Dental Implants in Abington Provide Complete Tooth Replacement

What Are Dental Implants?

There are a few different types of dental implants, but the most common are small cylinders (usually made of titanium) that are placed within the jawbone. If all goes well, the bone forms a strong bond with the implants over time; this process of osseointegration enables the implants to act as the strongest base possible for your new teeth. Eventually, your dentist in Abington places restorations (in the form of crowns, bridges, or a denture) on top of the implants.

The process for installing implants typically takes anywhere from several months to a year and may go something like this:

• You attend a consultation with your dentist to find out if implants are a suitable treatment for your circumstances.
• You undergo any necessary preliminary treatments. Some folks require a bone graft, extractions, or periodontal therapy before their implant placement surgery.
• A skilled dentist places the implants within your jaw.
• After a period of healing, you receive abutments (which attach the restorations to the implants), and your beautiful new teeth.

The 4-Step Dental Implant Process

The dental implant process is somewhat lengthy; from start to finish, it can take several months or longer. That may seem like a long time, but implants provide truly outstanding results. Plus, our team strives to make the treatment as easy, comfortable, and efficient as possible for our patients. Continue reading below to learn about the four main stages of dental implant treatment: the initial consultation, the implant placement surgery, osseointegration, and restoration.

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Initial Dental Implant Consultation

During your initial appointment, our team will learn about your oral health and medical history. You should be sure to disclose any diagnoses or health concerns that you have. We will also thoroughly examine your mouth and ask about your goals for treatment.

Based on the information we gather, we can determine if you are a good candidate for dental implants or if you first need to undergo preliminary care, such as a bone graft or gum disease treatment. We can also start planning out the details of your treatment and make sure you understand your financial obligation.

Dental Implant Surgery

We often work with local specialists for the dental implant placement surgery. This team-based approach ensures that you get expert care during every stage of your tooth replacement journey.

During the surgery, your care provider will first make sure you are comfortable. Then, they will make incisions in your gums and place the implants at their pre-planned positions. Once the incisions are closed, you can go home to start the healing process. Most patients are feeling well enough to go back to work within a day or two of their procedure.

Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment Placement

Once the implants are in your jawbone, a remarkable process known as osseointegration should begin. This is the biological means through which implants bond with the surrounding tissue. In other words, it is what allows them to serve as strong prosthetic tooth roots.

Adequate osseointegration usually takes a few months. Thereafter, you might need to undergo a second minor surgery. During this procedure, the tops of your implants will be exposed, and healing caps will be placed on them. Later, the caps will be replaced by abutments, which are small connector pieces that will keep your new teeth in place. (Some patients get abutments during the initial implant surgery, so this second operation is not always necessary.)

Delivery of Dental Implant Restorations

This is perhaps the most exciting part of the dental implant process! Our team will take impressions of your mouth and use those as the basis for designing your new restoration. Your crown, bridge, or denture will be customized to work with your unique oral anatomy and facial structures. Once our partner laboratory finishes making it, we will verify that it meets our expectations before we attach it to your implants. Then, you can go off and start to experience the many benefits of your new smile.

What Benefits Do Dental Implants Offer?

One of the most outstanding features of dental implants is that they replace both the roots and the crowns of missing teeth. This enables them to slow down and perhaps even prevent the bone loss that often occurs in the jaw after tooth extractions, and it gives the implants the potential to stay with you for many decades. In fact, if you care for your new smile well, it could last for the rest of your life!

Here are a few of the other remarkable benefits that implants offer:

• Strength and confidence. Dental implants are extremely sturdy, and they feel natural in the mouth, enabling you to speak and eat with confidence.
• Personalized tooth replacement. Implants are a flexible tooth replacement solution; they can replace one tooth, a few teeth, or an entire arch of teeth.
• Well-made implant restorations look so beautiful that it is unlikely anyone will be able to tell that they aren’t your natural teeth.
• No damage to other teeth. In many cases, it is possible to place implants without extracting any of a patient’s remaining natural teeth. Also, because implants prevent other teeth from drifting out of
• Easy maintenance. In quite a few respects, implants function similarly to natural teeth. Caring for them is even similar! Your oral hygiene routine will probably not have to undergo any drastic changes.

Who Can Receive Dental Implants?

Both you and your dentist have to consider a wide range of factors to determine if implants are right for you. An ideal candidate for this procedure doesn’t smoke, is free of gum disease and other serious health concerns, and has a strong, dense jawbone. However, even folks who don’t fit this “ideal” profile might still be able to receive implants.

The only way to find out for sure if you’re a candidate for this potentially life-changing is to visit your dentist for an in-depth consultation. After performing a thorough examination of your mouth and taking some X-rays, they’ll design a treatment plan that is tailored to your circumstances, budget, and oral health needs.

How Much Do Dental Implants Cost?

For an exact idea of how much your implants may cost, you’ll have to speak to your dentist so they can plan out the details of your procedure. There are a number of factors that will contribute to the final price of your new smile:

• The number of implants you need. Logically, it costs less to place a single implant than it does to place four or five.
• Abutment placement. This is often a separate procedure from implant placement and comes with its own cost.
• Your restoration(s). Crowns, bridges, and implant-supported dentures all have different prices. Also, not all restorations are made of the same materials; porcelain and acrylic are both suitable for creating artificial teeth, but porcelain (the stronger of the two) tends to cost more.

Although implants present a significant upfront cost, they offer a remarkable value. If you care for them well, they prove to be a long-lasting investment in your oral health and in your quality of life!

To learn more about dental implants or to schedule a consultation, contact our office. Hopefully, it won’t be long before you’re on your way to being the proud owner of a renewed smile!

Implant Dentures

Implants are a versatile treatment that can replace any number of teeth. If you have suffered extensive tooth loss, we will likely recommend implant dentures to rebuild your smile. With just a few strategically placed implants (2 – 6), we can provide the base of support for an entire arch of prosthetic teeth. Both permanently fixed implant dentures and removable overdentures are available. They are much sturdier and longer lasting than traditional dentures. 

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