Anthony Liccione once said, “Teeth aren’t pearly until you smile”. But would you like to smile when you have missing teeth? If you do not have those thirty-two white horses on the red hill, would you dare smile wide? Being toothless makes you feel incomplete and helpless, and you might often feel sad about your inability to smile wide.
As you age, losing teeth may be natural, but you may lose a tooth or two for other reasons such as accidents, or decay, gum disease, traumatic bite, improper occlusion, etc. Obviously, you don’t wish for the tooth fairy to come and reward you with some payment. All you want is to get the tooth back, so you can eat well, and smile wide. Thanks to the advancements in the field of dentistry, you can actually put those missing teeth back in your mouth.
Dental science has achieved a very high degree of precision and durability when it comes to placing new teeth via implant procedures. You don’t need to sit around and feel helpless anymore. Dental Implants are strong, permanent fixed replacements for your missing teeth that you can use for the rest of your life, not just for regaining your smile, but also for their core function, much like your natural tooth.
An implant procedure typically consists of three main parts.
Depending on patients’ needs, clinical scenarios, treatments are planned. There can be.
Below are some commonly asked questions that may help you understand and prepare for what it takes to go through a dental implant procedure.
An implant-trained dentist examines your mouth sites where an implant is needed. It requires them to take x-rays and carefully observe the vital structures in the area of interest. Sometimes the tooth is already missing and in some cases, it needs an extraction (removal). With the advancement in implant dentistry, a lot of times the implants can be placed at the time of extraction and that reduces your waiting period for getting the final prosthesis.
The implant procedure is done under local anesthesia. After profound anesthesia, a series of drilling procedures are performed according to the length and diameter of the implant chosen for the site. The next step is to place a metal screw (a titanium implant) and a healing cap is placed to cover the implant. Bone grafting may be needed as per patient needs. Sutures are placed over the surgery site. The dentist will usually prescribe pain meds and antibiotics post-procedure. This follows a healing period of 3-6 months, after which it is tested for integrity with the jaw bone where it is placed. Post osseointegration, the patient is ready for an impression by the dentist. An abutment and crown are designed as per the dentist’s preference and clinical needs of the patient.
Dental implants are a blessing, and have many advantages:
Today, most people prefer dental implants over other options, when it comes to the issues of missing teeth. The procedure itself is not too painful, as it is done under local anesthesia. Some of our patients have told us that their dental implant procedure was less painful than a wisdom tooth extraction, which can get complicated sometimes. Looking at the durability and functionality, a dental implant is a great option for people with missing teeth and for teeth that cannot be saved with other dental procedures like root-canal, etc.
Dental implant planning depends on the proximity of vital structures, type, and quantity of available bone, infection, medical history. People who have uncontrolled diabetes, smokers, immunocompromised, on certain medications might not be suitable candidates to receive implants. It is always advisable to consult your dentist to know your options.
The cost for implants can vary depending on your region, the type of implants, abutment, crown; bone grafting procedure, additional procedures added to make the implant safe and predictable. It is important to note that contrary to popular belief, dental insurances may cover a portion of your implants, such as the cost of crown placement. Some insurances may cover a part of the implant placement.
At Argonaut Dental, we strive to provide the best dental implant services in Saratoga, and the neighboring communities. Our dental implants cost $1299 only when you also do the abutment & crown also with us. We also accept all major PPO insurances. You can call our office at (408) 867-1800 for details. We have a team of dedicated dentists, hygienists, assistants, and on-call specialists that have performed implant procedures on many patients. We can proudly say that we provide the best and most affordable dental implant services in Saratoga.
