Dental Implants Arlington

Initial Dental Implant Consultation

The first step is your consultation with our team; this is where we’ll closely examine your mouth and facial structures, in addition to reviewing your medical history, to make sure dental implants are a suitable solution for your tooth loss. It’s possible that you might need to undergo additional treatment before you can be eligible for dental implants, such as a supplemental bone graft or periodontal treatment. You should know that this can lengthen your expected treatment timeline but rest assured; we’re committed to working closely with you to make sure that your mouth can healthily host dental implants. 

Dental Implant Surgery

Our team can complete the entire dental implant process in-house, meaning you won’t have to worry about coordinating with other offices or other teams—this makes things much easier for you! As far as the actual surgery is concerned, it’s relatively straightforward. First, your mouth is numbed before small incisions are made in your gum tissue to access your jaw. Next, the posts are carefully inserted directly into the bone before the gums are sutured shut. A protective cap is then placed over the posts to keep them safe during the healing process.  

Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment

Generally, it takes anywhere from three to six months for your implant posts to naturally fuse with your jawbone through a natural process called osseointegration. We’ll provide you with detailed instructions to follow to ensure that this occurs as intended; if your implants are unable to successfully meld with your jaw, they won’t be as stable or last nearly as long as they should. Once this fusion has happened, you’ll return to our office to receive your abutments. These metal connector pieces are placed on top of your implants and allow your restorations to sit in place.

Delivery of Dental Implant Restoration(s)

Your restorations will be designed based on precise impressions of your smile, meaning that you can expect your new teeth to look, feel, and function exactly like your original ones. Once your implant posts have fully healed, we’ll call you back for the final step: the delivery of your new restorations. These are attached to the abutment pieces that we previously placed, and we’ll make sure everything looks and feels right and make any last-minute adjustments if necessary. You’ll then be sent off into the world with a brand new smile that looks and feels great!

Day-to-Day Benefits

Following the procedure, you’ll need some time to heal. After that, you’ll see a considerable improvement in your overall quality of life because dental implants offer several day-to-day benefits, including:

• Easier Maintenance: Although other tooth-replacement solutions are cheaper upfront, they can end up costing more in other ways. Dental implants, on the other hand, don’t require adjustment appointments, special oral hygiene products, and the like. You can keep them in pristine condition by simply taking care of them like your natural teeth!
• Increased Confidence: Dental implants can improve your confidence in several ways – from giving you a healthy, complete smile again to staying securely in place while you laugh, chew, and talk.
• Ability to Eat Most Foods: Dental implants don’t just look great; they are incredibly stable and durable as well. As a result, you don’t have to stick to soft foods. Instead, you can enjoy a varied diet filled with all of your favorites.

Health Benefits

Another reason dentists and patients alike choose dental implants is because of the benefits to your oral and overall health, including:

• Jawbone Preservation: While dentures get their support from your gums and dental bridges get their support from the teeth surrounding the gap, dental implants get their support from the jawbone. This helps keep it strong both now and years from now.
• Protection for Natural Teeth: Since dental implants are self-supporting, your teeth surrounding the gap don’t need to be altered in any way. In fact, dental implants help prevent dental drift, protecting them in the process.
• Better Overall Health: Sadly, tooth loss has been linked to several problems – from malnutrition to indigestion. The good news is that dental implants can help restore your bite so you can eat a well-balanced, nutrient-dense diet with ease.

Long-Term Benefits

Here are a few of the many long-term benefits of dental implants:

• High Success Rate: One of the biggest advantages of dental implants is that they have an incredibly high success rate (over 95% to be more exact!).
• Youthful Appearance: Simply put, tooth loss can make you look older than you are. When you fill the gaps in your smile with dental implants, you can enjoy a more vibrant, youthful appearance.
• Long-Lasting Results: Depending on when you get your dental implants, they may last a lifetime! The best way to make sure yours last as long as possible is by adopting good dental care habits, like brushing your teeth twice a day and getting a dental checkup and teeth cleaning twice a year.

Making Oral Hygiene a Priority

Although your dental implants cannot develop cavities, any existing healthy teeth you have can become susceptible to dental decay. This is why you must continue to practice good oral hygiene. Should gum disease develop at any time, the infection can eventually cause bone loss, which can put your dental implants at risk of becoming loose and ultimately failing. Regular brushing, flossing, and rinsing will help reduce plaque and tartar accumulation, keeping your gums and real and artificial teeth healthy.

Eating a Healthy Diet

There are few if any food restrictions when it comes to wearing dental implants, but you will need to make sure that you are primarily eating healthy, nutritious foods. Those filled with sugar and starch can lead to cavity development and gum disease, but leafy greens, lean meats, and plenty of fruits and vegetables can give your smile what it needs to thrive. Also, be mindful of hard, sticky foods, as these can cause damage to your dental implants and natural teeth.

Breaking Bad Habits

Unhealthy lifestyle habits like smoking, eating ice, biting down on pens and pencils, and using your teeth to open packages can damage your new teeth, resulting in a dental emergency. By committing to giving up these habits, you can better protect your smile so that it stays in place longer. Choosing to quit smoking and using tobacco products will also allow for faster healing and reduce the potential for infection after your implant surgery.

Protecting Your Dental Implants

Dental implants are often made from hard, durable materials, but they can still become damaged if enough pressure is applied. This is why it’s important to wear a customized mouthguard while playing sports or if you are prone to teeth grinding. This type of oral device will prevent excessive wear and tear to your implants and natural tooth enamel as well as absorb any unnecessary pressure that is placed on your mouth while playing your favorite sport.

Scheduling Regular Dental Checkups

Continuing to see our team at Collins St Dental for regular dental checkups and cleanings is essential if you want to ensure the health of your smile. While looking for signs of decay and gum disease, we will also check your existing dental implants to determine if replacement is necessary. These frequent visits allow us to closely monitor your prosthetics so that we can identify any potential problems early on.

Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery

If you need preliminary treatments like gum disease treatment, tooth extraction, or bone grafting before receiving implants, the cost of these procedures will be reflected in your final bill. These treatments can be essential to the success of your implants, and they may be covered partially by your dental insurance plan.

The cost of your dental implant placement surgery is determined by factors such as where the new teeth are being placed and what kind of anesthesia is being used. We place dental implants in-house, so you won’t have to worry about seeing a specialist at another office who uses a different pricing structure.

The Parts of Your Dental Implant

The cost of your dental implants is also determined by how many and what kind of parts they are made from. Factors that can affect your final bill include:

• Number of implants: The more implants being placed, the more the bill will be.
• Type of restoration: You may receive a crown, a bridge, or a denture. Smaller restorations are less expensive than larger ones.
• Size and material: The length of each titanium post is customized based on where it is to be placed in the jaw, and some posts are made from zirconia instead of titanium.
• Brand of dental implant: A number of companies produce dental implants, and some brands cost more than others. Please feel free to contact our team to learn more about who is making your implant and any brand-specific benefits involved.

How Dental Implants Can Save You Money

While it might seem tempting to restore your teeth with traditional appliances like dentures or dental bridges due to their lower prices, these options require costly replacements every few years. Dental implants, on the other hand, can last for a lifetime with excellent care, saving you much time, money, and effort that would be spent on getting replacements for old dental restorations. Since implants only require the same oral hygiene routine as natural teeth, you won’t have to worry about buying special cleaning products as you would with dentures and dental bridges. Since dental implants are easy to clean, you may be much less likely to develop oral infections like gum disease and tooth decay than you would with traditional restorations. Studies also show that excellent oral health can lower your risk of many overall health problems.

Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?

While dental insurance doesn’t usually cover dental implants, there are a few exceptions. We’ll be happy to go over your plan with you so you can get the most out of your benefits. In some cases, portions of your treatment such as gum disease therapy may be covered.

<Learn More About Insurance>

Making Dental Implants Affordable

We offer financing options through CareCredit, a trusted third-party financier. By breaking your bill into easily manageable monthly payments, you can make high-quality dental implants fit comfortably within your budget. We’ll be happy to discuss your payment options during your consultation.

What to Do Directly After Dental Implant Surgery

After receiving dental implants, your first priority is to leave the blood clot forming over the surgical area untouched so it can heal smoothly. To do this, stick to these guidelines:

• Refrain from spitting. Instead, swallow your saliva or use tissues.
• Abstain from drinking through straws, as this can disturb the healing clot.
• Do not smoke.
• Keep your fingers and tongue away from the surgical site.

Common Side Effects When Recovering from Dental Implant Placement

You can expect to experience a few minor side effects in the first few days after receiving dental implants. These can include:

• Intermittent bleeding that lasts for several days. This issue can be reduced by applying gauze and light pressure.
• Swelling that may last anywhere from three days to a full week. You can address this symptom with a cold or warm compress.
• General discomfort that can be managed with prescribed or over-the-counter pain relievers.

These effects should gradually fade away as the days go by. However, if any of these symptoms seem to be getting worse, let us know.

Your Diet After Dental Implant Surgery

It’s best to stick to softer foods that aren’t sticky or abrasive for the first few days after receiving dental implants. A few items to consider include:

• Yogurt
• Ice cream
• Mashed potatoes
• Pudding
• Soup that isn’t too hot
• Scrambled eggs
• Pasta

You can resume eating normal foods as soon as you feel comfortable doing so, but please refrain from consuming too many items that are crunchy or tough and take care to avoid chewing directly over the surgical sites.

Post-Op Health & Oral Hygiene

Proper oral hygiene is still important after receiving dental implants. The day after surgery, brush your teeth normally while taking special care not to disturb the surgical sites. Rinse your mouth with salt water two or three times daily and use prescription mouthwash if you have it. Refrain from using mouthwash brands that are high in alcohol such as Scope or Listerine.

What to Do After Your New Teeth Are Attached

You can expect to be ready to smile proudly on the day your new crown, bridge, or denture is connected to your implant or implants. You may experience some mild and temporary sensitivity in your gum tissue, but this should be easily controllable with pain medication. At this point, the hard part of receiving dental implants is over, so there should be no bleeding, swelling, or extensive recovery period to deal with.