What to ask an implant dentist
Practices describe implant treatment in different ways, and it is hard to know which differences matter. This page lists the things worth asking about, says plainly why each one matters, and gives you the question to ask. Nothing here is a reason to choose or avoid a practice by itself.
Four questions to ask every practice
Who will place my implant, and how many do they place a year?
The person who places the implant matters more than the practice or the brand. Ask for their name, their training in implant dentistry and roughly how many implants they place each year. You can check that any UK dentist is registered on the General Dental Council register.
What does the price include?
A published price is where a practice's prices start. What you pay depends on whether you need a bone graft, whether you have sedation, how many implants you need and the kind of crown or bridge that goes on top. Ask for a written treatment plan with every item and its cost before you agree to anything.
What are the alternatives, and what happens if I do nothing?
A dentist should explain the other options, such as a bridge or a denture, and the option of leaving the gap, with the advantages and drawbacks of each. That discussion is part of giving consent.
What could go wrong, and what happens if it does?
Implants can fail to bond with the bone or be lost later to gum disease around the implant. Ask how often that happens in the dentist's own hands, who pays if an implant fails, and what looking after it will involve. Smoking and poorly controlled diabetes raise the risk.
Clinical capability
CT scanner on site
A CT (cone beam) scan is a 3D X-ray. It shows how much bone there is and where the nerves and sinuses run, which a flat X-ray cannot. Most implant planning uses one.
Ask: “Will I have a CT scan before the implant is placed, is it taken here, and is it included in the price?”
We have confirmed this at 1,603 UK practices that place implants. See them
Digital scanner for impressions
A digital scanner records the shape of your teeth with a small camera instead of a tray of impression putty. The result is the same; many people find it more comfortable.
Ask: “Do you take digital scans or putty impressions?”
We have confirmed this at 1,453 UK practices that place implants. See them
Guided surgery
In guided surgery the implant position is planned on the CT scan and a made-to-measure guide is used to place it. It is one accepted way of working, not the only one: many implants are placed well without a guide.
Ask: “Is my implant planned on a scan, and do you use a surgical guide for cases like mine?”
We have confirmed this at 31 UK practices that place implants. See them
Sedation
Sedation helps if you are anxious or having a long appointment. You stay awake but relaxed. Most single implants are placed under local anaesthetic alone.
Ask: “Which kinds of sedation do you offer, who gives it, and what does it cost?”
We have confirmed this at 2,184 UK practices that place implants. See them
IV sedation
IV sedation is given through a small tube in the arm or hand. You need an adult to take you home and stay with you afterwards, and you should not drive or work for the rest of the day.
Ask: “Who gives the sedation and what are they trained in? Is it included in the price?”
We have confirmed this at 532 UK practices that place implants. See them
Oral sedation
Oral sedation is a tablet taken before the appointment. It is milder than IV sedation and its effect is less predictable. You still need someone to take you home.
We have confirmed this at 57 UK practices that place implants. See them
Inhalation sedation (gas and air)
Inhalation sedation is a gas-and-air mix breathed through a small nose mask. It wears off within minutes of stopping.
We have confirmed this at 83 UK practices that place implants. See them
General anaesthetic
A general anaesthetic puts you to sleep and is given in a hospital setting. It is rarely needed for implants.
We don't check this at practices yet, so every practice reads “not checked” for it. Ask the practice directly.
Bone grafting
An implant needs enough bone to hold it. Where bone has been lost, a graft builds it back up, sometimes at the same visit as the implant and sometimes months before. It adds cost and healing time.
Ask: “Do I need a graft? Is it done here, what does it add to the cost, and how much longer will treatment take?”
We have confirmed this at 1,075 UK practices that place implants. See them
Sinus lift
A sinus lift is a bone graft for the upper back jaw, where the sinus sits just above the tooth roots. It is only needed if a scan shows too little bone there.
Ask: “Does my scan show enough bone under the sinus, or will I need a sinus lift?”
We have confirmed this at 109 UK practices that place implants. See them
Zygomatic implants
Zygomatic implants are long implants anchored in the cheekbone, used when there is too little bone in the upper jaw for ordinary implants. Few dentists place them.
Ask: “How many zygomatic cases do you carry out a year?”
We have confirmed this at 39 UK practices that place implants. See them
Full arch (All-on-4 style)
Full arch treatment replaces every tooth in a jaw with a fixed bridge on four to six implants. "All-on-4" is one brand name for it.
Ask: “How many full arch cases do you do a year? What is the final bridge made of, and what does the price include?”
We have confirmed this at 2,631 UK practices that place implants. See them
Same-day teeth
With same-day teeth a temporary fixed crown or bridge is fitted on the day the implants go in. The final teeth are made a few months later, once the implants have healed. Not every case is suitable.
Ask: “Am I suitable for same-day teeth, and is the final bridge included in the price?”
We have confirmed this at 849 UK practices that place implants. See them
Names the implant system it uses
Implants are made by many companies. An established system matters mostly for the future: parts have to be available if a crown or screw needs replacing years later, possibly by a different dentist.
Ask: “Which implant system will you use, and will I be given a record of it?”
We have confirmed this at 1,325 UK practices that place implants. See them
In-house laboratory
A laboratory on site can shorten the wait for crowns and makes adjustments quicker. Most practices use an outside laboratory, which is normal.
We don't check this at practices yet, so every practice reads “not checked” for it. Ask the practice directly.
Clinician
A dentist on a GDC specialist list
The General Dental Council keeps specialist lists for oral surgery, periodontics and prosthodontics, among others. There is no specialist list for implant dentistry, so a dentist does not need to be on one to place implants, and many experienced implant dentists are not. An entry shows formal specialist training in that field.
Ask: “Who will place my implant, and what training do they have in implant dentistry?”
We don't check this at practices yet, so every practice reads “not checked” for it. Ask the practice directly.
Takes referrals from other dentists
Some practices treat implant patients sent by other dentists. It is one sign that other dentists trust them with harder cases, though plenty of good practices do not advertise it.
We have confirmed this at 716 UK practices that place implants. See them
Postgraduate implant qualification
Implant dentistry is learned after the dental degree, through a diploma, a master's degree or a fellowship. Ask what the dentist holds and where it is from.
Ask: “What postgraduate training in implants do you have, and how many implants do you place a year?”
We don't check this at practices yet, so every practice reads “not checked” for it. Ask the practice directly.
Member of an implant society (ADI, ITI)
Societies such as the ADI and ITI run training and publish guidance. Membership shows an interest in the field; it is not a qualification.
We don't check this at practices yet, so every practice reads “not checked” for it. Ask the practice directly.
Years placing implants
Experience matters most for difficult cases. Ask how long the dentist has been placing implants and how many they place a year, rather than how long they have been qualified.
We don't check this at practices yet, so every practice reads “not checked” for it. Ask the practice directly.
Practice
Finance available
Finance spreads the cost over months or years through a lender. It is a credit agreement: check the interest rate, the total you will repay and what happens if your treatment plan changes.
Ask: “Is the finance interest-free, over how long, and who is the lender?”
We have confirmed this at 2,061 UK practices that place implants. See them
0% finance
Interest-free finance usually runs for a shorter term than interest-bearing finance, so the monthly payments are higher.
We don't check this at practices yet, so every practice reads “not checked” for it. Ask the practice directly.
Guarantee on implants
The length of a guarantee varies, and it usually depends on attending maintenance appointments. Ask what would void it and whether it covers the crown as well as the implant.
Ask: “How long is the guarantee, what does it cover, and what would void it?”
We don't check this at practices yet, so every practice reads “not checked” for it. Ask the practice directly.
Aftercare included
Implants need looking after for life, with review and hygiene appointments. Ask which of those are in the price and what they cost afterwards.
Ask: “Which review and hygiene appointments are included, and what do they cost after that?”
We don't check this at practices yet, so every practice reads “not checked” for it. Ask the practice directly.
Regulator inspection
Dental practices in England are inspected by the Care Quality Commission, which reports whether a practice meets the regulations rather than giving it a grade. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own regulators.
We don't check this at practices yet, so every practice reads “not checked” for it. Ask the practice directly.
Languages spoken
Consent matters: you should be able to discuss your treatment in a language you are fully comfortable in.
We don't check this at practices yet, so every practice reads “not checked” for it. Ask the practice directly.
Treatment coordinator
A treatment coordinator is a member of staff who explains the plan, the costs and the appointments. The clinical decisions are still the dentist's.
We don't check this at practices yet, so every practice reads “not checked” for it. Ask the practice directly.
Location and access
Evening or weekend appointments
Implant treatment takes several visits over months. Evening or Saturday opening matters if you cannot take time off.
We have confirmed this at 289 UK practices that place implants. See them
Parking
After sedation you will be driven home, so somewhere close to park or be collected is useful.
We don't check this at practices yet, so every practice reads “not checked” for it. Ask the practice directly.
Step-free access
Many practices are in converted houses with stairs. If you cannot manage steps, check before you book.
We don't check this at practices yet, so every practice reads “not checked” for it. Ask the practice directly.
Use these in a search
Search by postcode and filter by any of the things above that we check. Practices we haven't checked for something are listed separately, never hidden.
This page is general information, not advice about your own treatment. Your dentist will advise you after an examination.