If you're missing one or more teeth and want a new smile that looks and feels as close to your original one as possible, dental implants are often the ideal tooth replacement solution. They can act as new tooth roots, which helps keep the underlying jawbone healthy and eliminates the risk of your prosthetic teeth slipping at awkward moments. Are you interested in using dental implants in Ramsey to completely restore your smile? Call AV Dental Associates of Ramsey today to schedule a dental implant consultation with Dr. Vahid.
Why Choose AV Dental Associates of Ramsey for Dental Implants?
- In-House Dental Implant Placement
- Natural-Looking, Comfortable Dental Restorations
- Dental Team That Puts Patients First
What Are Dental Implants?
A dental implant is a small post that looks like a screw. Traditionally, it will be made out of titanium, which is highly durable and capable of forming a strong bond with your jawbone. With the right number of dental implants surgically placed in your jaw, we can replace any number of teeth from the roots up. Unlike other tooth replacements, dental implants can stimulate the jawbone to prevent it from being resorbed over time.
The 4-Step Dental Implant Process
There are four major steps involved with getting dental implants: the initial consultation, the implant placement surgery, the osseointegration and abutment stage, and the delivery of the final restoration. Since we offer start-to-finish dental implant treatments, you will have our reliable, caring team to guide you through each of these steps. Below is a closer look at what will happen when you choose to rebuild your smile with dental implants.
Initial Dental Implant Consultation
When you first let us know that you’re interested in dental implants, we will set up a consultation for you. During this appointment, we will use advanced technology to examine your mouth and jaw. We will check the bone levels in your jaw as well as other relevant factors that could influence your candidacy for dental implant surgery. We’ll be sure to inform you immediately if we find that you require some type of preparatory treatment before receiving dental implants; for example, some patients might need bone grafting, gum disease treatment, or a tooth extraction.
Dental Implant Surgery
We are able to perform dental implant surgery in-office, allowing you to avoid the inconvenience of having to drive to see a specialist who might be located across town. The first step of the surgery is to numb your mouth. Then, we will make small incisions in your gums so that we can work with the jawbone. The dental implant posts will be placed precisely where they will need to be in order to eventually support your replacement teeth. We will complete your implant surgery by suturing your gums closed and placing a protective cap on each implant post.
Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment
After your dental implant surgery, the next step is the osseointegration process. This is when the implant posts merge with your jawbone, which is critical for the success of your new smile. The timeline for osseointegration can vary from patient to patient, but it will typically take about 3 to 6 months. You will need to take care to protect your dental implants from anything that could disrupt osseointegration.
After your dental implants have bonded with your jaw, we can attach metal connector pieces called abutments to each post. The abutments are what will allow us to attach the final restoration during the last step of the dental implant process.
Delivery of Dental Implant Restoration(s)
No matter what kind of dental implant restoration you get – be it a dental crown, a bridge, or a denture – it will be expertly designed to match the appearance of your natural teeth. Once it’s ready, we can anchor it to your dental implant posts. Before you head home with your new smile, we’ll perform a quick check to make sure that the restoration fits properly and that it isn’t causing any issues with your bite.
Benefits of Dental Implants
Dental implants have a variety of benefits that distinguish them from their traditional counterparts, making them a top choice for tooth replacement among patients. Because they restore both the roots and biting surface of teeth, they offer a lifelike feel and look that’s absolutely priceless. We invite you to dive into the countless advantages of dental implants below, and if you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office directly or schedule a consultation to start your journey.
Daily Benefits
- Easy Maintenance: Implant-retained prosthetics aren’t removable, which means they’re permanently affixed to your mouth. Just like your natural teeth, all you need to do to care for them is continue brushing and flossing every day as well as rinse with an antimicrobial mouthwash. So, with your new restoration, you’ll hardly have to change your routine!
- Boosted Self-Confidence: With a smile that looks and feels lifelike, you’ll find that your confidence will be drastically boosted. Smile, laugh, and don’t be afraid to be yourself with a set of pearly whites that you feel proud to let others see.
- Eat Your Favorite Foods: Gaps in your smile and unstable prosthetics can reduce the variety of foods that you’re able to chew. Dental implants can restore most of your original bite force, allowing you to eat all of your favorite meals with much greater ease.
- Enhanced Speaking Ability: Dental implants will eliminate dentures shifting within the mouth, which can cause you to stumble over your words in conversation.
Health Benefits
- Preserve Your Jawbone: Implants are made from biocompatible materials like titanium, which allow them to chemically fuse with the jawbone through a process called osseointegration. This provides the bone with stimulation and blood flow, keeping it from eroding over time due to lack of stimulation and altering the appearance of your face.
- Protect Remaining Natural Teeth & Improve Your Oral Health: Tooth loss is known to put patients at a higher risk of missing additional teeth. By restoring your smile with dental implants, you’re able to maintain the alignment of your existing teeth as well as reduce your chances of being affected by worsening dental health concerns, like gum disease.
Long-Term Benefits
- A Long Lifespan: With routine at-home and professional maintenance, like visiting the dentist for checkups and cleanings and regular brushing and flossing, dental implants can last for over 35 years. This is up to four times longer than traditional prosthetics, which can be costly to replace time and time again.
- High Success Rate: Studies have shown that dental implants have an impressive 98% success rate after five years of placement. With precautionary measures taken before your dental implant placement, like quitting using tobacco products, you can have a complication-free recovery.
Who Dental Implants Can Help
Do you need to have an entire arch of teeth replaced, or are you just missing one? No matter how extensive your tooth loss is, dental implants can help you restore your smile as long as you have good oral health and sufficient bone density in your jaw. When you visit our office for your initial consultation, we’ll walk you through the dental implant process and explain what you can expect based on the number of teeth that need to be replaced.
Missing One Tooth
A single dental implant post will be placed in the gap where the tooth in question used to be. We’ll wait for the area around the post to heal completely before we attach a dental crown made out of high-quality materials. We can offer tooth-colored crowns that closely resemble your natural teeth, thus seamlessly repairing your smile.
Missing Multiple Teeth
When three or more consecutive teeth are missing, we only need two dental implant posts and a dental bridge to replace them all at once. Unlike traditional dental bridges, an implant bridge can be placed without requiring us to remove enamel from any of your remaining healthy teeth, letting you keep more of your natural smile.
Missing All of Your Teeth
Full dentures can be supported by four to eight dental implant posts. Thanks to this approach, your new teeth won’t slip at inconvenient times. Another benefit is that the strength and stability of implant dentures will allow you to enjoy steak and other foods that would be difficult to chew with traditional dentures.
Dental Implant Failure & Salvage
Even with a high success rate of 95% upon initial placement and after 10 years, there is a small chance that dental implant failure may occur. Should you notice a change or feel discomfort, make sure to call our office right away to determine if a problem might exist. Our team will quickly analyze the situation and determine if dental implant salvage is necessary to ensure the well-being of your smile.
Understanding the Cost of Dental Implants
Even if you want dental implants, it’s best to learn their price first. You can’t judge whether they fit your budget otherwise. Still, the cost of dental implants varies by patient. You’ll need to consult Dr. Vahid to get a precise estimate. Our office can then walk you through how to make implants affordable. In particular, we’ll gladly explain the treatment’s pricing factors and payment options. Please keep reading to learn more, or call us in the coming days.
Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery
In some cases, a patient must be prepped for dental implant surgery. They may need preliminary treatments like bone grafts, gum disease therapy, and so on. The cost of care will rise if you get these extra services. That said, most dental plans do (partially) cover them.
Implant surgery’s price can vary as well. Matters like anesthesia and where the implants are placed affect the final expense. Plus, our team performs the treatment wholly in-office. That means we won’t refer you to an outside (and pricey) specialist.
The Parts of Your Dental Implant
Your future implants’ features will also affect their price. Such elements typically include the following:
- Implant Size/Material – Implants can come in different sizes and materials. For instance, longer implants tend to be more expensive. Meanwhile, zirconia ones cost more than titanium kinds.
- Implant Number – The more implants a dentist places, the more your treatment will cost. Take the implant denture as an example. Compared to replacing each tooth separately, this device is more cost-effective.
- Implant Brand – One implant provider may charge more for their stock than another. After all, these manufacturers may cater to different needs.
- Restoration Type – Note that crowns, bridges, and dentures have distinct prices. Often, the smaller restorations are less expensive.
How Dental Implants Can Save You Money
Initially, you may consider dentures or dental bridges. They have a lower upfront cost than dental implants. Even so, implants are the treatment that can save you more money.
Implants have many features that make them a great long-term investment. For starters, their long lifespans mean they need few (if any) repair visits. The posts also don’t need extra products (adhesives, pastes, etc.) to work. Best of all, implants improve your oral health and don’t upset your mouth like other restorations can. You’re then less likely to need treatments for cavities, gum disease, etc.
Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?
Typically, dental insurance won’t cover dental implants. Most plans view the titanium posts as needless luxuries. So, patients must often pay out of pocket for them.
Of course, there are the rare exceptions. Your own plan may allow for partial coverage. Therefore, make sure to review your policy’s benefits before treatment. Our dental team will gladly help if you’d like.
Making Dental Implants Affordable
Insurance isn’t the only way to make dental implants affordable. In fact, you can also rely on a dental practice’s payment options. The right kind would ensure your implants fit your budget.
To prove these claims, just look at AV Dental Associates of Ramsey. We provide:
- In-House Savings Plans – For a flat annual fee, our savings plan will give you a 30% discount on dental implants.
- Flexible Financing – Our office works with CareCredit and Sunbit. You could pay for dental implants in monthly installments through either third-party financier.
In the end, we want your dental implants to be effective and affordable. Please book a consultation with us to learn how best to finance them.