Dental Implants Danvers
Restoring Your Smile from the Roots Up
Losing any number of teeth can make life more difficult and take a toll on your self-esteem. Fortunately, the gaps in your smile can be filled, and dental implants are often seen as one of the best ways to do so. Do you want a tooth-replacement option that looks and feels natural while also offering enhanced strength and longevity? Reach out to Danvers Aesthetic Family Dentistry today to find out whether dental implants might be a good fit for you!
Why Choose Danvers Aesthetic Family Dentistry for Dental Implants?
- Dental Implants Placed In-Office
- Multiple Dental Experts Under One Roof
- Practice Known for Gentle, Comfortable Care
What Are Dental Implants?
A traditional denture sits on your gums while a traditional bridge is supported by natural teeth. In contrast, a dental implant (which is shaped like a screw and typically made out of titanium) is made to be surgically inserted into the jawbone. This gives it the unique ability to act like an artificial tooth root so that it can provide enhanced stability and chewing power to a crown, bridge, or denture. It’s often said that dental implants are the next best thing to real teeth!
The 4-Step Dental Implant Process
- Initial Consultation: Are you a good candidate for dental implants? Will you need any type of preliminary work such as bone grafting before you can receive implant posts? These kinds of questions can be answered during the initial consultation at the start of the implant process.
- Surgery: Placing dental implants requires surgery. Rest assured, though, that the procedure is relatively straightforward and that steps will be taken to help you stay comfortable while the implant posts are being inserted into your jaw.
- Osseointegration/Abutment: Your dental implants will slowly fuse with your jawbone over the next three to six months. Eventually, they’ll be ready for abutment placement. An abutment is a metal fixture that is used to anchor the final prosthesis in place.
- Delivery of the Final Restoration: Once your mouth has fully healed, the final crown, bridge, or denture can be made and attached to your dental implants in order to put the finishing touches on your brilliant new smile.
Benefits of Dental Implants
Nowadays, more and more people are choosing dental implants to replace their missing teeth due to the many advantages they offer, such as the following:
- Dental implants make it possible to eat most foods without issue.
- Dental implants both look and feel like natural teeth.
- Dental implants help stimulate the jaw to prevent bone loss.
- Dental implants can stop your remaining teeth from drifting out of place.
- Dental implants can last for decades with the right maintenance.
Who Dental Implants Can Help
You will likely be able to get dental implants as long as you have a healthy mouth and plenty of bone mass in your jaw. Additionally, you will need to be healthy enough to have minor surgery performed.
Bear in mind that dental implants can be used to replace any number of teeth. The exact number of implant posts you get and the type of prosthesis they support will ultimately be determined by the extent of your tooth loss.
Missing One Tooth
Replacing a single tooth with a dental implant is relatively simple. The implant post will be inserted into the gap where the tooth used to be. It will ultimately support a crown that will be custom-made to match the appearance of the rest of your smile.
Missing Multiple Teeth
Both partial dentures and dental bridges can be attached to dental implants in order to replace multiple teeth at the same time. Implant bridges can fill in gaps left by three or more consecutive teeth. Implant partial dentures can replace teeth that were in different parts of the same arch.
Missing All Teeth
If you have lost an entire row of teeth, you may be eligible for a full denture supported by four or more dental implants. Some implant dentures are removable, allowing you to easily clean underneath them; others are fixed in place, letting you give them the same care as natural teeth in the form of brushing and flossing.
Understanding the Cost of Dental Implants
Missing teeth can have a dramatic effect on your quality of life in many ways, often lowering self-esteem and complicating nutrition. In this way, dental implants are an investment in not only your oral health but also your physical and mental well-being. So, while the upfront cost may seem significant, they offer unmatched benefits, especially when compared with traditional dentures and bridges.
At Danvers Aesthetic Family Dentistry, every dental implant is as unique as the smile it fixes, making it difficult to name a price before your consultation. Read more below to better understand the various costs associated with the treatment so you can make an informed decision about restoring your smile.
Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery
Some patients may require preliminary treatments, such as bone grafting or tooth extractions, to prepare for implant surgery. These preparatory steps ensure that your implant has a strong foundation for long-term success.
Still, these treatments are extra, adding to the overall price of your implants. Thankfully, many of these procedures are often at least partially covered by your dental insurance, easing the financial strain.
Implant surgery is its own separate cost, but since we perform all our implants in-house, you won’t need to worry about paying extra for a specialist.
The Parts of Your Dental Implant
A dental implant consists of three key components:
- Implant Fixture: A titanium screw surgically placed in the jawbone to serve as a tooth root.
- Abutment: A connector piece that secures the crown to the implant.
- Restoration: The visible crown, bridge, or denture that mimics the appearance of natural teeth. Depending on the type of restoration you desire, you may need more than one implant—increasing the total cost.
Regardless of the type of replacement you receive, each part is crafted with durable, high-quality materials for excellent longevity and functionality.
How Dental Implants Pay for Themselves
Dental implants are a cost-effective choice in the long run. This is because unlike traditional dentures or bridges that may need to be replaced or refurbished multiple times, implants are designed to last decades with proper care.
Your implants will also help prevent costly dental issues that stem from shifting teeth and bone loss that occurs in your jaw (absorption). Together with their excellent aesthetics and ease of care, dental implants are an investment that will continue to pay dividends throughout your lifetime.
Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?
Dental insurance coverage for implants varies. While some plans may partially cover specific aspects, like the crown or preliminary treatments, many categorize implants as cosmetic and provide limited coverage. At Danvers Aesthetic Family Dentistry, we work with major insurance providers, including Delta, BCBS, MetLife, Altus, and Cigna, to help you maximize your benefits.
Navigating insurance can be tricky, but our experienced team is here to guide you. We’ll verify your coverage, help you understand what’s included, and explain any out-of-pocket costs upfront. We’re committed to making the process as smooth and transparent as possible. So, call our Danvers office to schedule a consultation with our expert dental team. We’ll explore your options and take the first steps on your path to a healthier smile!
Maintaining & Caring for Your Dental Implants
Once you’ve finished rebuilding your smile with dental implants in Danvers, it will be up to you to take care of your new teeth. With the right maintenance, dental implants can potentially last for decades, so it’s well worth going out of your way to protect them from harm. Below are some basic steps you can follow in order to maintain your dental implants; if you would like to learn more, don’t hesitate to ask our team the next time you visit our office.
Make Oral Hygiene a Priority
Practicing good oral hygiene is essential for protecting your dental implants. If plaque and tartar are allowed to build up in your mouth, they could lead to gum disease, which can ultimately result in dental implant failure. Remember to brush and floss at least two times a day to keep the area around your dental implants as clean as possible. Additionally, rinsing with mouthwash can go a long way toward fighting the harmful oral bacteria that can contribute to gum problems.
Eat a Healthy Diet
Sugary and starchy foods can potentially lead to major problems with your dental implants if you overindulge on them. The occasional sweet or potato chip is fine, but you should try to reduce your consumption of foods that can put your replacement teeth at risk. Instead, eat more healthy foods that are beneficial for your mouth – particularly those that are high in calcium and vitamin C. This can help you maintain an oral environment where your dental implants can thrive.
Break Bad Habits
It’s important to be aware of bad habits that could damage your dental implants. This includes biting your fingernails, chewing on the end of your pen, tearing open packages with your teeth, and crunching ice or other overly hard foods. When you know that you have these habits, you can take the appropriate steps to break them. One solution might be to start carrying sugar-free gum; that way, if you have the urge to chew on something, you’ll have a safe option.
Protect Your Dental Implants
Plenty of sports and other athletic activities carry a risk of getting hit in the jaw or mouth, which can ultimately result in broken dental implants. You can keep your implant posts and your natural teeth safe by wearing an athletic mouthguard. Note that it’s worth taking this precaution even if you are not specifically told that mouthguards are required for your chosen athletic activity.
Schedule Regular Dental Checkups
Even after getting dental implants, you should still make time to see your dentist every six months. They can check on your implant posts as well as the prosthesis they support in order to make sure that there aren’t any problems. Sometimes issues can start to develop without you realizing it, but if they’re addressed early, you can often avoid more serious complications later down the road.
Dental Implant FAQs
How Long Do Dental Implants Last?
Good news: dental implants can last for over 30 years with proper care. In other words, you can prolong the lifespan of yours by implementing good habits into your daily routine, like brushing, flossing, and rinsing with mouthwash. It’s also of the utmost importance that you avoid doing anything that could damage your restorations, like smoking, eating extremely crunchy foods, or participating in sports without a mouthguard.
How Successful Are Dental Implants?
One of the many perks of dental implants is that they have a success rate of over 95%! Committing to the previously mentioned oral hygiene habits, like brushing for a full two minutes each day, will go a long way in keeping your teeth, your gums, and your dental implants in pristine condition. It’s also important that you follow all of the aftercare instructions provided to you during the healing process, like not smoking or drinking alcohol.
What Should I Do if My Implant Feels Loose?
If your dental implant feels loose or you’re experiencing other warning signs of implant failure, like pain stemming from the implant site, then call us ASAP. The sooner you do, the sooner we can pinpoint the root of the problem and if further care is needed. Rest assured, we will review all of your treatment options at your appointment so you feel completely confident taking the next steps.
Am I Too Old to Get Dental Implants?
Actually, there isn’t an upper age limit for dental implants! Instead of candidacy being determined by age, candidacy is determined by factors like jawbone density and good oral health. So, don’t let your age stop you from scheduling a consultation with us. Over the years, we’ve helped young adults, seniors, and everyone in between restore their healthy, happy smiles with this state-of-the-art tooth-replacement solution.
Will I Have to Take Off Work for Dental Implant Surgery?
Typically, patients take a day or two off of work following their dental implant procedure. If you work in construction or you have another physically demanding job, then we may recommend taking more time off to ensure you have plenty of time to heal. You always have the option of scheduling your appointment on a Thursday or Friday as well. That way, you also have the weekend to heal.
Do Dental Implants Decay?
Since dental implants are artificial, they cannot decay. Many patients assume that means they no longer need to brush consistently or schedule a dental exam every six months. That’s not the case! After all, your gums can still get infected, and your natural teeth can still develop cavities. So, it’s still extremely important that you take good care of your smile throughout the years.
Is There Anything I Can’t Eat with Dental Implants?
Since dental implants are surgically inserted in your jawbone and crafted from only the best materials, they allow you to eat a well-balanced, varied diet. That said, there are some foods we recommend avoiding, like hard pretzels, peanut brittle, and candy canes. That way, the chances of your crown, bridge, or denture breaking are significantly lower.