How many Implants do I need for a full mouth of implants?

[Fred]

I wear full dentures both top and bottom. I find that I constantly have to use denture glue which is very messy. I have found out about dental implants and would like to explore the option of having implants rather than dentures.

Can you tell me how many implants I need for a complete set of implants and how much its likely to cost and how long is the treatment going to take to complete?

[Dr Mohsen J. Esfahani]

For a Full mouth rehab with dental implants, the number of Implants that you will need depends on what sort of restoration you are looking to have at the end. You have two options:

1. Removable dentures held in with implants (will need 2-4 implants in the top jaw and 2-4 implants in the lower jaw)

2. Fixed bridges held in with implants (will need 6-8 implants in the top jaw and 6-8 implants in the lower jaw)


The removable dentures can be removed by you to be cleaned when necessary but the fixed bridges can only be removed by dentists.

The removable dentures are more bulky than the bridges but unlike normal dentures they do not cover the whole of your palate as they have a horse shoe design.


The time & cost required for such treatment depends on several factors:

1. You must have enough bone to support the implants. If you do not have enough bone you will need bone grafting or bone augmentation which will increase the treatment time and cost.

2. You may need sinus lifts in the case of fixed upper bridge held in by implants if your maxillary sinus floor is very close to the oral cavity.

3. The quality and cost of the materials used and the experience of the surgeon has a significant effect on the cost of the treatment.


As you can see that there are a lot of variables that affect the treatment time and treatment cost and you will have to have a consultation for precise information regarding treatment time and cost.

As a guide for a full upper and lower jaw rehab with implants, the treatment time could range from 6-18 months and the treatment cost ranges from £10,000-£36,000.

For more information on dental implants please see our dental implantology page Dental Implants, Dental Implants in Kingston, London.