Dental Implants – Wayland, MA
High-Quality Tooth Replacement to Solve Tooth Loss
Tooth loss is a devastating event, negatively affecting your oral health, your smile’s ability to function, and your overall sense of confidence and self-esteem. Thankfully, patients in this situation have several options to replace the missing teeth. One of the most predictable and long lasting is a dental implant.
Unlike other, more traditional tooth replacement methods, dental implants are designed to replicate the entire structure of the natural tooth, including both the crown (the white, visible portion) and the root (the portion hidden beneath the gum line). In comparison, bridges are held in place by crowned teeth, and partial dentures are attached with clasps.
Because they mimic nature’s natural design, implants provide exceptional durability and health benefits, as well as a seamlessly lifelike appearance that’s virtually impossible to differentiate from remaining healthy teeth. At Wayland Dental, we’re happy to help patients achieve these stellar results. Contact our Wayland, MA location today to schedule an implant consultation with Dr. Michael Putt, or if you have any questions or concerns our team can help you with.
Benefits of Dental Implants
One of the most common questions people have about dental implants is their longevity and success rate. When compared to other tooth replacement options, dental implants are capable of standing the test of time. With proper maintenance, they last anywhere from 25 years to a lifetime. Their success rates average about 95 percent and higher, even after 10 years of use! This proves them to be a truly long-lasting solution for missing teeth.
Furthermore, eating the foods you enjoy doesn’t have to be a difficult process with dental implants. There’s no worry of whether you can eat a meal on a menu or if your denture will shift in place as you chew. Dental implants are designed to function almost identically to natural teeth, which includes basic functions like chewing your favorite food.
The 4-Step Dental Implant Process
There are multiple stages to getting dental implants, but the process doesn’t have to be intimidating. Our team members will be happy to walk you through each step and go into more detail about anything you don’t understand. To make things as simple as possible for you, we can handle the entire dental implant process in-office, including the surgery to place the posts in your jaws. Here’s a closer look at how dental implants can be used to fill in the gaps in your grin.
Initial Dental Implant Consultation
No treatment is for everyone, so before you can get dental implants, our team will need to confirm your candidacy for the procedure. As such, you’ll need to schedule a consultation at our office so that we can take X-rays and carefully examine your mouth as well as any relevant facial structures. Sometimes we may find that you can get dental implants right away, but in other cases, you may need treatments like bone grafting to help prepare your mouth and jaw for the surgery.
Dental Implant Surgery
As part of your dental implant surgery, we will make a small incision in your gums. Next, we will create holes in the jawbone and place a dental implant post in each one. It’s important to note that the posts are not inserted at random; each location is expertly chosen based on the information we’ve gathered about your jaw. Afterward, it’s typically necessary to place a protective cap over each post. This helps the gums maintain their proper shape.
Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment
Osseointegration is a natural process that occurs after dental implant surgery. Simply put, the implant posts will gradually fuse with your jaw, giving them a level of stability that’s unmatched by traditional tooth replacement options. In most cases, osseointegration takes around 3 to 6 months, and you’ll need to follow our instructions to ensure that it goes as intended.
After osseointegration comes the placement of the abutments, which will require another surgical procedure. Simply put, an abutment is what will eventually let us attach your new teeth to your dental implants. Impressions will be taken after your abutments are in place, and the final restoration will be made while your mouth is recovering.
Delivery of Dental Implant Restoration(s)
Finally, you’ll return to our office to receive your final restoration and complete the dental implant process. Said restoration could be a crown, a bridge, or a denture based on how many teeth need to be replaced. Our team will need to double-check that your new restoration fits properly and that it doesn’t throw off the balance of your bite. Once we’re sure that everything is in order, we’ll put the finishing touches on your new smile so that you can start taking advantage of all the benefits it has to offer.
Indications for Dental Implants
There are many ways a dental implant can replace teeth. Those who are missing one tooth, multiple teeth, or an entire arch should consider the extensive restorative properties of dental implants!
Missing Single Tooth
When restoring a single implant, a quality, all-ceramic crown is the option of choice, allowing our team to replenish the lost tooth structure without requiring significant alteration of nearby healthy teeth in the process.
Missing Multiple Teeth
If your tooth loss is more extensive, an implant-retained prosthetic can provide coverage that’s strong and cost-effective. This device will closely resemble a traditional bridge or denture with one important difference – it’s designed to securely attach to placed implants for added stability.
Missing All Teeth
Overdentures are extremely similar to fixed implant bridges and dentures, save for the fact that they’re designed to still be removable in nature. Only four to six implants are needed to create a stable restoration.
Learn More About Implant Retained Dentures
Understanding the Cost of Dental Implants
The only way to know for sure how much you will end up paying for dental implants is to schedule a consultation with our team. After all, there are several factors that play a role in determining the overall cost; we will only be able to give you a useful number once we have examined your smile and figured out what your needs are. Remember that you can always let us know if you have any questions regarding the price of dental implants as well as the available payment options.
Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery
We may determine that a preliminary treatment (such as bone grafting or tooth extraction) needs to be performed before you can get dental implants. If this is the case, you will need to plan on fitting the cost of the procedure in question into your budget.
After the necessary preliminary work is done, you will be ready to undergo dental implant surgery. The cost of this treatment can vary based on where the implants are being placed as well as other variables.
The Parts of Your Dental Implant
How much will you need to pay for the actual dental implants? We will only be able to answer this question after considering the following:
- The Number of Implants: Sometimes you may only need to pay for one dental implant, but in other cases, you will have to make room in your budget for multiple posts.
- The Restoration Used: Smaller dental implant restorations like crowns tend to cost less than larger ones such as dentures.
- The Brand of Dental Implant: The amount you pay for dental implants can sometimes vary depending on which manufacturer they came from. Don’t be shy about asking which brand will be used in your case as well as the benefits associated with it.
How Dental Implants Can Save You Money
Despite having a higher cost than other types of tooth replacement, dental implants can ultimately be a very good choice for your wallet. Their long lifespans mean that you will rarely (if ever) need to worry about buying new ones. On top of that, you can give them the same care you give your natural teeth without having to worry about buying any specialized cleaning products.
Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?
You should review your dental insurance plan to see what coverage is available for dental implants. Even if your insurance company won’t pay for the implant posts, they could still help cover the cost of other parts of the treatment, such as the final restoration.
Making Dental Implants Affordable
Wayland Dental is proud to offer Putt’s Preferred Patient Program, which allows even uninsured patients to save money on their care. The program comes with a 15% discount on all of our services and products, making it a good choice for many patients. If you would like more information about our PPP program, reach out to our team today.
Dental Implant FAQs
Am I a good candidate for dental implants?
In order to be eligible for dental implants, our team of dentists will thoroughly examine your teeth, gums, and bone density. These factors all play an important role in the success of your dental implant placement. If one area of your mouth is in poor health, it can negatively affect the rest of your smile, including your implant(s).
When examining your smile, they will make sure your oral health is in good condition. This means there are no signs of tooth decay or gum disease, both of which would require pre-implant dental work in order to be eligible for this type of tooth replacement.
They will also check your jawbone health to determine if it is weakened or deteriorating. If so, you’ll be required to undergo a bone graft or sinus lift if you want to pursue dental implants. Without strong bone, there will be no stable foundation to hold up the implant and its restoration.
Can dental implants fail?
The placement process has a high success rate of 95% and higher, but unfortunately, instances arise where an implant can fail. Fortunately, these are rare cases and can be caused by:
- Smoking or tobacco use
- A compromised immune system
- Improper implant placement
Before moving forward with dental implants, your dentist should talk to you about your medical history. Conditions and diseases such as diabetes can weaken the immune system, making it harder to heal and fight off infection. This is also one of the reasons it is highly advised that you quit smoking prior to having this type of restorative procedure, as it can make osseointegration, which is the fusing on the implant to the bone, almost impossible.
Will dental implants hurt?
As a surgical procedure, your surgeon will administer anesthesia or sedation to ensure you are comfortable and pain-free throughout the surgery. Once your implants are in place, it is likely that you will experience some soreness and tenderness in the following days; however, prescribed medication or an over-the-counter pain reliever can help to alleviate any discomfort you might have.
If I have dentures, can I switch to dental implants?
Much of this depends on the state of your jawbone health. While many patients make the switch successfully, others require a bone graft or sinus lift to create additional bone support, which can take several months to heal.
For many patients, it is worth the wait because of the additional benefits you receive with dental implants. Not only are they more stable and provide improved functioning, but they can last decades or longer with proper care and maintenance.