Health and healing
Medical history, medicines, smoking and factors such as diabetes are considered before surgery is proposed.
Specialist in Prosthodontics
Dental Implant Treatment in London
Individual assessment for single teeth, implant bridges, removable overdentures and full-arch rehabilitation
A dental implant is a manufactured tooth-supporting component placed within the jawbone. It may support a crown, bridge or removable denture, but it does not reproduce every biological feature of a natural tooth. Dr Firas Daoudi assesses the bone, gum health, bite and intended restoration before determining whether implant treatment—or preservation of a natural tooth—offers the more appropriate option.
How implant treatment works
Three Components, Planned as One Restoration.
The implant body is usually a titanium component placed within the jawbone. The abutment connects it to the visible restoration. The replacement tooth may be an individual crown, a bridge or an overdenture.
Implant positioning must be planned from the intended final tooth. Position, depth and angulation affect appearance, gum contour, bite and whether the completed restoration can be cleaned effectively.
Biological integration
Healing Is Assessed, Not Assumed.
Osseointegration describes the stable connection that develops between living jawbone and the implant surface. Healing commonly takes a number of weeks or months and varies with the site, bone quality, health and surgical conditions.
A temporary restoration can sometimes be connected soon after placement, but only when the implants have adequate initial stability and pressure can be controlled during healing.
Integration can fail, and later complications remain possible. These include gum inflammation, supporting-bone loss, component loosening, material wear and overloading from a heavy bite or tooth grinding.
Smoking, previous gum disease, inadequate plaque control and some medical conditions can increase risk. Long-term daily cleaning and professional maintenance are essential.
Suitability assessment
Planning Starts With Health, Function and the Final Tooth.
Gums and bite
Active disease should be controlled. Bite forces, tooth grinding, cleaning ability and restorative space influence the design.
Imaging and position
Radiographs and, when justified, CBCT imaging help relate the available bone and anatomical structures to the planned restoration.
Implants should replace teeth that are missing or cannot reasonably be retained. Root-canal treatment or advanced restorative care may be preferable where a natural tooth has a maintainable prognosis.
When implants may be considered
From One Missing Tooth to a Complete Arch.
The appropriate option is determined by diagnosis, the condition of the remaining teeth and gums, available bone, restorative space and the way the teeth meet. The following documented cases show how those decisions can differ; they are examples, not promises of outcome.
Replacing a single front tooth
A single implant can avoid preparing adjacent healthy teeth, but matching one front crown requires careful control of implant position, shade, tooth form and gum-line symmetry.
See the front-tooth implant caseReplacing several teeth
Two or more implants may support a bridge, distributing forces without requiring one implant for every missing tooth. Cleaning access and the span of the bridge remain central to planning.
See the anterior bridge and five-year reviewStabilising a removable denture
Implant attachments can improve retention and may permit reduced palatal coverage in suitable upper dentures. The restoration remains removable for daily cleaning and its attachments require maintenance.
See the implant-overdenture caseRehabilitating a complete arch
A fixed full-arch bridge depends on implant distribution, bone, bite forces, prosthetic space and a design that the patient can clean. Four or six implants are concepts rather than universal prescriptions.
Compare All-on-4 and All-on-6 supportManaging reduced bone volume
Bone grafting or sinus augmentation may be considered when anatomy cannot support the planned implant position. Shorter implants, a different restoration or no implant treatment may also be reasonable.
Read the grafting and sinus-lift guideRetaining a natural tooth
An implant is a replacement for a missing or non-maintainable tooth, not an automatic upgrade. Root-canal treatment or restorative care may offer the more conservative option where prognosis is acceptable.
Explore tooth-preserving treatmentTreatment pathway
How Dental Implant Care Is Planned.
Assessment and shared decision-making
The examination considers medical and dental history, gum health, the prognosis of remaining teeth, bite forces and the patient's priorities. Radiographs and, when clinically justified, three-dimensional CBCT imaging are used to assess anatomy and relate the available bone to the intended tooth position.
Restoratively driven placement
Planning works backwards from the required crown, bridge or denture. This helps determine implant number, position and angulation before surgery and reduces the risk of creating a restoration that is difficult to clean, compromises appearance or receives unfavourable forces.
Healing, restoration and maintenance
After placement, healing and implant stability are reviewed rather than assumed. The definitive restoration is fitted when clinical conditions permit. Daily plaque control, professional maintenance and periodic assessment of the tissues, bite and components remain necessary for the life of the implant restoration.
Understanding Implant Limitations & Success
Dental implants can provide a predictable replacement option for suitable patients, but they are not appropriate for everyone. Suitability and prognosis depend on available bone, oral health, medical factors, smoking history, bite forces and the ability to maintain the implant.
Clinical note: Dr Daoudi is registered by the GDC as a Specialist in Prosthodontics. Implant dentistry is not a separate GDC specialist title. Every treatment pathway is planned individually, with tooth preservation considered where clinically appropriate.
Continue exploring
Dental Implant Information and Clinical Cases
Dental implant guide
Assessment, treatment choices, risks, healing and long-term maintenance.
You are reading this guideAll-on-4 and All-on-6
How full-arch support, implant distribution and bridge design are assessed.
Explore all-on-4 and all-on-6Bone grafting and sinus lift
Why additional bone may be considered, with alternatives and limitations.
Explore bone grafting and sinus liftDocumented implant cases
Real single-tooth, bridge, overdenture and full-arch treatment examples.
Explore documented implant casesQuestions About Implant Treatment?
Read clear answers about suitability, treatment stages, maintenance, loose implant crowns and full-arch options.
Explore dental implant questionsClinical Review and Further Information
Published
Last clinical review
Next scheduled review
Author and clinical reviewer
Dr Firas Daoudi
DDS · MSc (Conservative Dentistry, Eastman Dental Institute, UCL) · LDS RCS (Eng) · MFDS RCSEd. Dr Daoudi is registered with the General Dental Council as a dentist and Specialist in Prosthodontics, GDC number 78666.
Selected patient-information references
- Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust — Dental implantsPatient information covering assessment, treatment stages, alternatives, risks and long-term care.
- Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust — Dental implants in restorative dentistryPatient guidance on healing, risk factors, restoration and ongoing maintenance.
- Association of Dental Implantology — After careInformation about long-term cleaning, professional review and peri-implant health.
References were checked during the clinical review on 13 September 2026. This page provides general information and does not replace an individual examination, diagnosis or consent discussion.