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The gold standard for replacing missing teeth
Over the past few decades, dental implants have become increasingly popular as a solution to tooth loss, and once you learn a little more about them, it’s not hard to see why. They are much stronger, last exponentially longer, and even look more natural than conventional dentures and bridges. At South Arlington Smiles, Dr. Talon Davis is your local implant expert, so if you’re ready to permanently rebuild your smile, contact us today to schedule a consultation to discuss dental implants in Arlington, TX.
Why Choose South Arlington Smiles For Dental Implants?
Entire Procedure Completed Under One Roof
Flexible Payment Plans
Multiple Sedation Options Available
What Is a Dental Implant?
A dental implant is an artificial tooth root made of titanium. It is surgically placed into the jawbone, where it can support a custom-made crown, bridge, or denture, depending on how many teeth you have lost. Just like the roots of your real teeth, implants actually bond to the surrounding bone, which explains their unmatched strength and stability. They also stimulate the jawbone, preventing it from shrinking as it often does after tooth loss.
The 4 Step Dental Implant Process
Many general dentists have to refer patients to an outside specialist, like an oral surgeon, for the implant placement procedure. Fortunately, Dr. Davis can help save you time by performing every step of the dental implant process right here in our Arlington dental office. From your first consultation to the placement of your final restoration, you can work with the same trusted team and avoid the inconvenience of going elsewhere and receiving treatment from an unfamiliar face. While the process for dental implant placement is more invasive and timelier than dentures or dental bridges, they are well worth the investment. To learn more about how dental implants work in Arlington, review the information below and contact us if you have any questions.
Initial Dental Implant Consultation
When meeting with your implant dentist in Arlington, Dr. Davis will examine your oral cavity and identify areas that need to be addressed. Depending on the status of your oral and overall health as well as your jawbone density, you may or may not need preliminary treatments (i.e., periodontal therapy, tooth extraction, bone grafting, sinus lift). If you don’t, you can expect to be recommended for dental implant surgery; however, if you do need preliminary treatment, trust this additional procedure will only allow for greater success once your implants are firmly in place.Dental Implant Surgery
Because Dr. Davis can perform the entire procedure in-house, you won’t need a referral for an outside specialist. The day you arrive for your implant placement, we will administer local anesthesia to numb one or more areas of your mouth before making incisions in your gums to expose the bone. Carefully placing each dental implant into the appropriate area, we will ensure it is aligned and angled properly before closing the gum tissue and placing a healing cap over the surgical sites.Dental Implant Osseointegration/Abutment
As instructed, you will return home to spend 3-6 months recovering. This is the necessary timeline your bone needs to fuse with the implants. Once this is achieved, you will have a studier, stronger foundation for your new smile. Your dentist will be scheduling follow-up appointments throughout this time but once your implants are adequately fused, you will return to have your metal abutments added to the tops of your dental implants.Delivery of Dental Implant Restorations
The final step in receiving dental implants in Arlington is having your customized restoration put into place. Versatile in being able to treat all types of tooth loss, dental implants can be topped with an implant crown, implant bridge, or implant dentures depending on how many teeth you need to have replaced. You can trust that they will not only look natural, but they’ll be comfortable to wear and offer you far greater oral health because of their ease of cleaning and increased longevity.
Benefits of Dental implants
The benefits of dental implants are far more extensive than you’d think. While you’ll learn from our office exactly why so many patients are choosing them over traditional methods of tooth replacement, we encourage you to read about just a few of the advantages that dental implants have over bridges and dentures ahead of your consultation. Feel free to reach out to us directly to schedule an appointment and learn more about the long-term oral and overall health benefits of choosing dental implants to rebuild your smile!
Day-to-Day Benefits
- Because they’re embedded within the jawbone, you can eat all of your favorite foods without worrying about your teeth sliding around. Even chewy and crunchy foods can be enjoyed with total confidence!
- Maintaining dental implants is as easy as caring for your natural teeth – just brush and floss as normal. You won’t have to remove your dental implants just to clean them, nor buy any special tools to do so.
- If you’ve ever struggled to speak clearly while wearing a denture, you can rest knowing that’s a thing of the past with dental implants. Whether you’re at work or spending time with family, you can avoid embarrassing situations that can often come with a denture.
- A complete smile makes you feel far more confident throughout the day, so you can show it off and feel beautiful while you do it!
Health Benefits
- Unlike bridges, dental implants don’t require any of your remaining teeth to be reshaped. This means you can retain as much of your natural enamel as possible.
- An expanded diet means it’s easier than ever to make sure you are getting a balanced diet. This includes not just tough proteins like steak or crunchy foods like nuts, but a wider variety of fruits and vegetables that are mouth-friendly!
- When teeth are lost, the bone tissue responsible for holding them in place begins to break down. With dental implants constantly stimulating them throughout the day, you can have confidence that your jawbone will maintain its shape (and the risk of future tooth loss is greatly dwindled!)
Long-Term Benefits
- Teeth supported by dental implants are designed to look just like your natural ones. This is thanks to the ceramic materials we use to not just mimic enamel, but blend in with your existing teeth. Only you and our office will know you had teeth replaced.
- While a bridge or denture typically doesn’t last more than 7-10 years, dental implants can easily last for 30+ years! This makes them a great long-term investment that actually saves you money on future tooth replacement.
- Dental implants have an incredibly high success rate, averaging about 95% to 98%. If you want a tooth that you can truly rely on in the long-term to stay in place and functional, dental implants are the best solution.
Are Dental Implants Right for You?
No matter how many teeth you’re missing, Dr. Davis can use dental implants to rebuild smiles in 99% of patients. After examining your mouth, he can discuss the following restorative options and determine which one is best for you:
Missing Single Tooth
A personalized crown can be placed on top of a single implant post that is inserted into the jaw. The neighboring teeth won’t need to be altered in the slightest, and the crown will be meticulously shaped and shaded to blend in with your smile as a whole.
Missing Multiple Teeth
To replace several missing teeth in a row, a dental bridge can be placed on two dental implants at either end of the gap in your grin. This solution is much more stable and durable than a traditional bridge.
Missing All Teeth
Even an entire mouthful of lost teeth can be brought back with dental implants. All it takes is four to eight implant posts placed along the jaw to secure a full denture. An implant-retained denture doesn’t slip around or require messy adhesives or a special cleaning regimen; it will feel as if you had never lost any teeth in the first place!Start to Finish Convenience
Many general dentists have to refer patients to an outside specialist, like an oral surgeon, for the implant placement procedure. Fortunately, Dr. Davis can help save you time by being able to perform every step of the dental implant process right here in our Arlington dental office. From your first consultation to the placement of your final restoration, you can work with the same trusted team and not have to get to know an unfamiliar specialist.
Understanding the Cost of Dental Implants
Because of this treatment’s versatility, the cost of dental implants in Arlington can vary quite a bit from patient to patient. Many factors must be considered, such as the number of implants you need, where in the mouth they’ll be located, and whether you’ll require preparatory work beforehand (like bone grafting or tooth extractions).
While dental implants admittedly have a higher initial cost than dentures or bridges alone, their longevity actually makes them a better long-term investment. Traditional restorations have to be repaired or replaced every few years, while dental implants can last a lifetime with the right care.
Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery
Many patients need preliminary procedures before their dental implant surgery. While bone grafting, gum disease therapy, and tooth extractions increase your overall treatment costs, they also set the foundation that your implants need to last a lifetime.
Dental implant surgery also incurs its own cost, which is impacted primarily by the location of the implants within the mouth and the type of sedation you’re receiving. Luckily, Dr. Talon Davis can save you money on this step of the treatment. As an experienced implant dentist in Arlington, he can perform the procedure in our very own office. This saves you from receiving a separate bill from an unfamiliar practice.
The Parts of Your Dental Implant
Each of the three parts of your dental implant – the implant post, the abutment, and the restoration – come with a distinct price. The implants and abutments can come from various manufacturers and be made of different materials to meet a patient’s needs. Feel free to ask us why we have chosen the specific type of implant that we have; we’ll always be transparent about our reasoning.
Additionally, your restoration will have a higher cost the more teeth you’re replacing. For example, a full implant denture requires more material than a single crown, so it will naturally have a higher price.
How Dental Implants Can Save You Money
You may be tempted to save money by choosing a conventional bridge or denture, but over time, dental implants in Arlington actually end up paying for themselves several times over. You won’t need to get your prosthetic replaced every five to ten years or purchase special adhesives or cleaning solutions. Dental implants are also easier to care for, so they can reduce your risk for gum disease and other oral health problems that would require expensive treatments.Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?
While most dental insurance providers do NOT cover the cost of the implant posts themselves, there might be some exceptions. For instance, many pre-implant treatments, such as bone grafting, are eligible for partial coverage. Our practice can help you navigate the ins and outs of your plan’s coverage to ensure you get all of the savings you’re entitled to. We’re even in-network with many of the country’s most popular dental insurance plans!Making Dental Implants Affordable
At South Arlington Smiles, we offer ways of making dental implants affordable even to patients without insurance. As an alternative to traditional insurance, you could sign up for our in-house membership plan. For a small monthly/yearly fee, you get a 15% discount on all services completed at our practice (including dental implants) as well as FREE preventive care. We also partner with CareCredit to help patients apply for low- or no-interest payment plans based on credit approval.Maintaining & Caring for Your Dental Implants
Taking care of your dental implants isn’t much different than taking care of your teeth. In both cases, it’s important to take the initiative in order to prevent small problems from turning into large ones. Doing so will help your dental implants last for decades so that you can continue enjoying the enhanced strength and comfort they provide. If you want to learn more about implant maintenance, we encourage you to read below or to schedule a consultation at our practice.
Make Oral Hygiene a Priority
Your daily oral hygiene routine won’t change much after you receive dental implants. You should continue to brush at least two times every day with an ADA-approved toothpaste. You also need to floss on a regular basis to remove bacteria and food particles from the spaces that a toothbrush can’t reach. These basic steps will help you prevent gum disease, a potentially devastating oral health issue that often results in bone loss. Implants need a healthy jawbone in order to stay anchored in place, so it’s best to avoid gum disease and other oral health issues altogether.Eat a Healthy Diet
While an occasional sugary snack won’t do your implants any significant harm, you need to be aware of the influence that your diet has on your oral health. Too much sugar and starch can lead to dental issues that may put your implants at risk. Make sure your diet is filled with plenty of nutritious foods instead, including fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. Getting plenty of calcium and vitamin C will help promote a healthy mouth and a strong jaw, thus creating the ideal environment for your implants.Break Bad Habits
Seemingly harmless oral habits can end up damaging your smile in the long run, and that includes your dental implants. To make sure that your implants and your natural teeth last as long as possible, you need to be gentle with them. Be careful not to chew your nails, pen tips, or anything else that’s hard, and avoid crunching ice, peppermints, or any other kind of hard food. Never use your teeth as tools for opening packages or containers. If you need some help breaking bad oral habits, Dr. Davis can give you some tips during your next appointment.Protect Your Dental Implants
Some accidents are unavoidable, but if you play sports or participate in some kind of physical activity, then you should know ahead of time when you have an increased risk of getting hit in the mouth. Wearing a mouthguard can help keep your dental implants safe while you’re getting your exercise. You can also have a mouthguard made to keep your dental implants safe at night if you suffer from bruxism.Schedule Regular Dental Checkups
You should already be visiting Dr. Davis every six months for your biannual dental checkups. These appointments are also a chance for him to make sure your implants are still firmly in place and to check on the state of your customized restoration. This gives us a chance to intervene at the first sign that your implants could be at risk.Dental Implant FAQs
Even if you’re still not sure if you believe dental implants are right for you or you just don’t know enough about the treatment itself, South Arlington Smiles is happy to answer your questions to the furthest extent. Dr. Davis has years of experience placing and restoring dental implants and will gladly sit down with you one-on-one to help you feel comfortable about treatment. In the meantime, you can read over a few of the most common questions our practice hears!
Dental implant failure is largely uncommon, but there are reasons it can occur. The two most common reasons include failed osseointegration and peri-implantitis. If the implant does not properly integrate with the jawbone tissue, it can fall out. This is usually the case if the patient already had low bone density, which is something we always consider before surgery. Alternatively, peri-implantitis occurs when brushing and flossing are not performed as much or as well as they should be. This leads to gum disease forming in the gum tissue surrounding the implant. Implants can also fail as a result of tobacco use, chronic teeth grinding, and pre-existing conditions that affect the healing process.
