Over the last few decades, dental implants have become a popular option for patients looking to restore their smiles by replacing missing teeth. Unlike traditional tooth replacements, like dentures, dental implants can replace the entire structure of missing teeth from the roots upward, offering a lifelike look and feel as well as several other unique benefits. The best part is that the treatment is versatile, allowing us to restore one, several, or all of your missing teeth with a single process. Schedule a consultation today to learn whether you’re a candidate for dental implants!
Why Choose Mazzawi Dental Intown for Dental Implants?
- Advanced Dental Imaging Technology
- Comprehensive Dental Care Under One Roof
- Experienced with Complex Rehabilitation Cases
What Are Dental Implants?
Dental implants themselves are small titanium posts that are secured below the gumline and into the jawbone to replace the missing root structure. Due to their biocompatibility, they’re able to naturally fuse with the jawbone through a process called osseointegration. This provides a strong and stable foundation for replacement teeth to be secured to, improving prosthetics' stability and strength.
The 4-Step Dental Implant Process
Dental implants offer unique benefits, so they require a multi-step process that can span several months. This may seem like a while, but having a complete, healthy smile is well worth the time and effort. Every patient’s treatment process looks a little bit different, but here are the four main steps that every patient can expect.
Initial Dental Implant Consultation
The first part of the treatment process is your initial consultation. During your consultation, our team will gather your medical and dental history and conduct a thorough examination of your mouth, being sure to also capture X-rays. This will allow them to tell whether you’re a good candidate for dental implants. Then, if you are a good candidate, we can move forward to discuss the timeline and cost of your treatment in detail. This way, you will know exactly what you can expect.
Dental Implant Surgery
If you’re a good candidate, we’ll schedule your dental implant surgery as soon as possible. Depending on your case, it will either be done in-house by one of our trained professionals, or we may partner with a local specialist to place the implants. First, your mouth will be numbed with a local anesthetic to ensure that you are comfortable throughout the entire process. Then, an incision will be made into the gum tissue so the implant posts can be placed. Lastly, the gums are closed, and protective caps are placed over the posts.
Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment Placement
Over the next three to six months, your implants will fuse with your jawbone through a process called osseointegration. We’ll then secure small metal connector pieces, called abutments, onto the implants that will allow your restoration to clip onto them. Impressions are also made so your restoration can be crafted to perfectly fit and match your smile.
Delivery of Dental Implant Restorations
As soon as we receive your custom-crafted prosthetic from our dental laboratory, we’ll call you in to secure it to your implants and complete your smile. During this time, we will make sure that your bite is lined up and everything feels comfortable. Then, you can experience all of the benefits of your new and improved pearly whites!
Benefits of Dental Implants
More than 500,000 dental implants are placed every single year, and it is no wonder why! Thanks to their unique placement inside the jawbone, dental implants offer a variety of benefits compared to traditional restorative treatments, like dentures and dental bridges. Some of the advantages you’ll be able to enjoy when you choose implants include:
Day-to-Day Benefits
After the healing process is complete, your replacement teeth shouldn’t feel any different from your natural ones. You may even forget that they are being supported by implants! Here are some of the great benefits that you can experience every single day:
- Increased Bite Force: When you get dental implants, your bite force can be replenished by 90% or more! This is much more than you can get from traditional bridges or dentures.
- Easy Maintenance: Caring for dental implants is just like caring for your natural teeth. You should brush twice, floss, and rinse with mouthwash daily. You should also continue to see your dentist for regular cleanings and checkups.
- Improved Confidence: If you have gaps in your smile due to tooth loss, it can be easy to feel self-conscious when smiling. With dental implants, you don’t need to hide your grin anymore! Instead, you can show off a complete smile.
Health Benefits
Dental implants positively influence your health. Here are some of the ways that your body will benefit from your new smile:
- Prevents Bone Loss: When you are missing teeth, your jawbone isn’t being stimulated in those areas, so the body begins to reabsorb it. Because implants replace the roots of the missing teeth, they stimulate the jawbone when you chew, therefore preventing bone loss.
- Better Oral Health: Missing teeth can increase your risk of other oral health issues. This includes alignment issues, gum disease, and additional tooth loss. Dental implants can help to prevent these negative effects.
- Improved General Health: Dental health and general health go hand in hand. Improved dental health can reduce your risk of life-threatening issues, like diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Long-Term Benefits
Dental implants have a higher cost than traditional dentures and dental bridges, but there is a good reason for this. Implants are an investment in the future of your dental health. Here are some of the long-term benefits that you can experience for many years down the road:
- Long-Lasting: Traditional tooth replacement options need to be replaced every few years, but implants can last for many decades with proper care.
- Save Money: Because dental implants last so long, you don’t need to worry about spending money to replace them or have them repaired. They also improve your oral health, therefore reducing your overall dental expenses.
- High Success Rate: Dental implants have a success rate of over 95%! Dental implant failure is fairly uncommon.
Who Dental Implants Can Help
One great benefit of dental implants is that they’re an incredibly versatile treatment and a great option for patients whether they’re missing one, several, or all of their teeth. The best way to learn whether you’re a good candidate is to schedule a consultation with one of our friendly and experienced dentists. They’ll examine your mouth and determine if and how we can restore your smile using any of the dental implant treatment methods mentioned below.
Missing One Tooth
For a single missing tooth, we can place one dental implant below the gumline and into the jawbone. Once it has fused with the bone, we can secure a dental crown to the post. This will prevent the need for any alteration of your natural teeth because the restoration will be anchored to the implant itself.
Missing Multiple Teeth
To secure a dental bridge, we can place two dental implants at either end of the gap in your smile. Instead of being anchored to your existing teeth, requiring them to be altered to accommodate a traditional bridge, we’ll secure them to a foundation fused with your jawbone, making the prosthetic stronger and more stable.
Missing All of Your Teeth
To restore an entire arch of teeth, we can secure a denture to anywhere from four to six dental implants surgically placed below the gumline. This will prevent any slipping or shifting of the prosthetic, improving your biting and speaking abilities greatly.
Understanding the Cost of Dental Implants
Because every tooth replacement procedure that we complete is customized to meet each of our unique patient’s needs, there’s no singular cost of dental implants. During your initial consultation, once we’ve had a chance to examine your mouth and determine key cost factors, like how many dental implants you’ll need to have placed and which type of restoration you will require, we’ll be able to provide you with a detailed cost estimate. While our team isn’t in-network with any dental insurance plans, we’re happy to file claims on your behalf to help maximize your out-of-network benefits.