Dental Implants

Dental Implants Cost, Benefit, Procedure

Impact Dental Care has a high implant success rate using our state-of-the art technology.

What is a dental implant?

Dental Implants have three parts:

The Implant is the screw that is placed in the bone. This part acts as the root for your tooth.

An Abutment is a fixed connector that holds the tooth or multiple teeth.

The Crown is the tooth that you will see. It is made of porcelain or zirconium for its strength.

In simple words, dental implant is the replacement of the root of a missing tooth. Implant is permanently placed in the jawbone below the gum line and then it supports the placement of tooth or bridge on it. Implants are made of medical grade titanium that is well-suited to pairing with human bone and creating a strong foundation for the placement of teeth, bridge, or crown.

Implants can help preserve facial structure, preventing the bone deterioration that occurs when teeth are missing. People with dental implants rediscover the comfort and confidence to eat, speak, laugh, and enjoy life.

Impact Dental Care is well equipped to provide you with a high-quality dental implant.

How much do dental implants cost?

The cost of a single tooth implant is typically around $5000-$5500 including abutment and crown. The fee depends on several factors. Sometimes additional procedures are required prior to the placement of your dental implants to ensure the long-term health of your dental implants. To obtain a specific fee estimate, it is necessary to have a doctor examine your mouth. After a thorough diagnostic examination, your dentist will recommend the treatment that is best for you.

Advantages of Dental Implants

Dental implants offer several advantages over dentures and other tooth replacement options, including:

• Allowing you to eat the foods that you love
• Preventing bone loss
• Preserving facial aesthetics, natural-looking function and form
• Preventing dental shifting and bite problems
• Providing a permanent and secure solution
• Beautiful new teeth that look exactly like healthy natural teeth
• Implants also benefit general oral health since they do not have to be anchored to other teeth, like bridges.
• No slipping, friction, or movement along the gum line.
• Improved ability to chew, bite, and speak comfortably and properly
• Easy maintenance, simply brush and floss as usual, and attend routine checkups
• Increased jaw bone health
• When properly cared for, a long-term, permanent solution

Candidates for dental implants

A good candidate should have the following:

• Healthy gums
• Enough bone to anchor the implants in the jaw. Some people who have lost bone in their jaw still can get implants, but first the bone must be rebuilt using special procedures.
• A commitment to taking very good care of the implanted teeth and surrounding gums — Daily brushing and flossing are essential. Regular visits to the dentist for follow-up are also important.
• Health and adequate thickness of the jawbone. Another important factor is your oral hygiene habits. In order for the implant to be a success, proper brushing and flossing is vital for the implant to last a lifetime. Without proper care, the implant can become infected and fail.

Some people may not be good candidates for implants. They include:

• Young people whose jawbones are still growing
• Pregnant women
• Heavy smokers — Smoking hinders healing in the mouth. It can reduce the likelihood of a successful implant.
• Alcohol or substance abusers who are not prepared to follow the dentist’s instructions after placement of the implant, such as no smoking, and returning for follow-ups. They also may be less likely to take good care of their teeth and gums.
• People who have received high-dose radiation treatment of the head or neck
• People with chronic diseases or systemic problems, including:
• Uncontrolled diabetes
• Connective-tissue diseases
• Hemophilia
• Significant immune deficiencies
• Cancer
• Radiation to the jaws
• Smoking, people who smoke have diminished mouth health and may need to be counseled in a smoking cessation program prior to an implant.
• Uncontrolled periodontal (gum) disease.
• Patients who have been treated with bisphosphonates (usually found in chemotherapy drugs), as well as popular bone-building drugs like Fosamax and Boniva are carefully scrutinized as well.
• People who severely grind or clench their teeth. These habits can place too much pressure on the implants and increase the risk of failure. Dentist can evaluate you to see if you would be a good candidate for implants.

You still may be a good candidate for implants even if you have one of above conditions. It depends on the extent and severity of the condition.

Dental Implant Procedures and Process

Dental Implant Procedures and Process

Dentist will examine you and run diagnostic tests to assess what needs to be done before placing the implant. Depending on the extent of your tooth loss, how long they’ve been out and which jaw, they are in, will determine the tests required. They may include:

• Full mouth X-rays and or CT scan
• Extractions of failing teeth
• Bone grafts or sinus lifts
• Temporary teeth replacements or prosthetics

The dental implant process varies for every patient based on their individual needs and circumstances, but it usually requires two or three office visits: one consultation appointment, one surgery appointment, and a couple of follow-up appointments. The number of appointments required to complete your restoration will depend on your specific treatment plan. Patients who are undergoing additional procedures, such as bone grafting or extractions, may require a longer period of healing.

Dental implants are anchors that are surgically placed in your jaw. Titanium accompanies a few other materials to make up this anchor, and are safe to the body; your own bone will grow and join together to support the implant.

For most patients, the placement of dental implants involves two procedures:

First, implants are placed within your jawbone. For the first three to six months following surgery, the implants are beneath the surface of the gums gradually bonding with the jawbone to naturally integrate, or fuse, with it. You should be able to wear temporary dentures and eat a soft diet during this time in most cases, the total integration of bone is necessary before a permanent restoration can be installed. Healing time following surgery varies from person to person and is based on a variety of factors that include hardness of bone.

Second, once the implant is considered to be fully healed in the bone, dentist will secure the abutment piece onto the implant posts, and place the final crown on top of the abutment.

Single Tooth Replacement: Individual dental implants can be used to replace a single missing tooth, creating a natural-looking replacement that feels and functions just like the real tooth. Each implant will be placed in the same space as the missing or extracted tooth. This implant is then topped with a dental crown that matches the shape, color, and size of your neighboring teeth for a beautiful restoration.

Abutment: This is a device that “abuts” or joins the implant to a tooth form called a crown, which replaces the tooth part you see in the mouth. It will hold a custom-made crown to your existing teeth. The custom crown is cemented or screwed onto the abutment to permanently keep it in place. Once the crown is in place, it should be indistinguishable from your natural teeth.

Fixed Multiple Tooth Replacement: More than one implant can be used to replace multiple teeth. After healing, abutments are attached to the implants, which can attach to custom-made crowns or bridgework to match your existing teeth. In the final step, the custom bridge, which will replace multiple teeth, is cemented or screwed onto the abutments. The teeth have been replaced without disturbing the healthy teeth next to them, and bone loss has been halted.

Removable Implant-Supported Tooth Replacement: When all your lower teeth are missing, depending on the design of the removable restoration, minimum two implants may be used to support a lower denture. If all of your upper teeth are missing, a minimum of four implants may be used to support an upper denture. Removable dentures are often used to replace extensive tooth, bone and gum-tissue loss, thus providing support for the facial skeleton, lip and cheeks. A new denture can have attachments that snap or clip it into place on the implants or a custom made, milled bar can be fabricated to create additional strength and support for the restoration. A significant advantage of a removable denture is facilitating the cleaning of the dental implants.

Implant supported Dentures: Implant-supported dentures are over-dentures fixed to the gums by root-form titanium implants within the jaws. For patients with an uncomfortable or loose-fitting denture, stabilizing it with implants can be a more comfortable and functional solution. Implants are placed in the jaw, where they are anchored firmly in the surrounding bone. Attachments are placed in the underside of the denture that connects to the implants.

Benefits of Implant Dentures

Patients with conventional dentures have difficulty with speaking clearly. Slurred speech and clicking noises are common problems. Implant-supported dentures can help you relax and talk easily with a more clear and natural voice. Other benefits include:

• Provide a more comfortable fit
• Help maintain jawbone density
• Allow for easier eating of a wider variety of foods
• Require minimal upkeep
• Offer long-lasting results
• More confident while talking, laughing, and eating in public.
• No more use of denture adhesives
• Less irritation of gum tissue
• More natural than conventional

Post treatment and Dental Implant care

• Brush twice a day and floss once daily. Using interdental brushes, brushes that slide between teeth, can help clean the “hard to reach” areas around your implant.
• Quit smoking, smoking can weaken the bone structure and can contribute to implant failure.
• Avoid chewing on hard foods because it can break the crown and your natural teeth.
• Prevent plaque biofilm from forming around the implant. By flossing at least once a day and brushing at least twice a day.
• Visit your dentist as recommended for a professional cleaning appointment.
• Make sure to let your dentist or dental specialist know if something is not comfortable with your implant.