A Denture Held Firmly by Implants

Here at Ferry Smile Studios, 196 Brook Street, in the heart of the Ferry, we provide dentures held by implants: they clip on, so there's no shifting when you're eating or talking. Our implant dentist uses our CT scanner to plan where each implant goes, then places them with a 3D-printed guide, typically four for an upper denture and two for a lower. There's no charge for the consultation, and your existing denture stays in use while the implants heal. Each stage is explained on our implant-retained dentures page.

At our Broughty Ferry practice, implant-retained dentures start from £8,500 for each jaw. ¹ What you end up paying rests largely on which jaw is involved and the number of implants required: a lower denture is generally held by two, an upper by four. If a CT scan is needed, that's £160.

A lower denture can usually be secured on two implants, whereas an upper typically calls for four. Upper jaw bone is softer and less dense, which means the chewing forces need spreading over more implants to keep everything stable. Your CT scan settles the exact number in your case. Occasionally a lower denture is designed around more than two, for example where the bone is slender or the bite is unusually strong.

No. A new denture is made for you, with the clip housings built in from the start. Converting an old one seldom produces a precise, durable fit, and ageing acrylic has a habit of cracking around the attachments. That said, your present denture still earns its keep: you'll wear it during the healing period, often with a soft temporary liner, and many people hang on to it afterwards as a back-up.

Neither is right for everyone. The clip-in denture costs less and is taken out to clean; fixed teeth remain in place and feel closer to natural teeth. Implant-retained dentures start from £8,500 for each jaw, resting on two to four implants, and fixed full-arch teeth from £9,300 for each arch. Fixed teeth sit on four implants, or on anywhere from four to six if you're on the Same-Day Fixed Teeth or Premium Guided Zirconia pathway. ¹ The fixed option demands more bone, or implants angled to compensate, plus a little more work keeping the underside clean. What your scan shows, what you want to spend and how you feel about removing teeth at bedtime all come into the decision, and we'll set the two options out side by side when you come in for your consultation.

Take it out twice a day, morning and night, to clean it, and with it out, give your gums and the implant heads a brush as well. Use a soft brush and a non-abrasive cleaner on the denture itself, not ordinary toothpaste, which leaves scratches in acrylic. Inside the denture are small nylon inserts that grip the implants; these wear down over time and are replaced at a routine appointment once you feel the grip slackening, usually about once a year. Routine appointments with the hygienist help keep the gum surrounding each implant healthy.

Not while it's being done: local anaesthetic numbs the area completely, so you'll feel pushing and a bit of vibration but nothing sharp. When your plan includes a 3D-printed guide, the opening in the gum is often very small, which makes the days afterwards more comfortable. Most people manage with paracetamol or ibuprofen over the first two or three days, and after a single implant many people return to work a day or two later. If it's the thought of being in the chair that worries you, IV sedation can be arranged for £500 a session.

No upper limit exists; your health matters, your age doesn't. What we weigh up is your general medical picture and any medication, the amount of bone available in your jaw (which your CT scan reveals), and whether you or a helper can keep the area properly clean. Certain conditions and medicines, osteoporosis tablets or poorly controlled diabetes for example, call for extra thought at the planning stage, and we'll talk these through with you. For younger patients, implants have to wait until jaw growth is complete, typically at 18 or a little after.