Although dentures and dental bridges can help keep your teeth properly aligned, on their own, they still don’t address a critical aspect of tooth loss: loss of jaw bone density. That’s where dental implants come in. These titanium posts mimic the natural tooth structure so well that the jawbone grows to surround and fuse to them, securing them into place. Then, you can top the dental implants off with any kind of restoration, depending on how many teeth you’re replacing.
Because dental implants replace the entire tooth, they have many advantages over the other tooth replacement options, including the following:
One of the amazing things about dental implants is that they are surprisingly versatile and can be used in every tooth-loss situation. So whether you’re missing just one tooth or all of them, our Carlsbad team can help you find a dental implant solution to help!
For a single lost tooth, a dental crown will be attached to the dental implant and will not negatively impact the surrounding teeth.
Depending on how many and where the missing teeth are, you can use an implant-retained bridge or implant-retained partial denture to address larger gaps in your smile.
In the case of total tooth loss, you don’t need a dental implant for every single tooth in the arch. Rather, with four to six strategically placed dental implants, you can keep your dentures in position and enjoy the same health benefits.
At Carlsbad Beach Dental, we do not perform the placement procedure, but we have formed strong professional relationships with experienced, talented specialists in the area who can. When we recommend a specialist, you can be certain that they will show the same level of care and advanced training that you’ve come to expect of Dr. Addy. Once the dental implants have been placed and the allotted healing time has passed, you will return to our dental office so that Dr. Addy can finish the restoration process.
Many factors contribute to the cost of dental implants. For instance, the location of the implants can influence what kind of implant you need for success. Also, keep in mind that the number of implants you need could differ from the number of teeth you’re replacing, affecting the price tag of your treatment. In order to get an accurate estimate of what dental implants will cost, you need to come in for a consultation with Dr. Addy. He and our team can provide details that are specific to your case.
In the long run, when you factor in the cost of replacing the other tooth replacement options, you may find that dental implants are the wisest financial decision. You won’t know unless you schedule that consultation!
As the most versatile option for tooth replacement, dental implants can rebuild your smile no matter how many pearly whites you’ve lost over the years. They also offer countless benefits over traditional methods like dentures or bridges. However, chances are you have some questions about implants, even after reading all of the information laid out above. That’s why we’ve decided to answer some of the questions we get asked the most often about dental implants for your convenience.
Dental implants can restore your smile and oral health, whether you’re missing one, several, or even all of your teeth. They do require you to have generally good oral health before placement, though, as well as a strong jawbone. If your jawbone isn’t sturdy enough to accommodate implants, you may have to undergo a bone graft prior to implant placement. This procedure strengthens the bone, and although it may add a few months of healing time to your implant journey, it’s worth it to have the foundation for a smile that can stand the test of time.
Although it’s more common to lose molars (back teeth) than those in the front of the mouth, implants can definitely be used to be replace front teeth. Since each restoration is custom-made to mimic the smile you were born with, onlookers shouldn’t be able to tell your implants aren’t your “real” teeth unless you tell them!
While most insurance plans don’t cover the cost of the implants themselves, they’ll usually pay for some other aspects of the process, such as your consultation or your restoration. Don’t let this deter you from investing in your smile, though. To help you finance your implants, we have a partnership with CareCredit, a third-party company through which you can take out loans and pay them back in budget-friendly chunks. Often, they come at very little or even no interest!
The answer to this question is different for every patient. If you need a bone graft before implant placement, that can add several months to the process while the graft integrates with the bone. Once the implants have been placed, you’ll spend the next three to six months healing before we can restore them with your personalized crown, bridge, or denture.
Absolutely! Traditional dentures are notorious for losing their fit every few years, resulting in embarrassing slippage. Instead, you can receive four to eight implants per jaw, which we can use to secure a full denture. This denture can be either fixed or removable depending on your personal preference. With implant-retained dentures, your new teeth should stay in place and last for decades to come.
