denture in its entirety (as long as the chip is not showing when a patient smiles). For large chips or those that show we can often repair them invisibly – although your crown/bridge/denture may need to go away for a few days for the lab to work on them – in this instance a temporary replacement is provided.
Free Consultation
Without seeing things for ourselves, we can’t tell people what their options are.
And so with that in mind, we are happy to offer free consultations, as this is a big decision for most people. We are careful to take budget, comfort and appearance into account when explaining all the available choices and there is never any pressure to proceed, and certainly not on the day.
We set out to be a friendly practice and try to provide everybody with what’s right for them, at an affordable cost. We hope our dentist reviews give that impression.
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Advanced Dental Implant Price List
The following costs for Advanced Dental Implants are correct when written, but they can change. We will provide written pricing for each ‘cosmetic treatment’ as part of our free consultation. You don’t have to be a member to have treatment at Winning Smiles.
| Dental Plan | £23.35/month |
|---|
| Treatment Type | Member Pricing From |
|---|---|
| Routine Examination | £77 |
| Small x-rays | £25 |
| Airflow Stain Removal - All Teeth | £40 |
| OPG (Large Panoramic X-ray) | £109 |
| New Patient Examination + two x-rays | £140 |
| Full Case Assessment - Implants | £179 |
| CT Scan | £189 |
| Whitening | £349 |
| Dentures | Member Pricing From |
|---|---|
| Temporary Denture | £439 |
| Partial Acrylic Dentures | £470 - £840 |
| Chrome Denture | £1,700 |
| Full Dentures (per jaw) | £1,729 |
| Dental Implant Treatment | Member Pricing From |
|---|---|
| Implant ret denture reline | £279 |
| Implant removal | £495 |
| Implant bridge pontic | £715 |
| Minor Bone Graft | £650 |
| Cosmetic Dental Implant, Surgery and Crown | £2,350 |
| Implant bridge 5 teeth | £4,900 |
| Lower Removable Implant Denture on 2 Implants | £5,859 |
| Lower Removable Implant Denture on 4 implants | £9415 |
| Upper Removable Implant Denture on 4 Implants | £9415 |
| Implant Full Arch Acrylic Bridge / All on Four / Teeth in a Day | £13,500 |
| Implant denture bar | £1,259 |
| Implant Full Arch Ceramic Bridge | £19,000 |
What they say about us
I’m incredibly grateful to them.
I had advanced gum disease and missing/ failing teeth. The worse they got the harder it was to fix. I was so terrified of both the dentist and of being judged for allowing things to get so bad that I couldn’t even phone. In a brave moment, I filled in the contact section of the Winning Smiles website. Denise phoned me the following day. She listened, was sympathetic and booked me in for a consultation with Andrew. At our first meeting, I had scans and Andrew explained what treatments I was suitable for. I was given detailed costs of my options and I left to consider them without pressure. I opted for both upper and lower implants. Andrew explained my best chance of a good outcome was to have immediate fixed teeth on the bottom and a temporary denture at the top while my bone grafts/implants healed and integrated. The surgery was a long day but at no point was I in any pain or discomfort. Andrew and his dental nurse Sam checked on me constantly and reassured me throughout. I left with fixed lower teeth and a temporary upper denture. The next day I was slightly swollen but much better than I had expected which I told Andrew when he phoned to check on me. The remainder of my treatment was done over the following few months without pain or stress. Fast forward to today when I had my first check-up since my upper teeth were fitted. I can’t describe how thrilled I am with the final results. I smile without thinking about it, eat what I want and my general health has greatly improved. My new teeth look amazing but very natural which was exactly the look I wanted. I’m no longer terrified of the dentist and happily attend my checkups/hygiene appointments. My treatment was fantastic from start to finish and I can’t recommend Andrew, Sam and the team more highly. I really wish I’d found them sooner. This has really been a life-changing experience and I’m incredibly grateful to them.
This Has Changed My Life
Please if you are thinking of having implants visit Winning Smiles in Romford before you go anywhere else.
For years I was terrified of the dentist and my teeth were in a dreadful state. I cannot tell you how hard it was to walk into Winning Smiles just to get more information. From the first visit I knew I had come to the right place, all of the staff were so patient and kind, just what I needed. It has been four months since I had all on four implants top and bottom. I can honestly say that this has changed my life.
For years prior to this I could only eat food which was soft, now I am eating apples and crunchy salads the things that I missed eating the most. I am quite a happy person but before this I was covering my mouth when I smiled or spoke to people. Now I no longer have to do that and I cannot stop smiling.
My Confidence has grown and my health has significantly improved as I can now make better food choices. At no time during this procedure was I in pain, and I had no pain following the procedure. Now I look in the mirror and still find it hard to believe these are my teeth. I an indebted to Andrew and his team I feel like I did thirty years ago.
Dental Services: Painless Dentistry, All on 4 Implant System
