When it comes to a big investment in your dental health, you want to know that you are getting excellence in return for your money. If you live in or near Edinburgh, dental implants can be fitted for you by the man who has already inserted over 3,000 implants.

Meet Dr Willie Jack, the implant surgeon at Polwarth Dental Clinic. Willie qualified as a dentist in Edinburgh in 1983 and worked as a community paediatric dentist before setting up a dental practice in Wales. His implant work began in 1991, when he started restoring implants placed by other surgeons. He went on to do implant surgery and has now treated over 1,000 patients and been director of an implant company ensuring excellence of practice in over 50 dental clinics.

What to expect

When you come to Willie for dental implants in Edinburgh, he will make a detailed examination of your mouth and jawbone. This may include a CT scan or x-rays to check that your jawbone is strong and healthy enough to receive dental implants. If for some reason it is not, you may well need to have a bone graft or a sinus lift before you can have dental implants in Edinburgh. Willie will also make sure you have no other oral health issues that need to be addressed before implant treatment can go ahead.

Willie will provide you with a written treatment plan, which will include the cost of treatment, for you to agree to before treatment starts. Once you are entirely happy with the proposed treatment, you can expect the process to last several weeks.

The first stage is oral surgery, under local anaesthetic, during which Willie will place one or implants into your jaw. If you are a nervous patient, you can have sedation as well as local anaesthetic.

Over the next few weeks, your jaws and gums will heal around the implant, with new bone tissue meshing with it to hold it as firmly in place as if it was a natural tooth. After this, you can come back to Willie to have your custom-made artificial tooth crowns fitted, either as single teeth, bridges, or entire sets of upper and lower jaw teeth.

At Polwarth Dental Clinic, we know that replacing missing teeth isn’t simply a case of crowns, bridges and full or partial dentures. What goes on in the jawbone is just as important above it for most people who have lost one or more teeth.

The reason dental implants in Edinburgh can have such a dramatic and beneficial effect on patients is that implants replace the root as well as the missing tooth.

How do they work?

Implants are tiny titanium posts. Titanium is the material of choice for implants because of its unparalleled ability to encourage the growth of bone tissue and then to fuse with it. In Edinburgh, dental implants are placed into the jawbone during minor oral surgery, carried out under local anaesthetic. If you are especially anxious about oral surgery, you can choose to be sedated for this, so that you can fully relax during surgery.

Once we have inserted the implants, we need to wait several weeks while the jawbone heals, and new bone tissue and blood vessels grow around the implants to hold them securely in place. This creates a stable base that will be able to cope with the significant forces produced by biting and chewing.

In Edinburgh, dental implants at Polwarth Dental Clinic are fitted by Dr Willie Jack. Dr Jack has placed, restored and maintained in excess of 3,500 implants over 20 years.

How can they help?

They can be used when all the upper teeth are missing; to replace missing back teeth; to replace one missing lower tooth or side tooth; and even to replace every single tooth at once.

That’s the roots taken care of. What about the crowns? Because no one wants to look like their teeth are not their own, your new crowns are handcrafted in a specialist laboratory to match your surrounding natural teeth in size, shape and colour. If you are having all your teeth replaced, we can match your teeth from a good photograph of your smile, or impressions of your lost teeth.

Dental implants, if you look after them carefully, can last for the rest of your life, so they are well worth the investment.

Many things change as we grow older, some for the better and some for the worse. Losing teeth definitely comes under the latter. There are many reasons for tooth loss, including injuries and accidents, or perhaps an infection. Whatever the cause, the effects for most people are the same. You feel embarrassed to talk or smile, and eating can be a problem. In addition, your remaining teeth may start to move out of alignment.

The problems caused by missing teeth are nothing new. Until recently the choices for replacing them were limited to having a bridge or dentures. Both choices have their limitations, although they do help to restore the appearance and much of the function of your own teeth. Now there is a long-term and more reliable solution that dentists are able to offer: dental implants

Getting to the root of the problem

The last few decades have seen the development of dental implants. Although dental implant technology was first developed in the early 1960s, they have only become widely available in the past 10 years or so. Here at Polwarth Dental Clinic in Edinburgh, dental implants have given many of our patients back their confidence, and the ability to eat all the foods that they enjoy.

Dental implants are inserted into the jawbone where the missing tooth once stood. The implantation may be carried out at the same time that the original tooth is removed. Depending on your specific needs and the implant system your dentist uses, your dental implants could take between 6 to9 months to successfully integrate.

Wearing full dentures? Dental implants can still help

Dental implants are a versatile solution to a range of oral health issues. They can be used to support a single tooth, or up to 4 teeth on a bridge. If you have lost all of your teeth, dental implants can be used to fix your dentures in place.

If you want to find out if dental implants are a suitable solution for you, come and talk to us here at Polwarth Dental Clinic in Edinburgh. Dental implants may be just the answer you’re looking for.

There are times when a gap is a good thing. A gap year before starting at university can give you a chance to travel and explore the world. A gap caused by the loss of a tooth or teeth however can affect your oral health, cause problems with eating and even affect your confidence.

In the past there were limited solutions to this problem. You could live with the gap, or you could opt for dentures or a bridge. Over the past decade, another option has become more widely available. Dental implants are now widely regarded by most dentists as an effective long-term solution to missing teeth. Here at our clinic in Edinburgh, dental implants are giving more of our patients something to smile about.

More about dental implants in Edinburgh

Dental implants consist of 3 parts. The first is the titanium screw that is placed into the jawbone. The second part is the abutment, which connects the screw to the third and final part – a replacement tooth, teeth or denture. Once fixed in place, dental implants provide a secure and reliable way to address a variety of tooth loss scenarios.

Dental implants offer you a number of benefits. One of the most important is that the implants help conserve the structure of the jawbone. The natural process of biting and chewing prevents the bone from shrinking back. This degeneration of the jawbone is why dentures become loose over time.

Dental implants have an additional benefit, they help to prevent the sunken and aged look that occurs when the muscles of your face are no longer supported by the teeth and jawbone.

Are dental implants always the best solution?

As long as you are in good general health and have sufficient jawbone left at the site of the missing teeth, implants are an excellent solution to tooth loss. In some circumstances dental implants may not be a suitable treatment for you. So to find out if dental implants are right for you, come to Polwarth Dental Clinic and talk to our Edinburgh dental implants team. We offer an initial consultation where your needs can be discussed in a relaxed and informal way, before a tailored treatment plan is created.

Depending on your age, losing a tooth can either be a sign that you’re growing up, or a sign that you’re growing older. There are many reasons why we lose teeth, but as an adult a missing tooth or teeth can affect us in a number of ways. Firstly you may find it more difficult to eat certain foods. A missing tooth may make you feel self-conscious and reluctant to smile or speak to people you don’t know well.

Until relatively recently the only way that your dentist could restore your smile was by giving you a bridge or dentures. Unfortunately, as many of us know to our cost, bridges and dentures can sometimes let you down. Things have changed and now dental implants can be used to give you back a smile that you can be proud of.

What are dental implants?

Dental implants are made from a carefully engineered titanium screw which is inserted into the bone of the jaw. Titanium is very strong and is unique because living tissue can bond with it. This means that the implant becomes firmly fixed in the jawbone and provides a strong and stable support for an individual crown, a bridge or even a full set of dentures.

Here at our practice in Edinburgh, dental implants have been used to help many of our patients to look and feel good about the appearance of their teeth. Compared to bridges and dentures, dental implants can play an important role in maintaining the overall health of your jaw. This is because they help to stimulate the jawbone due to the effect of biting and chewing. This stimulation is the natural process that keeps our teeth strong and healthy.

Find out more about dental implants in Edinburgh

Dental implants are now a well established method for restoring both the appearance and more importantly, the function of your teeth. Dental implants are suitable for any adult in good general health. A consultation with our implant dentist will ensure that this treatment is the most suitable one for you. Once the implants have been placed and fully integrated, they will last for many years.

If you have had enough of your dentures having a life of their own in your mouth, then now might be the time to consider having denture stabilisation treatment with dental implants.

At Polwarth Dental Clinic in Edinburgh, dental implants are an increasingly popular way to solve the problems caused by loose-fitting dentures, so that you can once again enjoy eating without fear of losing your teeth, or your speech not being so clear.

Dental implants stabilise dentures by giving them a secure base rooted in the jawbone, just like natural teeth have. However, with denture stabilisation, you do not need to have every single tooth root and crown replaced. Instead, in Edinburgh, dental implants, usually four of them, are strategically placed within the lower jawbone.

You can have the implants inserted under local anaesthetic, and, if you have a nervous patient, you can also have sedation. The dentist opens up the gum and drills a hole for each implant. They will start off with a small drill and increase its circumference to widen the hole without cracking the surrounding bone.

Once the hole is made, the implant is inserted and a temporary cap placed over it to protect it. You go away for several weeks while the titanium implant fuses with new bone growth in your jaw.

When you come back, we re-open your gum and insert an abutment into each implant. Then we attach a bar across the implants. This gives the base onto which your dentures will sit. Tiny but strong magnets in your dentures will keep them securely attached to the bar running between your implants.

As you can see it is all very simple, but you need to be aware that this process can take up to a year. The most important prerequisite for treatment is a strong, healthy jawbone. And if yours has lost size and density, which happens when we lose our teeth, then you may need to undergo some preparatory bone work, such as a bone graft to build up your jawbone and make it strong enough to receive the implants.

When you come to us for an initial consultation, we will make a thorough examination of your jawbone to see if it needs rebuilding before we begin implant treatment. We will also be able to discuss in detail any other concerns you may have, as well as talk you through the process more thoroughly.

When is a tooth not a tooth? When it’s a dental implant. In Edinburgh, more and more people are discovering that artificial teeth no longer need to be something the whole world knows about.

This can be especially important if you lost your teeth to accident or injury rather than old age. You may have been just a teenager when this happened, and have been struggling with removable false teeth ever since.

In Edinburgh, dental implants replace the battle of the falsies, with once again being able to enjoy life to the fullest with teeth that behave like your natural ones do. This can be a huge boon if your false teeth have been letting you down by obscuring the clarity of your speech, or stopping you eating whatever you like, or, the biggest tragedy of all, losing a hot date when they find out that kissing you involves kissing your bridge too.

In Edinburgh, dental implants are making such a huge difference to people’s lives because, unlike traditional false teeth, implants become one with your jawbone. At Polwarth Dental Clinic, we insert them in a minor surgical procedure into special channels that we drill into your jaw. Over the next two to four months, the titanium of the implants interacts with the bone tissue, causing it to regrow and fuse with the rough surface of the implants, and thus holding them in place just as if they were natural teeth. This process is known as osseointegration. While it is taking place, you can continue to wear your own false teeth, although you will have to stick to a restricted diet.

After the healing is completed, you can come back to us at Polwarth Dental Clinic for the rest of your dental Implants in Edinburgh. We now add an internal screw, called an abutment, to the implant. To this we attach your new artificial crowns, which will have been specially made for you from hard-wearing porcelain colour-matched to your own teeth, and sized and shaped so that they blend in perfectly with the teeth nature gave you.

If you take care of your new dental implants Edinburgh, they should last you a lifetime; implants have a 98% success rate.

There is a huge array of benefits to dental implants in Edinburgh. Firstly, they are the next best thing to our natural teeth, with a fit and function very similar to healthy teeth. Some other tooth replacement options can lead to weakening of the bone, as well as trouble with eating and speaking.

Another benefit is the sheer life span dental implants in Edinburgh can provide. With proper care and attention from our implant dentists and good care from you, they can last you a lifetime. This is different to the traditional methods of tooth-supported dental bridges, only having an expectancy of between five to ten years.

Dental implants also allow you to keep your teeth in your mouth, not in a jar by your bedside table at night. They are fused directly into the bone, so there is no fear of slippage. You can floss and brush without fear of clicking or shifting the teeth.

Dr Willie Jack

Dr Jack is the primary dental implant dentist here at Polwarth Dental Clinic in Edinburgh. He graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 1983. In 1985 he established an NHS practice in Wales. Dr Jack has worked privately since 1990, so that he can offer the very best dental care, individual to you. His commitment to providing effective, high quality care for his patients has led him to undertake a rigorous programme of postgraduate training, with focus on cosmetic and implant dentistry.

Dr Jack has placed, restored and maintained over 3,500 implants, with a current implant success rate of over 98%. During the past 20 years, Dr Jack has worked with many of the mainstream implant systems, meaning his knowledge of dental implants procedures and processes is varied.

Dr Jack will bring a wealth of experience and enthusiasm to your dental implants in Edinburgh. His priority is to listen to you. He will find out what you want from your dental health and appearance, so that he can plan the treatment that best suits you. Dr Jack will make sure you achieve your ideal, healthy smile at Polwarth Dental Clinic.

Would you like to replace your missing teeth but you’d rather not wear dental bridges or dentures? Dental implants are natural-looking, long-lasting replacements for missing teeth. By replacing missing tooth roots, dental implants allow people to eat their favourite foods without pain or struggle. At the same time, they help restore function to your bite. Dental implants can also stimulate and preserve the jawbone, preventing bone loss and helping to maintain facial structure.

At Polwarth Dental Clinic, we believe that teeth restored with dental implants are teeth that let you take control of your life. No more avoiding crunchy or chewy food! If you are considering dental implants in Edinburgh, make sure that you are informed on every aspect of implant dentistry to help you make your decision. Dr Willie Jack, our implant dentist, can guide you through the process step-by-step.

Advantages of dental implants

If you, like millions of people, have lost one or more teeth, then you understand the unpleasant consequences that come with tooth loss. Dental implants are fixed into the jawbone and act like the root of your natural teeth. Unlike dentures or removable bridges, which can be wobbly or look unnatural, implants blend in with the rest of your teeth and offer the same chewing force as a natural tooth. Dental implants are also extremely stable. Unlike dentures you can’t remove them – they stay in your mouth at all times and you can brush and floss them like regular teeth.

Dental implants in Edinburgh are very versatile. They can be used in a variety of ways and combinations to replace your missing teeth. You can opt for single tooth implants, an implant-supported bridge or partial dentures, or an entire set of implant supported dentures. Finally, dental implants help keep the rest of your teeth healthy as they do not require the grinding down of adjacent teeth like bridges.

At Polwarth Dental Clinic, whether you need treatment for missing teeth or a full-mouth restoration, we can advise you on the most suitable option for you. If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, contact us today.

At Polwarth Dental Clinic in Edinburgh, many of our patients want to preserve as many of their natural teeth as possible, and not lose them to being ground down to support artificial teeth on bridges.

If you would rather keep your natural teeth intact, our dentists recommend dental implants in Edinburgh rather than normal dentures and bridges.

In Edinburgh, dental implants are frequently the best solution to one or more missing teeth. Dental implants do not need to be supported by the teeth adjacent to the gap, which have to be ground down for bridges to be fitted. With dental implants,healthy teeth are preserved. Implants can be used to replace a single tooth, or a few, or even both sets of teeth on upper and lower jaw.

In Edinburgh, dental implants also benefit jaw health. When teeth are lost, the jaw bone in those areas starts to lose density, and the gums recede. Dental implants prevent this.

These tiny titanium posts are screwed into the jawbone along carefully constructed channels created during minor oral surgery. During the following few months, the jawbone is given time to heal, so that new bone tissue growth can mesh with the titanium of the new dental implant, holding it securely in place, just as it would a natural tooth root.

This process, known as osseointegration, takes several weeks, during which time the patient can continue to wear their artificial teeth. Meanwhile, at a special laboratory, new teeth are being specially made to blend with the patient’s own natural teeth shape and colour. Once the gums and jaw are healed, the new teeth are screwed onto the implants.

Once in place, dental implants in Edinburgh are indistinguishable from the natural teeth they have replaced. The wearer can eat, drink, brush and floss as normal. Patients often find that they more or less forget that these implants are not the teeth they were born with.

At Polwarth Dental Clinic, our implantologist is Dr Willie Jack. A qualified dentist since 1983, Willie has a Masters degree in Implantology and has successfully completed many thousands of implant cases during his time in practice.