Dental Implants Worcester

What Are Dental Implants?

Titanium is known to fuse beautifully with bone tissues, which is why manufacturers rely on it when making dental implants. As screw-like posts that stand in for tooth roots, they deliver stimulation to the jawbone so that it does not weaken over time. Not to mention, they support customized restorations of all types, including crowns, bridges, and dentures. With optimal care and maintenance, they can last forever and provide maximum stability against daily chewing, eating, speaking, and smiling.

The 4-Step Dental Implant Process

The process for getting dental implants is usually categorized into four main steps: the initial consultation, the surgery, osseointegration, and the delivery of the final restorations. Each of these steps is vital, which is why our team here at Worcester Dental Arts takes things seriously when it comes to dental implants; we want to ensure that you’re getting a restoration that looks and feels exactly as it should. With that in mind, let’s walk through the four main steps of this exciting process so that you know what to expect when rebuilding your smile!  

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Initial Dental Implant Consultation

The very first step of the dental implant journey is the consultation appointment; it’s here where our team will carefully examine your smile, assess the extent of your tooth loss, take X-rays, and consider other factors such as your gum health and jawbone density. Note that ideal dental implant candidates have decent oral health and sufficient jawbone density; however, both of these issues can be remedied via preliminary procedures including periodontal therapy, bone grafts, sinus lifts, and more. In any case, once we’ve confirmed you’re a good candidate for dental implants, we can proceed by planning your surgery.

Dental Implant Surgery

You’ll be happy to hear that we can complete the entire dental implant process here at our Worcester practice, so you won’t have to worry about coordinating with other offices or specialists. As for the surgery itself, it’s surprisingly straightforward. We’ll access your jawbone through the gum tissue and carefully place the implants wherever they need to go. Of course, you’ll be numbed for this procedure ensuring you don’t feel any pain. As far as time is concerned, it takes roughly one hour to place a single dental implant.

Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment

Osseointegration refers to the fusion between the implant posts, which are made from biocompatible materials like titanium, and your jawbone tissue. This can take anywhere from 4 to 6 months, but the exact timeline can vary depending on numerous factors such as your compliance with your recovery guidelines. In any case, ensuring osseointegration is successful is crucial for the long-term well-being of your implants. Once things have healed up, we can call you back for a smaller surgery to receive your abutments, which are metal connector pieces that rest atop your implant posts and host your future restoration.

Delivery of Dental Implant Restoration(s)

Dental implants can be used to replace any number of missing teeth, no matter where they’re located in the mouth. Better yet, they’re as close to your natural teeth as possible in terms of look, feel, and functionality. You’re getting a smile truly made with you in mind! When it’s time, we’ll attach this personalized restoration to your abutments, and you’ll be able to immediately begin enjoying all the perks of having dental implants.   

Benefits of Dental Implants

Dental implants are an advanced restorative procedure that offers a variety of unique benefits that traditional tooth replacement options, such as dentures, aren’t able to. If you’re currently deciding which one to choose, then keep reading to learn some advantages that make this smile-rebuilding service incredibly popular among patients.

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Day-to-Day Benefits

On a daily basis, you’ll enjoy these benefits with dental implants:

• Hassle-Free Oral Care – With dental implants, you don’t need to buy special oral care products, like denture cleaners, and you don’t need to adopt cumbersome dental hygiene regimens. Instead, you can keep decay and infections at bay with three simple steps: brushing, flossing, and rinsing with mouthwash.
• Improved Confidence – Tooth loss can take a serious toll on your self-esteem, even if you are only missing one tooth. Fortunately, dental implants can replace one tooth, several teeth, or an entire arch, restoring the appearance of your smile in the process. Plus, they are custom-made, ensuring they fit your facial structure and aesthetic goals perfectly.
• Varied Diet – With the loss of your teeth comes the loss of your bite. As a result, many patients with tooth loss have no choice but to stick to soft foods, like applesauce and yogurt. Fortunately, dental implants can restore both the appearance of your smile and the strength of your bite, allowing you to enjoy a varied diet again.

Health Benefits

Another perk of dental implants is that they benefit your oral and overall health. Here’s how:

• Preserves Jawbone Density – While dentures rest on your gums and dental bridges rely on support from the surrounding teeth, dental implants are inserted directly into your jawbone. As a result, it’s stimulated each time you chew. This might seem small, but it goes a long way when it comes to preventing bone loss!
• Prevents Misalignment Problems – Unfortunately, even a small gap in your smile can lead to dental drift. This can negatively impact the look of your smile as well as the alignment of your bite, which is why it’s so important that you fill the gap or gaps in your smile as soon as you can.
• Improved Overall Health – Between the fact that dental implants allow you to eat a more varied, well-balanced diet and the fact that this state-of-the-art tooth-replacement solution preserves your jawbone, you can see how it benefits your overall health as well as your oral health.

Long-Term Benefits

At first, you might think that dental implants are too expensive. The reality is that they come with several long-term benefits that make them well worth the price in both the short and long run.

• Long Lifespan – While dentures and dental bridges can last for 5-15 years with proper care, dental implants are known for lasting over three decades. That alone makes them well worth the cost. However, it’s also worth mentioning that they don’t need to be relined or adjusted throughout that time either!
• Maintains Facial Structure – As we mentioned above, dental implants preserve your jawbone. So, your youthful face shape will be preserved!
• High Success Rate – Dental implants have an impressive success rate of 95%!

Who Dental Implants Can Help

Many patients aren’t aware of how versatile dental implants are. Whether you’re missing a single tooth or all of your teeth, this restorative solution can address a spectrum of tooth loss cases. When you visit our office for your comprehensive examination, we’ll inspect your mouth and discuss each of your options with you. Once we determine that dental implants in Worcester are right for you, we may suggest one of the following treatments.

Missing One Tooth

For a single missing tooth, we can fill the gap by using one dental implant placed below the surface of your gums and attaching a customized dental crown. This will replace both the root and biting surface of your tooth to prevent surrounding teeth from drifting out of place to fill the gap.

Missing Multiple Teeth

If you’re missing more than one tooth, we can replace them with two dental implants that will hold a bridge into place. Instead of needing to alter your natural teeth in order to support the artificial ones, like what you would need to have done with a traditional bridge, your implant-retained one will function without affecting your natural remaining teeth.

Missing All of Your Teeth

While traditional dentures are a great option for some patients, they’re not for everybody. In this case, we’ll suggest an implant denture. This involves the placement of anywhere from four to eight implants on each arch of teeth that will hold in place a customized denture. Instead of relying on natural suction to stay in place, this one will be secured to abutments for maximum stability and strength.

Understanding the Cost of Dental Implants

Before committing to dental implants in Worcester, you may be curious about the cost. Since there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to price, you’ll need to schedule a comprehensive examination with our dental implant dentists so they can go over a detailed cost estimate with you. However, we know that many patients value being able to do their research online, which is why we’re covering some general information – from the factors that play a role to the financial solutions we offer – right here.

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Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery

To ensure the short and long-term success of your dental implants, our implant dentist in Worcester will first ensure your jawbone can support the dental implants. If it isn’t able to, then a preliminary treatment may be needed, like gum disease therapy or bone grafting.

Of course, the implant surgery itself will also incur a cost. Factors like where the implant is being placed and what kind of anesthesia you need will play a role in the final price. The good news is that Dr. Donohue and Dr. Savas restore and place dental implants in-house, saving you time and money on visiting an outside surgeon.

The Parts of Your Dental Implant

Another crucial component of the cost is the actual dental implants. For example, patients replacing one tooth typically pay less than someone looking to replace several. The type of restoration (i.e., crown, bridge, denture), the material used, and the brand of dental implant will also play a role. Don’t worry – we will review each of these in-depth with you while ironing out your treatment plan. That way, you feel fully informed and confident heading into your treatment.

How Dental Implants Can Save You Money

When compared to other tooth-replacement solutions, dental implants do require a higher upfront investment. Don’t let that sway your decision! After all, several noteworthy benefits make them well worth the price. To begin, they can last for 30+ years with proper care. That fact alone has the potential to make them the best choice for your wallet in the long run. It’s also worth mentioning that dental implants are the only tooth-replacement solution that replaces both the root and crown of the missing tooth. Plus, they are incredibly lifelike, restore your bite force, and help preserve your jawbone.

Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?

While your dental insurance may not cover the entire procedure, it may cover a portion of the cost. For example, some patients use their benefits to help cover their preliminary treatments. Others use their benefits to cover the restoration. It ultimately depends on your specific dental plan. If you’re having trouble understanding the fine print on yours, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our office. We welcome most dental insurance plans and would be happy to help you utilize your benefits.

Making Dental Implants Affordable

If you don’t have dental insurance or you’re worried about the cost of dental implants in Worcester, then ask your implant dentist about flexible financing! CareCredit is a trusted third-party financier that has helped countless patients make their dental care more affordable. In short, they offer payment plans (some with low-to-no interest too!) so you don’t have to pay for your treatment in one lump sum.

Maintaining & Caring for Your Dental Implants

One of the biggest perks of dental implants is that they can last for three decades. In order for that to happen, you need to commit to good habits (and break any existing bad ones). If you’re not sure where to start, then this next section is for you! Below, you will find helpful information on what to eat, the importance of routine checkups, and other ways to protect your new and improved smile from harm.

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Make Oral Hygiene a Priority

Even if your smile is comprised entirely of dental implants, you need to make oral hygiene a priority. After all, even though the restorations are cavity-resistant, your gums can still get infected. So, make sure that good oral hygiene habits, like brushing your teeth for a full two minutes each time, are a part of your routine.

Tip: Have questions about which toothbrush, toothpaste, and mouthwash to use? Then reach out to our Worcester dental team! We’d be happy to give you our tips and recommendations to help you maintain a healthy, happy smile between visits.

Eat a Healthy Diet

Simply put, what you eat impacts your oral health. That’s why we encourage patients to keep sugary, starchy, and sticky foods to a minimum (i.e., caramel-filled candies, potato chips, ice cream). Instead, fill your plate with things that are packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. Not only will this help keep your gums and any remaining natural teeth you have healthy, but it will also benefit your overall health!

Break Bad Habits

Have you developed an unhealthy habit or two over the years, like biting your nails, smoking, or chewing on ice cubes? If so, now is the time to stop! Even things that are seemingly harmless, like removing plastic wrapping with your teeth, can lead to a chip, crack, or fracture. Plus, you don’t want to introduce bacteria, germs, and the like to your mouth. In short, if you haven’t already, there’s no time like the present to put a plan in place to quit.

Protect Your Dental Implants

Breaking bad habits will go a long way in protecting your dental implants. There is another step we recommend taking: wearing a mouthguard during activities like riding your bike, lifting weights, or playing football with friends. That way, your mouth is protected if an accident happens, like you fall off your bike.

Note: We also recommend having a nightguard made if you grind/clench your teeth at night!

Schedule Regular Dental Checkups

Remember, biannual dental checkups and teeth cleanings are crucial – even if you don’t have any of your natural teeth left. These routine visits ensure that common oral health problems, like gum disease, are detected and treated before they lead to serious harm. Plus, many overall health problems, like oral cancer, are detected first by dentists. So, make sure you prioritize your semi-annual appointments with us!

Dental Implant FAQs

Choosing to replace your missing teeth with implants can feel like a big step. We want to guide you through the decision process by providing answers to some of the most commonly asked questions. Read on to learn more information about dental implants, and be sure to give us a call if you would like to discuss this procedure in greater detail.