Usually, the only way you can get free dental implants is by going through a dental training school, though not all training facilities offer such services for free.

If you want to opt for dental school treatment, you will need to contact your local institute and see if you qualify. Whilst the treatment may be free, or for a nominal cost, there are other factors that you should take into consideration:

• Treatment and appointments may take longer
• You may only be able to access treatment during term-time and during working hours
• Not all dental schools offer dental implants, so check that your local facility does offer this type of treatment
• Undergraduate dental students rarely provide implants, though some of the university dental hospitals do provide a minimal number of implants to some select patient groups. The implants which are so provided will be placed either by qualified hospital staff, as part of research by qualified hospital staff, or as part of postgraduate training of qualified dentists.

The NHS does not offer free dental implants to those who normally pay for their NHS dental treatment; you will only be entitled to implants from the NHS if there is a clinical need, and it is rare that they will be offered. If you do qualify for NHS dental implants, they fall into the band 3 category and are charged accordingly.

Usually, you can only get dental implants by paying for private dental treatment, and each practice will have its own pricing structure. The cost will depend on many factors, such as your dentist’s experience and location.

How long it can take for a dental implant to heal will depend on a number of factors, including:

• How many implants have been fitted
• The number of teeth affected
• The individual patient
• How you manage your recovery process

If you only have a single implant, and there is little to no post-operative discomfort or swelling, then you should be able to live life as normal. However, you may be advised to stick to a soft diet for a certain period of time.

Undergoing implant surgery normally only involves local anaesthetic and it is quite normal to have some minor swelling, bruising and mild discomfort afterwards. As long as this is well-managed and your mouth is kept clean, you should be able to return to a normal diet within a 1-6-week period.

Whilst all invasive surgery poses some risks, generally, implants are considered to be safe. However, although problems and complications are rare, they do happen. Dental implant risks include:

• Infection
• Damage or injury to the surrounding area, (this includes damage to other teeth and/or blood vessels)
• Nerve damage, (this can be caused by incorrect placement of the implant)
• Sinus problems, (this only normally happens when a dental implant is placed in the upper jaw and protrudes into the sinus cavity)

Nerve damage can occur during a dental implant procedure if the dentist places an implant too close to a nerve, or doesn’t take reasonable care when carrying out the treatment. Dental nerve damage symptoms after dental implants can include:

• Numbness of the tongue, gum, lips or face
• Tingling or burning sensation in the tongue, gums, lips or face
• Pain or sensitivity in the area after the post-procedure healing period has passed (3-5 days)

The first thing you should do, if you suspect that nerve damage has been caused by your dental implant procedure, is to go to see a dentist as soon as possible. You can visit a different dentist if you do not wish to go back to the dentist that carried out your implant procedure.

If you suspect that your nerve damage is down to the negligence of your dentist or the poor care that you have received from them, you might be eligible to make a dental negligence compensation claim.

Contact the Dental Law Partnership today to discuss your options and potential next steps.