Robert Luke has been a patient at London Dental Specialists since 2018. Years of heavy tooth grinding had steadily worn his upper teeth down, and after his own dentist referred him here, he went ahead with full-arch implant treatment on his upper jaw. In the video below he talks through the whole experience in his own words: the decision, the surgery, the fitting appointments and what daily life is like now.

Robert's All-on-4 dental implant experience, filmed at the practice.

Why Robert needed treatment

Robert is a heavy tooth grinder, and over the years it took a visible toll on his teeth.

"I grind my teeth a lot and they were actually going down and down."

His own dentist knew Dr Opeoluwa Sodeinde from their university years and suggested Robert come in for an assessment. He saw the hygienist as well as the implant team, and the first appointments were spent working out what was realistic. Robert was clear that he valued knowing where he stood on both the clinical plan and the money before anything started.

He already had a small number of implants placed previously. Two routes were put in front of him, and he chose to clear the remaining upper teeth and rebuild the arch on implants rather than keep patching individual teeth.

The surgery, in his words

Robert describes himself as an easy patient on the day.

"I tend to relax and don't get flustered and just lay back."

The upper teeth were removed first, which took a while, and four implants were then placed into his upper jaw. Local anaesthetic was given and checked before anything began, with a simple agreement that he would raise his hand if he felt anything. Once the implants were in, a temporary set of teeth was fitted to them so he did not leave without teeth.

Choosing and fitting the final teeth

The permanent teeth came later, and Robert was involved in how they looked. He was offered a choice of shade, from bright white through to a more natural off-white, so the result suited him rather than being decided for him.

Fitting was not a single appointment. The teeth were tried in several times, and the bite was checked at each stage using articulating paper to confirm his teeth were meeting correctly against what remained. Adjustments were made until it was right.

Where things stand now

• Four implants supporting the upper arch, with three in the lower jaw.
• The lower teeth are a denture that sits securely on those implants.
• One of his own natural teeth is still in place.
• Hygienist appointments every three to four months to keep everything healthy.

Robert's advice to anyone considering implants

Asked what he would say to someone weighing this up, Robert is direct about both the upside and the responsibility that comes with it.

"If you want to have a big bright smile, confidence in yourself, go for it. But you have to realise that you have to maintain them on a daily basis."

His practical maintenance advice matches what our hygienists tell every implant patient:

• Use an electric toothbrush rather than a hard-bristled manual one.
• Floss properly, because trapped food around implants is what leads to infection.
• Keep the hygienist appointments rather than waiting until something feels wrong.

He also singles out how the treatment was handled: the care taken over infection control, the detailed before and after photographs recorded at each stage, and a team that made him feel comfortable throughout.

What Robert's treatment involved

Robert's case is a full-arch restoration on four implants, the approach often described as All-on-4. It suits patients who are losing, or have already lost, most of the teeth in an arch, and it uses a small number of well-positioned implants to carry a full set of fixed teeth.

Treatment at this practice is led by Dr Opeoluwa Sodeinde, a GDC-registered specialist periodontist (GDC No. 104071), who manages both the surgical placement and the design of the teeth that sit on top. Planning is done from a 3D CBCT scan so implant positions are mapped against the bone that is actually there.

• The dental implant procedure, step by step
• Whether you are suitable for dental implants
• What dental implants cost in London
• Caring for implants after treatment
• More patient stories from this practice

Robert consented to his story and video being shared publicly. Quotations are taken from his filmed interview and lightly edited for readability. Every patient is different, and the treatment described here is specific to Robert's case. Individual results vary.