Dental Implants – Canton, GA
Replacement Teeth That Last
Most people don’t realize just how important their teeth are until they have experienced tooth loss. If you’re missing even one tooth, you were probably surprised at how much it impacts your life. Your remaining teeth might drift out of position, your jawbone will start to deteriorate, and even daily tasks like talking and eating can present a challenge. While dentures and dental bridges can recreate the appearance of missing teeth, dental implants are the only option that truly feels like your natural pearly whites. Plus, this solution can last for decades, if not a lifetime! To learn more about how dental implants in Canton, GA are the next best thing to your real teeth, contact Dentistry at Hickory Flat today to set up your consultation!
Why Choose Dentistry at Hickory Flat for Dental Implants?
- Entire Dental Implant Process Completed In-House
- Masters of the American Dental Implant Association
- Special Dental Implant Offer for More Affordable Treatment
What Are Dental Implants?
A dental implant is a small, screw-shaped cylinder that is usually made from titanium. This post is surgically placed into the jawbone where the roots of a missing tooth used to be. Due to titanium’s biocompatible nature, the implant naturally fuses to the surrounding bone tissue over the course of the next three to six months. This process, known as osseointegration, is what allows dental implants to fulfill all of the functions of real teeth, such as restoring blood flow to the jawbone to prevent deterioration.
On top of the dental implant post, we attach a small metal fixture called an abutment that holds your new teeth in place. Depending on the number of teeth you’re missing, this restoration could be a dental crown, bridge, or denture. It will be made from high-quality materials based on impressions that we take of your mouth, ensuring seamless results. In the end, your new smile should look, feel, and function just like your old one!
The 4-Step Dental Implant Process
Dental implant treatment is more complex than getting traditional dentures or bridges, so the process can take several months to complete. However, implants can last for many decades, so the wait is a very small price to pay. Every treatment works a little bit differently, but here are the four main steps you can expect when getting dental implants.
Initial Dental Implant Consultation
The first step in restoring your smile is attending a consultation with us. At this time, we will take a look at your smile and surrounding facial structures. This will help us to determine whether dental implants are a good option for you and how they should be placed in your mouth.
Some patients need to have preliminary procedures completed before getting dental implants, like bone grafting, gum disease treatment, and tooth extractions. After this, we can move forward to planning the rest of your treatment. During your consultation, we are also happy to walk you through the process so that you know exactly what to expect, including the timeline and cost.
Dental Implant Surgery
Next comes your dental implant placement surgery. After we numb your mouth with a local anesthetic, a small incision is made into the gum tissue to access your jawbone. The implants will then be placed at precise locations and angles. Lastly, your gums will be closed, and the protective caps will be placed over the dental implant posts to keep them safe during the healing process.
Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment Placement
Over the next 3 to 6 months, the fusion process will occur between the implant(s) and the jawbone. This process is called “osseointegration.” This allows for your implants to have a sturdy foundation so that your replacement teeth stay firmly in place. Once this process has been completed, we can place a metal abutment on the end of your implant.
Delivery of Dental Implant Restorations
A few weeks after your abutment has been placed, your restoration should be ready. You can return to our office where you will receive your new crown, bridge, or denture, depending on the number of teeth you are having replaced. At this point, we will check to make sure that your bite is comfortable, and you will be sent on your way to reap the benefits of your complete smile!
Benefits of Dental Implants
As the only option for tooth replacement that recreates the entire tooth, dental implants are the solution we recommend most often to our patients so that they can enjoy several unique advantages over traditional restorations. When you come in for your consultation, we can discuss your situation with more detail and talk about how these prosthetics can change your smile and your life for the better.
Day-to-Day Benefits
Your implant-retained restoration will be designed to match your other teeth so that it can blend right into your smile. As a result, you can rebuild your self-confidence and go about your day without worrying about your replacement teeth drawing the wrong kind of attention.
In addition, dental implants are extremely simple to take care of. In fact, you can brush and floss your new teeth as if they were natural teeth, and regular checkups and cleanings with us will keep your smile in excellent condition.
Health Benefits
You’ll be able to eat whatever you want, and you’ll never have to be concerned about your implants moving or slipping while you’re eating or talking. As a result, you can bite and chew nutritious fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and more. With a varied, healthy diet, you can have a better overall quality of life!
If that weren’t enough, dental implants can have a powerful impact on your smile in that it keeps your jawbone stimulated, continuing to draw in nutrients to the area. Consequently, your bite stays strong, and the jaw stays well defined.
Long-Term Benefits
When you compare how long tooth restorations go before needing to be replaced, dental implants tend to have the longest lifespan. In fact, you can expect your implants to last for three decades or more with minimal maintenance. In contrast, traditional dentures have to be recreated about every 5 to 7 years because of changes in the jawbone. As a result, you don’t have to pay for frequent replacements, which has the potential to save you hundreds of dollars over time.
Who Dental Implants Can Help
Dental implants can be used to replace any number of teeth; it’s just a matter of using the correct number of implants with the right kind of restoration.
Missing One Tooth
Instead of using a traditional dental bridge (which would require filing down the healthy teeth next to the gap so that they can support the prosthetic), we can replace a single missing tooth with a dental implant and a crown. That way, your new tooth will be stronger and won’t cause you to lose healthy dental structure.
Missing Multiple Teeth
There’s no need to get an individual implant for each missing tooth when they can all be replaced at once by a bridge or a partial denture. We’ll use a conservative number of implant posts to support your restoration, which can be fixed or removable.
Missing All Teeth
Traditional dentures might slip around if they become ill-fitting, but with just four to six implant posts, we can give your false teeth a solid foundation, making them much more stable and comfortable. You’ll also enjoy increased bite strength as well as a healthier jawbone that maintains its shape and density.
Learn More About Implant Dentures
Missing All Teeth with Low Jawbone Density
If you have experienced bone loss in your jaw after being without teeth for some time, your jawbone might not be strong enough to support implants. That’s where mini-dental implants come in. These posts are smaller than traditional ones, allowing you to replace your missing teeth without the need for a bone grafting procedure beforehand.
Understanding the Cost of Dental Implants
Your dental implant treatment plan will need to be personalized depending on your needs, and as such the overall cost for the procedure is normally quite different for each patient; we can create a more specific estimate for you after examining your mouth during a consultation. Remember that while implants may have a higher initial price than traditional restorations, they also don’t require as much maintenance and are far more durable. This means that, in the long run, they could actually save you thousands of dollars!
Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery
Dental implant treatment requires oral surgery to complete, which means our team will need to make sure there are no preexisting dental problems that could interfere with the long-term success of your tooth replacement. As a result, this can affect the overall cost of your treatment. For example, if you need preparatory treatments like gum disease therapy, this can affect how much you’ll need to pay ahead of implant placement. Additionally, if any teeth need to be removed outright, either due to decay or to make room for a more complex restoration (such as an implant denture) your costs can also increase.
Our office is happy to prepare every phase of treatment in-house, including surgery, which means you can expect your costs to be more compact and convenient. This will make them easier to understand when the time comes to go over your finances in better detail.
The Parts of Your Dental Implant
Not only will the number of implants affect how much you’ll need to pay, but the materials used can also influence cost. Titanium implants can vary in price compared to other materials use, and brands and manufacturers all have their own unique fees. We are more than prepared to explain to you why we choose the materials and brands we do when it comes to our dental implants.
Final Dental Implant Restoration
We’ll know well in advance what type of restoration you’ll need to cover your dental implants. That means you’ll also know the costs associated with it, giving you time to prepare. The more complex of a restoration you need, the more you’ll need to pay. Single dental crowns are the least expensive, dental bridges are a bit more, and dentures cost the most due to the additional materials and expertise needed to create them.
Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?
In most cases, dental insurance does not cover the placement of dental implants. However, the key exceptions to look out for include whether or not your plan offers coverage for any preparatory treatments needed (i.e., gum disease therapy, tooth extractions) as well as the restoration itself. Our team will gladly look over the details of your plan to ensure you’re making the most of your benefits. If coverage is provided, it’s generally only at a percentage, which can also vary largely on the plan.
Making Dental Implants Affordable
Even if your plan does not offer coverage for dental implant procedures, there are other options available to you to make care affordable. While we accept all PPO dental insurance plans and are in-network with many others, we also offer third-party financing options like CareCredit. Payment plans from this financier make it easier to pay for treatments in monthly installments, typically with little-to- zero interest. Not only do we also offer discounts for patients without dental insurance, but we also have a dental implant special offer you can take advantage of ahead of your consultation!
Dental Implant Post-Op Instructions
When it comes to replacement teeth that last, there’s simply no better option than dental implants! Replacing the roots as well as the crowns of missing teeth gives them strength, stability, and longevity that rivals that of natural teeth. However, rebuilding a tooth from the roots up requires a minor oral surgery followed by a recovery period. Read on as we go over the basics of what you can expect after dental implant surgery and what you can do to help the healing process go smoothly.
What to Do Directly After Dental Implant Surgery
It’s likely you’ll feel groggy after your dental implant surgery, especially depending on the type of dental sedation that was used. You should plan on resting for at least the next 24 hours, which includes getting plenty of sleep and refraining from strenuous activity. After a few hours, the numbing medication in your mouth will wear off and you’ll likely begin to feel some soreness. In nearly all cases, we’ll recommend that you begin taking the pain medication we’ve prescribed you before this happens. You should also make a point to stay hydrated.
Common Side-Effects When Recovering from Dental Implant Placement
If you’ve never had oral surgery before, you may not know what to expect in terms of side effects as you recover. Three of the most common side effects you can expect include:
- Soreness: Moderate discomfort in your mouth and jaw are normal as you heal after dental implant surgery. The soreness should begin to ease within just a few days, but until then you can manage it with ice packs, cold drinks, and pain medications.
- Bleeding: It’s also normal to experience intermittent bleeding from your mouth. Make sure not to spit out forcefully and rinse your mouth gently with water or alcohol-free mouthwash.
- Swelling: As your mouth heals, it’s likely you’ll see some swelling in your jaw and face. It may take a week or more for the swelling to go down, but rest assured that this is a normal part of the healing process.
If it doesn’t seem like your side effects are lessening or going away, or if it feels like they’re getting worse, don’t hesitate to give us a call!
Your Diet After Dental Implant Surgery
It’s essential to adjust your diet after dental implant surgery. For the first 24 hours, you should only drink beverages like smoothies, milkshakes, water, and milk. Then, you can shift to a diet of soft, nutritious foods. Make sure to avoid options with small crunchy or hard bits, since these can irritate the surgical site. After a week or so, you can slowly incorporate harder foods into your diet as you feel ready to do so.
Post-Op Health & Oral Hygiene
Keeping your mouth clean is key for protecting your dental implant after surgery, but it’s equally important to do so correctly. Make sure to keep these tips in mind:
- Brush your teeth carefully: You should brush your teeth the night of your surgery, being sure to not use an electric toothbrush and to be very gentle around the surgical site.
- Rinse your mouth with non-alcoholic mouthwash: Mouthwash is a great way to gently clean out every small space in your mouth, but make sure to only use varieties that don’t contain alcohol.
- Do not spit or rinse forcefully: Using too much force while spitting or rinsing your mouth out can dislodge the blood clot on your surgical site, so be very gentle when doing either.
What to Do After Your New Teeth Are Attached
Before you know it, it will be time to have your brand-new crown, bridge, or denture attached. This step shouldn’t take very long, nor should it feel uncomfortable. Once your new smile is anchored into place, you may experience some slight gum sensitivity as your mouth adjusts. Fortunately, this side effect should be minimal and fleeting!
Maintaining & Caring for Your Dental Implant
While dentures and dental bridges need to be replaced every five to seven years, dental implants have the potential to last decades! In fact, with some easy maintenance and care, most patients can expect to enjoy their dental implants for a lifetime. Not only do dental implants look and feel like natural teeth, but they can be cared for just as easily as well. Read on as we go over the five best ways to keep your newly rebuilt smile looking and feeling its best for life.
Make Oral Hygiene a Priority
Even though dental implants can’t get cavities, it’s imperative that you continue to brush and floss regularly. Poor oral hygiene can lead to bacterial buildup on the gums and an infection known as peri-implantitis, which is the number one cause of dental implant failure. Make sure to brush for two minutes twice a day, floss daily, and rinse with antiseptic mouthwash regularly to keep your smile healthy and fresh.
Eat a Healthy Diet
Since dental implants can restore 80% or more of your natural biting force, they can help you eat all your favorite foods once again! However, you should limit how many hard and sticky foods you eat, as these can still damage your restoration and irritate your gums. Make sure to eat plenty of calcium-rich foods to keep the foundation of your dental implants strong. Foods with vitamin C will also help protect your gum tissue from bacteria and infection.
Break Bad Habits
If you want your dental implants to last as long as possible, now is the time to break some common bad habits, like:
- Smoking: Smoking dramatically lowers your chances of a successful dental implant treatment, and can cause your implants to fail even years after your placement surgery. You’ll need to refrain from smoking for at least a month after your dental implant surgery, and we encourage you to take this opportunity to kick the habit for good.
- Chewing on hard objects: Chewing on ice, pencils, fingernails, or other hard objects when you’re bored or nervous will wear down your restoration and can eventually cause it to crack.
- Using your teeth as tools: Using your teeth to open containers, hold bags, and tear off price tags puts your dental implant at a significantly higher chance of chipping or cracking.
Protect Your Dental Implants
Dental implants are durable, but not indestructible. If you play sports or enjoy any recreational activity where you could potentially sustain a blow to the face, you should wear a mouthguard. These little appliances will help protect your natural teeth and implants from damage, and they may even help minimize your risk of concussion.
Bruxism is a somewhat common oral health issue where a patient grinds their teeth and clenches their jaw while they sleep. Over time, this excess pressure can weaken or loosen your dental implant, damage your teeth, and cause serious jaw problems. If you suffer from bruxism, we can create a custom nightguard for you to keep your smile safe while you sleep.
Schedule Regular Dental Checkups
Whether you’ve replaced one, several, or all your teeth with dental implants, you should still come visit us every six months! Even if your smile looks and feels fine, biannual dental checkups and cleanings will give us a chance to clean out all the hard-to-clean areas of your mouth and monitor your oral health. If any problems arise, visiting us every six months will give us the chance to spot and stop them as early as possible.
Dental Implant FAQs
These days, there are more options than ever before to treat tooth loss. However, dental implants continue to be the patient-preferred solution. Although you’re ready to experience their benefits for yourself, it’s normal to have several questions. We’ll take the time to address your concerns during your initial consultation. In the meantime, here are the answers to a few common questions to help ease your apprehensions.
Am I a Candidate for Dental Implants?
If you’ve lost one or more teeth, you might be a candidate for dental implants if you have good oral and general health. Besides discussing your medical and lifestyle history, we’ll also need to review a CT scan of your mouth to look for any issues that might be brewing beneath the surface, like infection or bone loss. Based on the results of your examination, we may recommend additional procedures before your placement surgery, like bone grafting or periodontal therapy.
What Are Dental Implants Made Of?
A single unit implant is comprised of three parts, which replicate the entire tooth structure, including the root. A titanium post is surgically placed into the jawbone. An abutment is attached to the post to connect an all-ceramic restoration to the dental implant.
Can You Get Dental Implants for the Front Teeth?
A dental implant can be used to replace any tooth, including the front teeth. You can smile confidently because your restoration will be made to match your teeth to blend in seamlessly. No one will know it isn’t your real tooth.
Why Do I Need a Bone Graft Before Getting Dental Implants?
Bone grafting and dental implants often go hand-in-hand, but not everyone needs the additional procedure. We’ll evaluate the density of your jaw to determine if it can support your dental implant. If you’ve lost bone from infection or untreated tooth loss, you’ll likely need bone grafting to enhance the thickness of your jaw. Although it adds another step to your treatment, it’s necessary to ensure your new smile has the sturdy foundation it needs to thrive.
What Happens If a Dental Implant Fails?
Dental implants are the most reliable solution to replace missing teeth. They have a nearly perfect success rate; however, they can fail. Generally, the risk of failure is less than 5%. Unfortunately, if your implant fails, you might need to have it removed. Quick care from your dentist can often prevent complete implant failure.
You can help protect your investment by maintaining your oral hygiene at home and visiting your dentist at least twice a year. If you develop any concerning symptoms, like pain or a feeling the implant is loose, don’t wait to contact our office.
How Long Does the Dental Implant Process Take?
Rebuilding your smile will take several months because there are various steps involved. Although it might take longer than other treatments, it’s time well spent because you’ll enjoy a solution that can last for a lifetime. We will explain how long you can expect the process to take during your initial consultation.