Dental Implants

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What Are Dental Implants?

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Dental implants are a solution to missing teeth. Missing teeth happen for a number of reasons due to trauma, decay, and even injury. Dental implants are replacement teeth that fill in the gaps.

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There are three parts to the dental implant. The first is the implant itself which is embedded into your jawbone and stays in place. The next part is the abutment that holds on the third part, the false tooth or crown. 

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Benefits of Dental Implants

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The benefits of getting dental implants are numerous and may actually increase the health of your entire mouth. Here are some of the best benefits of getting dental implants. 

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1. Easy to Care For

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One of the biggest benefits of dental implants is that they're easy to care for. Unlike other dental treatments, which require extensive cleaning and care, you can brush and floss your teeth normally without having to give any special treatment to your implant.

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While you should do so with care, often, just brushing and flossing and regular dental check-ups are all that's needed to keep your implant healthy and functioning. 

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2. Support Your Facial Structure

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When you lose a tooth, you also lose the root system that's responsible for bone growth. In turn, your jaw begins to sag, along with your facial structure.

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Replacing your tooth with a dental implant encourages new bone growth. This preserves your jawbone and factual structure. Not only will your jawbone stay healthy, but your surrounding teeth will benefit from the additional structure of the implant as well. 

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3. Blend In

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Many patients are concerned that when they receive false teeth that those teeth will be noticeable. However, that's not something you need to worry about with dental implants. 

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The crown is fashioned to appear the same size and color as your current teeth. It gives the appearance that it's a real tooth, so you can smile with confidence. 

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4. Makes Daily Living Easy

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Having missing teeth makes daily tasks like eating and talking very challenging. Sometimes you might even avoid social situations because you don't want to be embarrassed. 

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But having a dental implant makes all these tasks easy and efficient. You don't have to worry about the awkwardness with chewing or talking, and you can enjoy time with friends, family, and even work functions. 

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5. Made for Longevity

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Dental implants have a very high success rate, and many people have had them for many years without any significant problems. They're built to function like your normal teeth, so you should expect an extremely long life from them. 

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On some occasions, your body may reject the implant and cause implant failure, but this is likely due to improper placement by your dentist. This is why you need to choose a dentist (and team) that's trained, experienced, and knowledgeable in the field of cosmetic dentistry and dental implants. 

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Process of Getting Dental Implants

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If you're interested in dental implants, there's a process you'll have to work through with your dentist. While there are same-day dental implants, they're not for everyone, and dental implants are considered non-invasive surgery. Here's what the general process of getting dental implants looks like. 

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You will meet with your dentist to find out if you're a good candidate for implants. In most cases, if you're healthy, you should have no problems. However, sometimes patients with conditions like diabetes, heart problems, and certain types of cancers, may have trouble receiving dental implants. 

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Your jawbone needs to be healthy and strong as well to uphold the titanium implant. Dentists can do skin grafts to improve the health of the jawbone and to keep the implant in place, but that's up to the discretion of your dentist. 

If the tooth needs to be pulled, the dentist will need to do that before the implant is embedded.

 

To place the implant in your jaw, the dentist administers anesthesia and makes a small incision in your gum. They place the implant in the site, and it must heal for several weeks or months before the next stage. This is so the implant bonds to the jawbone and heals. 

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Once the healing stage is complete, the dentist will fashion your tooth and place the abutment. Sometimes it may take several weeks before the crown is placed, because it may need to be formed in a lab depending on what kind of crown you get. 

 

How Much Are Dental Implants?

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The cost of dental implants varies depending on a few factors. One of those factors is how many implants you need or want. One implant generally costs $1,000 or more, and full mouth implants start at several thousand dollars. 

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Thankfully, there are ways to help cover the cost. If your missing tooth is due to illness or injury, insurance may cover a portion of your cost. But you'll need to check with your plan first. 

Many dental offices want you to have dental implants, so they offer payment plans to make them more affordable. 

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In the end, it's important to remember that choosing not to do something about missing teeth will lead to more dental treatments which can be even more costly. 

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The Best Dental Implants for You

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The best dental implants are the ones that serve your needs and desires. Having a beautiful smile is a bonus if your teeth are healthy, and dental implants can accomplish both for you. 

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Do you have more questions about dental implants?

 

We'd love to meet you and answer all your questions. Contact us today to book your appointment!