Replacing all of your teeth
If you have lost all the teeth in one jaw, or your dentures no longer fit, implants can hold a fixed bridge or a denture that clips firmly in place.
Three ways to replace a full set of teeth
A dental implant is a small titanium post that takes the place of a missing tooth root. For a whole jaw, several implants work together, and there are three main ways to use them.
A fixed implant bridge that stays in. A full row of teeth fixed onto several implants. Fixed implant teeth can usually only be fitted and removed by your dentist, so the bridge stays in all the time.
A removable implant bridge you take out to clean. A full row of teeth held by the implants, which you can take out to clean.
An implant-retained denture that clips onto implants. A denture with small attachments underneath that clip onto the implants, so it doesn't slip around. You take it out to clean it and the attachments. In one of our cases, the upper implant denture was made with only minimal coverage of the palate (the roof of the mouth).
All three are designed to give more stability and comfort than a conventional denture, so you can speak, eat and smile with more confidence. We'll explain which suits you at your consultation.
Who it suits
Full-arch implant treatment may suit you if:
- you have lost all the teeth in your upper or lower jaw, or both
- your dentures are loose, uncomfortable or no longer fit
- your remaining teeth are failing and can't be saved
- your gums are healthy, or can be made healthy first
- there is enough bone for the implants, or it can be built up with bone grafting
When teeth are lost, the bone that held them slowly shrinks away, faster still under a poorly fitting denture. A CBCT scan shows us how much bone you have.
Treatment in stages. It is sometimes possible to place two or three implants to hold a denture more firmly, use them for a while, and later add more implants and move to fixed teeth, if you have enough bone. This doesn't suit everyone; it is most suited to a lower jaw with no teeth.
Your treatment, step by step
Consultation. A 30-minute appointment with a full examination. You leave with a fully costed treatment plan and a letter explaining the whole procedure.
3D scan and planning. A CBCT scan at our Cirencester practice shows your jawbone in three dimensions. We may also plan your new teeth with a diagnostic wax-up: a model of the planned teeth, made in wax.
Removing failing teeth, if needed. In the full-arch cases on this site where teeth were failing, a temporary denture was fitted as soon as they were removed.
Placing the implants. Usually under local anaesthetic, with IV sedation available if you're nervous.
Healing. The implants are left to bond with the bone, usually for 6 to 12 weeks. Your denture may need adjusting, or leaving out for a while until it can be relined with a soft lining, so that it doesn't press on the new implants.
Your new teeth. We record the position of the implants, either with conventional impressions or an iTero digital scan. Your bridge or denture is made in a dental laboratory and fitted, which usually takes a couple of weeks.
Looking after them. A fixed bridge is cleaned in place; a removable bridge or denture is taken out and cleaned, along with the attachments on the implants. Regular hygienist visits help to keep the gum around the implants healthy.
What to expect afterwards
After-effects are usually mild: slight bruising, a dull ache and some swelling, depending on how many implants are placed. Avoid big social or work commitments for at least a week afterwards; time off work isn't usually necessary.
Your written aftercare instructions cover soft food for the first week, no smoking and no alcohol for two weeks, and how to look after your denture while you heal. If anything worries you, call us on 01285 640248, or out of hours on 07912 668541.
How long it takes
- Planning
- May take a month or so.
- Any treatment needed first
- From a few weeks to several months.
- Healing after the implants are placed
- Usually 6 to 12 weeks.
- Fitting your new teeth
- Usually a couple of weeks.
If you need bone grafting, treatment takes longer. In some cases, implants can take temporary teeth at, or soon after, the time they are placed. Your plan will give your own timings.
Fees
A full plan is priced after your consultation. As a guide, implants are £1,595 each, overdenture abutments (the attachments a denture clips onto) are £550 each, one on each implant, and an implant denture is from £1,695 for each jaw.
| Item | Details | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Initial clinical consultation (30 minutes) | A full examination of your mouth and a talk about your options. You receive a fully costed plan for your treatment and a letter explaining the whole procedure. | £95 |
| Initial clinical consultation with Dr Ross Cutts (30 minutes) | The same full consultation, with our principal dentist, Dr Ross Cutts. You receive a fully costed plan for your treatment and a letter explaining the whole procedure. | £150 |
| CBCT 3D scan (at our Cirencester practice) | A 3D X-ray of your jaw that shows the shape and depth of the bone, so implants can be planned precisely. Charged in addition to the consultation, only if a scan is needed. | £210 |
| Implant fixture (the post that goes into the bone) | The implant itself: a small titanium screw placed in the jawbone to take the place of a tooth root. Priced per implant. | £1,595 |
| Overdenture abutments | The connectors fitted to your implants that an implant-retained denture clips onto. Priced per abutment, one on each implant. | £550 |
| Implant denture (each) | A denture made to clip firmly onto implants, so it doesn't slip. Priced per denture, for one jaw. | from £1,695 |
| Artificial bone (guided tissue regeneration) | A bone-substitute material placed where the bone is too thin, to help new bone form around an implant. | from £480 |
| Diagnostic wax-up | A wax model of your planned new teeth, made before treatment to help plan it. | from £640 |
Your consultation is £95, or £150 with Dr Ross Cutts. A CBCT scan, if you need one, is £210. You'll receive a written, fully costed plan before treatment starts, and you can pay in stages as your treatment progresses. Prices are from our August 2026 price list and may change. See all fees.
Full-arch cases
Step-by-step photographs from full-arch cases at the practice: a fixed implant bridge, a removable implant bridge and three implant-retained dentures.
- Before
After
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After
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After
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After
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After
Questions about replacing all your teeth
What are my options for replacing missing teeth?
It depends on whether you still have some of your own teeth. If you have no teeth left in a jaw, the options are a removable denture, a denture held in place by implants, or crowns and a bridge supported by implants. If you have some teeth left, you could have crowns or a bridge supported by implants, your own teeth or both; a partial denture secured by implants or by teeth; or a bridge fixed to the teeth either side of the gap. At your consultation we’ll explain which options suit you, and what each involves and costs.
How do implants compare with dentures and bridges?
Each option has strengths and drawbacks. Removable dentures cost less, but they often need adhesive, can feel loose or uncomfortable, and can add to decay, gum disease and shrinkage of the bone and gums. An adhesive bridge needs little or no drilling of the teeth next to it, but it can come loose, so it is often seen as temporary. A conventional bridge means filing down the healthy teeth either side of the gap to hold it, and over time these crowns can loosen and lead to decay. An implant isn’t attached to the teeth next to it, so they are left untouched, and it can be combined with bone grafting where needed.
Can I take my implant teeth out?
It depends on the type. Most crowns and bridges fixed to implants can only be fitted and removed by your dentist, so they stay in place from day to day. If you have a denture that clips onto implants, you can take it out yourself to clean it. If you’ve lost all the teeth in one jaw, there is also a removable implant bridge, which you take out to clean. We’ll explain the differences at your consultation.
Dr Ross Cutts (GDC 78162) is the practice principal, an ITI Fellow with a master's degree in fixed and removable prosthodontics, the branch of dentistry that replaces missing teeth.
Dr Ross Cutts
Practice Principal
GDC 78162
Principal dentist and ITI Fellow with a master's degree in prosthodontics. Ross sees every implant referral personally, at Cirencester and Stow-on-the-Wold.
Profile: Dr Ross Cutts
Start with a conversation.
Book a consultation to talk through your options. You'll leave with a clear, fully costed plan to take home and think over.
Implant treatment is available at both our Cirencester and Stow-on-the-Wold practices, so let us know your preference when you book.