Single tooth implants
Single tooth implants in Ipswich
If you have lost one tooth, a single implant replaces it with a crown that stands on its own in the jaw. The teeth either side are left as they are.
A single implant with a crown starts from £2,500. Your first step is an implant consultation with Dr Rohit Patel, implant dentist (GDC 284311). Consultation and scan prices are in the cost section below.
What it is
What you get with a single tooth implant
Three parts, fitted in stages with healing time between them.
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The implant
A small titanium post placed where the root used to be, given a few months to bond with the bone.
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The connector
The connector (abutment) between implant and crown.
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The crown
The tooth you see, made to fit the gap and shaded to match your own teeth. The crown is included in the £2,500 starting fee.
A conventional bridge is usually held by the teeth either side of the gap, which are filed down to carry it. An implant crown stands on its own in the bone, so those teeth stay as they are. More on how implants work on our dental implants page.
Treatment options
Ways one missing tooth can be replaced
Four ways to deal with one gap. Which suits you depends on where the tooth is, the teeth either side, your bone and what you want from treatment.
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Option one
A single implant
The only option that replaces the root as well as the tooth. From £2,500 including the crown.
- Fixed, and cleaned like your own teeth
- Several months from start to finished crown
- Planned from a CBCT 3D scan of your jaw
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Option two
A bridge
A fixed tooth carried by the teeth beside the gap. From £850 per tooth it covers; a bridge for one gap usually covers three teeth, the gap and the tooth on each side.
- Fixed, with no implant surgery
- A conventional bridge means filing down the supporting teeth; an adhesive bridge needs little or none
- Works best when the supporting teeth are healthy
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Option three
A partial denture
A removable plate carrying the replacement tooth. Acrylic from £850 per denture (upper or lower).
- No surgery, and the quickest to make
- Taken out to clean
- Can carry more than one tooth if you lose another later
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Option four
Leaving the gap
Some gaps can be left and watched, depending on where the tooth was and how you bite.
- No treatment for now
- We check the gap at your routine check-ups
- You can still choose to replace the tooth later
Dr Patel goes through the ones that would work for you at the consultation. Full prices are in our private fee guide and on our dentures page.
The process
How long a single implant takes
From consultation to finished crown usually takes several months, most of it healing time. The stages are set out in full on our dental implants page; here is what a single tooth usually looks like.
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Consultation and scan
Dr Patel examines the gap, the teeth either side and your bite. The CBCT 3D scan shows the bone and where the nerves and sinuses sit.
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Anything needed first
If the tooth is still there it is removed, and any gum treatment or bone graft comes before or alongside the implant.
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Placing the implant
One visit under local anaesthetic.
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Healing
A few months while the bone bonds to the implant. If the gap shows when you smile, we can usually arrange a temporary tooth.
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Fitting the crown
Impressions or a scan of the gap, then the connector and crown are fitted.
Your own timeline is set at the planning stage, because healing time depends on the site and the bone.
Planning your treatment
Is a single implant right for you?
A single implant suits you if
- You are missing one tooth and want a fixed replacement
- The teeth beside the gap are healthy and you would rather not have them filed down for a conventional bridge
- A tooth needs removing and you want to discuss replacement before it comes out
- You have worn a partial denture for one tooth and would prefer something fixed
What the consultation covers, from your gums to the bone in your jaw, is set out on our dental implants page.
If there is less bone than the implant needs, a bone graft or sinus lift can rebuild it; both are priced below. Your dentist will check it suits you at the assessment, and results vary from person to person. If an implant is the wrong choice for your gap, a bridge or partial denture is.
What it costs
How much does a single tooth implant cost in Ipswich?
From £2,500 for the implant, the connector and the crown. Your implant consultation is currently £50 (usually £150). If you decide to explore treatment, the CBCT 3D scan is £150 (usually £200), and if you go ahead, £100 comes off your treatment cost. Any treatment needed first, such as a bone graft or removing a tooth, is priced separately below.
Private fees
| Implant consultation, currently on offer (usually £150) | £50 |
|---|---|
| CBCT 3D scan, if you decide to explore treatment (usually £200) | £150 |
| Single implant with crown | from £2,500 |
| Simple extraction | from £150 |
| Sinus lift, to add bone height in the upper jaw | from £1,800 |
| Bone graft, simple | £500 |
| Bone graft, complex | £1,800–£2,800 |
| Bridge, as an alternative, per tooth it covers | from £850 |
| Acrylic denture, per denture (upper or lower), as an alternative | from £850 |
Worth knowing
Priced separately
Bone grafting, a sinus lift, an extraction and any gum care are quoted on top of the implant fee, only if you need them, and before anything starts.
See the fee guideLarger treatment plans
Paying for treatment
If you are planning implant treatment, ask us how payment works, including the 50% deposit.
Ask our teamAfter your assessment you get a written plan with each stage and the total cost before you decide. If anything changes, we tell you before we go ahead.
Common questions
Single tooth implant questions
What people ask most often before booking an assessment. If yours is not here, call the practice on 01473 251955 and ask.
How long does it take?
Usually several months from consultation to finished crown, most of it healing time while the bone bonds to the implant. You get your own timeline in your written plan.
Will I have a temporary tooth while the implant heals?
Usually, if the gap shows when you smile. Dr Patel agrees it with you at the planning stage.
Is having an implant placed painful?
The area is numbed with local anaesthetic, so tell your dentist if you feel anything. Expect some soreness or swelling for a few days afterwards; your dentist will tell you what to take for it. If you are anxious, say so when you book.
Will I need a bone graft?
Only if the scan shows there is less bone than the implant needs. A simple graft is £500 and a complex graft £1,800–£2,800, on top of the implant fee, and it adds healing time to your plan.
How long will it last?
A single implant and its crown are a long-term replacement for one tooth, and the crown can be replaced on the same implant if it wears. Daily cleaning, healthy gums, not smoking and regular check-ups all help, and we check both at your routine appointments.
My tooth is still there but has to come out. Can I plan the implant now?
Yes, and it helps to. Tell us before the tooth is removed, so Dr Patel can plan the implant around the extraction. Where it helps, ridge preservation (£1,000) keeps the bone after the tooth comes out, ready for the implant.
Book your single tooth implant consultation
Dr Rohit Patel sees implant patients at 51 Berners Street in central Ipswich. Request a consultation online and reception will confirm your time, or call 01473 251955. If you are replacing more than one tooth, see our dental implants and full mouth dental implants pages.