Dental Implants in London

Implant system. Premium systems (Straumann, Nobel Biocare) cost more than budget alternatives. Both are CE-marked, but the established brands have the deepest long-term evidence base.

Crown material. Porcelain-fused-to-metal is less expensive than full zirconia or layered porcelain. Zirconia offers better aesthetics for front teeth.

Clinician experience. A GDC-registered specialist in oral surgery or periodontics has years of additional supervised training. Specialist-led placement typically costs more but carries lower complication rates for complex cases.

Bone grafting. If the jawbone has insufficient volume, a graft (£400–£1,200) or sinus lift (£800–£2,000) adds to the total. Ask at the consultation whether grafting is likely.

Location. A Harley Street or Kensington practice charges a location premium. An equally qualified clinician in an outer borough may cost 30–40% less.

The implant is placed under local anaesthetic, or sedation for anxious patients. Over 8 to 16 weeks the bone integrates with the implant surface — a process called osseointegration. Once integrated, an abutment and crown are fitted.

Treatment usually takes 2 to 4 appointments over 3 to 6 months. Some clinics offer same-day or immediate-load implants where a temporary crown is placed on the day of surgery.

Success rates are high. Cochrane systematic reviews of implant survival report rates above 95% at 5 years and over 90% at 10 years. Smoking significantly increases failure risk, as does uncontrolled diabetes and poor oral hygiene.

Can I get a dental implant on the NHS? Almost never on the high street. NHS guidance limits implants to defined clinical situations — reconstruction after mouth cancer or major facial trauma, and severe congenitally missing teeth (hypodontia). These are provided through hospital or specialist services on referral, not by booking at a local practice.

If I qualified, what would it cost? Hospital implant treatment for qualifying patients falls under Band 3 — £332.10 — the same charge as dentures or a bridge. That is the patient charge, not the cost of treatment.

Is a “cheap NHS implant” advert legitimate? Treat it as a red flag. A practice cannot sell you an NHS implant outside that referral pathway — what’s advertised is usually a private implant with finance. Compare the total repayable, not the monthly figure, and check the practice on the CQC register.

What does the NHS offer instead? A partial denture or, where suitable, a bridge — both Band 3 (£332.10). Using the NHS option first doesn’t rule out a private implant later.

“All-on-4”-type same-day full-arch treatment is priced per arch, not per tooth — comparing it per-tooth against single implants is misleading.