Dental Implants for Upper Jaw: Procedure & Pricing

Key Takeaways

• Upper jaw implant treatment has six stages: consultation and 3D scanning, digital planning, guided placement, three to six months of healing, fitting the permanent crown, bridge, or denture, and aftercare.
• A single implant is typically placed in under an hour, while a full upper arch is rebuilt on four to six implants fitted in one session.
• The upper jawbone is more porous than the lower jawbone, and the sinus floor sits close to the ridge, so healing takes longer and scan depth matters more.
• Implant treatment starts from £2,500 per implant, with the crown, bridge, or denture quoted separately and sedation from £299 on top.
• Arnold Dental & Implant Centre plans, places, and restores upper jaw implants at one Nottingham site, and includes a bespoke 3D-printed surgical guide at no extra cost. 

Replacing Upper Teeth With Implants

An upper jaw implant is a titanium post placed into the maxilla to support a crown, bridge, or fixed full-arch set of teeth. Treatment follows six stages: a 3D scan and digital plan, guided placement, three to six months of healing, fitting the final teeth, and ongoing reviews. At Arnold Dental & Implant Centre, every stage is handled at one Nottingham site, including the bespoke 3D-printed surgical guide that directs placement.

Cost depends mainly on how many teeth you’re replacing. Implants are priced individually, with the crown, bridge, or denture quoted separately. A full upper arch is usually carried on four to six implants instead of one per tooth, so rebuilding a whole jaw costs far less than a single-tooth price multiplied. For full-arch cases, a fixed temporary set can often be fitted on the day of surgery.

The Upper Jaw Implant Procedure

1. Consultation & Digital Assessment

Your first appointment covers medical history, an examination of the remaining teeth and gums, and a discussion of the result you want. We check gum health and bite before anything else, since you must treat active gum disease before placing implants. Smoking, uncontrolled diabetes, and certain medications also affect suitability, so these are raised at this stage.

We then capture your mouth digitally. An intraoral scanner records the surfaces of your teeth and gums without impression trays, and a CBCT scan produces a 3D image of the upper jaw showing bone height, bone width, sinus position, and nerve pathways.

That scan matters more in the upper jaw than the lower. Maxillary bone is more porous than the dense bone of the lower jaw, and the sinus floor can sit close to the ridge behind the premolars and molars, so depth and angle must be measured in three dimensions before drilling.

The consultation stage covers medical history, gum health, and a CBCT scan to map the upper jaw in three dimensions.

2. Planning & the Surgical Guide

The scan data and the surface scan are merged into a single digital model. On that model, we virtually position each implant, choosing the angle and depth that provide the best bone contact while maintaining safe clearance from the sinus and adjacent roots.

Planning also runs in reverse. We design the final tooth position first, then place the implant where it needs to sit to support that tooth. This matters at the front of the mouth, where gum contour and emergence angle decide whether a crown looks natural next to your own teeth.

Once you agree to the plan, we 3D-print a bespoke surgical guide on site. The guide fits over your gums or remaining teeth on the day of surgery and directs the drill along the exact path planned on screen. Every implant patient at Arnold Dental & Implant Centre receives this guide at no additional cost.

3. Implant Placement

Placement is carried out under local anaesthetic, with sedation available for anxious patients. The gum is opened, the site prepared through the guide, and the titanium implant seated into the bone at the planned depth. In some cases, the implant is placed immediately after a tooth is removed, using the same appointment.

A single implant typically takes under an hour. A full upper arch takes longer, as four to six implants are placed in one session, and photogrammetry records their exact positions for the restoration that follows.

Recovery is usually straightforward. Most patients describe it as comparable to an extraction, with swelling peaking around day two and settling over the following few days. Soft foods, saltwater rinses, and avoiding the surgical site when brushing cover most of the aftercare in that first week.

4. Healing & Integration

Osseointegration is the process where bone cells grow onto and around the implant surface, locking it in place. In the upper jaw, this generally takes three to six months, longer than the lower jaw because the bone is less dense to begin with.

You are not left without teeth during that period. A temporary crown, bridge, or denture keeps you eating and speaking normally, and for full-arch cases, a fixed temporary set can often be fitted on the day of surgery.

We review progress during this phase rather than leaving you to wait it out. If an implant isn’t integrating as expected, we aim to catch it at a review appointment rather than when we fit the final teeth.

5. Fitting the Final Teeth

Once integration is confirmed, we scan again and design the permanent restoration. We match shade, shape, and translucency to your remaining teeth, or to the smile agreed at planning if the whole arch is being rebuilt.

The final crown, bridge, or fixed denture is then secured to the implants and the bite is adjusted. Small refinements at this appointment are normal, since the restoration has to share chewing load evenly with your natural teeth.

6. Ongoing Reviews

Implants need the same maintenance as natural teeth, plus checks on the tissue around the post. Review appointments look at gum health, bone levels, and the fit of the restoration.

Hygiene appointments continue as usual. Cleaning around an implant differs slightly from cleaning a natural tooth, so our hygienists show you the technique for your specific restoration at the fitting appointment.

Upper jaw implants require regular reviews of gum health, bone levels, and restoration fit, alongside routine hygiene appointments.

Upper Jaw Implant Pricing

Implant treatment at Arnold Dental & Implant Centre starts from £2,500. That covers the implant and the planning behind it, including your surgical guide. Running planning, surgery, and manufacturing on one site rather than routing cases through external labs and surgeons is what lets us hold that price.

Your restoration is priced separately, since a single crown, an implant bridge, and a fixed full-arch denture are different procedures. The table below shows our current guide prices, with the Practice Plan column reflecting the 20% member discount.

Prices are a guide only. Each mouth is different, so we give a written estimate after your assessment, before treatment starts. Payment plans are available and can be discussed at your appointment.

What Changes the Final Price

Implant count moves the total most. A full upper arch on four implants costs considerably more than a single tooth replacement, though far less than replacing every upper tooth individually.

Bone condition is the second variable. Where height beneath the sinus is short, additional preparatory work adds materials, chair time, and healing time to the plan, and only the CBCT scan shows whether your case needs it.

The restoration is the third. Materials vary in cost, and a fixed full-arch bridge involves more design and manufacturing work than a single crown. Sedation and any preliminary treatment, such as extractions or hygiene work, are quoted on top.

Accurate Planning & Clear Costs for Upper Jaw Implants at Arnold Dental & Implant Centre

Arnold Dental & Implant Centre handles upper jaw implant planning, placement, and restoration under one roof with clear pricing.

Upper jaw implants come down to accuracy and patience. The scan and plan decide the result long before an implant goes in; integration takes months rather than weeks, and the price reflects what your jaw needs rather than a fixed package figure.

At Arnold Dental & Implant Centre, the same team handles planning, placement, restoration, and reviews on one site, so the plan you agree to is the plan carried out, and your written estimate sets out the full course. Book a consultation with us for a CBCT assessment and a written cost for your case.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can I have upper jaw implants if I currently wear a full denture?

Often yes. Long-term denture wearers lose bone height, so a scan is needed to check what remains. Where bone allows, implants can support a fixed upper bridge that leaves the palate uncovered, improving taste and comfort compared with a plate.

Does upper jaw implant surgery hurt?

The procedure is done under local anaesthetic, so you should feel pressure rather than pain. Most patients manage afterward with over-the-counter painkillers for a few days. Sedation is available if the surgery itself is your main concern.

Will an upper implant crown match my other teeth?

Yes. The crown is designed digitally and matched to the colour, shape, and size of your natural teeth. Upper front teeth get particular attention, as gum contour and translucency affect how natural the result looks beside neighbouring teeth.

How long do upper jaw implants last?

With good oral hygiene and regular check-ups, implants can serve for many years. The restoration on top may need replacing sooner than the implant itself. Gum health and smoking status strongly influence long-term success, which is why review appointments matter.

Why choose Arnold Dental & Implant Centre for upper jaw implants?

Single-tooth implant treatment at Arnold Dental & Implant Centre begins with a free consultation, and all our clinicians are GDC registered. We treat single teeth and full upper arches with the same digital system, so cases that grow in scope during planning don’t usually need to be referred elsewhere.

*Note: The information in this post is for general guidance only and does not constitute professional medical or dental advice. Individual outcomes vary depending on personal health factors, and any pricing mentioned is indicative only and subject to change. Always consult a qualified dental professional before making any treatment decisions. Contact Arnold Dental & Implant Centre to book a consultation.