Dental Implants FAQs
Q: What is a Dental Implant?
A: A dental implant is a substitute tooth root made of titanium that allows a person to return to a fixed tooth.
- Q: Why a single tooth implant?
A: A dental implant is by far the superior aesthetic result which feels and looks like a natural tooth. Placement of an implant does NOT require cutting down healthy adjacent teeth, as a bridge does. Requires regular brushing, flossing, and dental hygiene appointments only – NO special attention.
- Q: Why an implant retained denture?
A: An implant retained denture stops the deterioration of your natural facial structures. The implants preserve and stimulate the bone thus halting the resorption that occurs in areas where natural teeth are lost.
Allowing only 10% or less chewing power, conventional dentures will limit you to a soft food diet. With removing several foods you can no longer chew from your diet, you also eliminate many nutritional food items one needs for dietary health. An implant retained denture has proven to help in regaining up to 90% of your chewing ability. In comparison of chewing ability, conventional dentures offer a life of eating foods like scrambled eggs to a life of enjoying a steak dinner.
- Q: Is it expensive?
A: Most people assume that dental implant treatment is more expensive than other methods of tooth replacement. In reality, dental implants are more cost effective. The basic reason for the cost differential is due to the fact that other treatments require extensive repairs, replacements, and procedures to preserve the integrity of facial structures.
- Q: What will my insurance pay?
A: Although portions of the implant procedure may be covered, the implant itself is not always. However, we have recently experienced an increase in coverage due to the fact that dental implants are designed to last a lifetime. We will send pre-authorization information into your insurance and provide payments options.
- Q: Is there discomfort involved?
A: Just as with any surgery, there can be discomfort. However, it is very common to have more discomfort from the tooth extraction than with the implant placement. The placement is a controlled procedure and special care will be taken to stay in connect with you after the surgery to be sure that you remain comfortable.
- Q: How long does it take to complete treatment?
A: The complete implant process can take 3 to 9 months and in some cases, longer. It should be understood that this procedure is advanced and can be a longer process than usual to assure its success. Your dentist can provide patients with options for a temporary tooth during this time frame. AT NO TIME are you without a tooth unless you elect to do so.
- Q: Is there a chance of rejection?
A: Failure of an implant is often attributed to the failure of the bone fusing together properly with the implant. Factors that may cause this failure include but are not limited to:
- Insufficient bone
- Infection
- Undue forces or pressure on the implant that disrupt the integration process
- Certain medical issues of the patient
- Poor dental hygiene
While this may seem like a long list, please remember that serious problems are rare and success rates are 95+.
- Q: Should I plan to be off work?
A:The amount of time needed off work is the individuals decision. You can expect some swelling but usually that is minimal. We do recommend no strenuous exercise be done the day of or the day after implant placement.
- Q: What will happen without treatment?
A: Failure of an implant is often attributed to the failure of the bone fusing together properly with the implant. Factors that may cause this failure include but are not limited to:
- Insufficient bone
- Infection
- Undue forces or pressure on the implant that disrupt the integration process
- Certain medical issues of the patient
- Poor dental hygiene
While this may seem like a long list, please remember that serious problems are rare and success rates are 95+.
- Q: Who is a candidate for implants?
A: Anyone who is missing one or more (even all) of their teeth may be a candidate for dental implants. If one or a few of the teeth are missing, dental implants in conjunction with a crown or bridge can replace those teeth and function as normal teeth without losing more bone and being subject to decay. If all or most of your teeth are missing, then implants may be placed to anchor a loose denture. Sometimes, if there is already some bone loss, bone can be added and regenerated or a technique called bone expansion can be used to create a more ideal site for the implant(s). More detailed information and images are available from the treatment menu. Ultimately, a consultation with a dentist who is knowledgable on these procedures can help determine your individual needs.
- Q: Am I too old to have implants?
A: Age appears not to be a factor for dental implant success. The only thing to stand in the way of dental implant treatment in the elderly is the patient’s general medical health.
- Q: How do I choose a dentist?
A: Please keep in mind that not all dentists have had adequate training and education in this growing field and may possibly (but not intentionally) mis-diagnose or more commonly, discourage the option of implants due to lack of knowledge of the procedure. We are happy to refer patients to one of the many local dentists we often work with for implant restoration.
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