Dental Implants Glastonbury

What are Dental Implants?

Traditional tooth replacement options like dentures and dental bridges only replace the crowns of your teeth, which is the part you can see above the gumline. While these reliable options certainly fill the gaps in your smile, they do not replace the root structure underneath. Unfortunately, this means they are far less stable than natural teeth and will need to be replaced every several years.

On the other hand, a dental implant can restore your missing tooth from crown to root! This small titanium post is inserted into your jawbone, where it fuses with the bone tissue and effectively replaces the missing root structure. One or more dental implant can be topped with a custom-made crown, bridge, or denture. With the support of the dental implant, your new teeth will look, feel, and function just like natural!

The 4 Step Dental Implant Process

• Initial consultation. At your dental implant consultation, you’ll speak with one of our skilled dentists who will examine your mouth, help you determine whether you’re a good candidate for the procedure, and create a treatment plan for you. Our team will also answer any questions you may have and, upon consenting to move forward with the recommended treatment plan, we will schedule the next step.
• Dental implant surgery. We partner with local specialists for the dental implant placement part of this treatment to make sure you receive the best possible results. During the surgery, they will create a window in the gumline to secure your dental implants into the jawbone and act as the foundation for your restorations.
• Osseointegration and abutment attachment. After your surgery, your implants will undergo a process called osseointegration, which is where they fuse with the jawbone. This takes between three and six months and is a crucial step in the healing process. Once osseointegration is complete, our team will attach small metal abutments to the implants that will clip your restoration firmly into place.
• Placing the final restorations. After your gums have healed around the abutments and your final restoration has been received from the dental laboratory, we’ll have you come back into the office to finish the treatment by attaching the replacement teeth to the dental implants.

Benefits of Dental Implants

If you’re weighing your options for tooth replacement, we highly suggest you consider dental implants because they’re so much like your own natural tooth structure, and nothing beats nature’s own design. Titanium implants can also help if you have dentures by improving stability to prevent slippage and keep the jawbone from disintegrating over time.  As the only treatment to recreate both the root and the crown, there are many amazing benefits of dental implants that aren’t possible using any other option.

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Predictable and Reliable Results

A dental implant is the most successful solution to treat tooth loss. In fact, it offers over a 95% success rate with the right aftercare. Dental implants are proven to last for decades if you commit to your oral hygiene at home and visit your dentist regularly. You’ll enjoy a long-term investment that should never need to be replaced.

Natural Feel & Powerful Bite

Traditional prosthetics have undergone several upgrades over the years to function better, but they will always have their limitations. A dental implant doesn’t rely on other teeth or an adhesive for support. Instead, your jawbone stabilizes your restoration, so you can regain 70% or more of your natural biting force. You can chew your favorite foods again to maintain a balanced diet.

Preserve Your Jawbone

A dental implant is the only treatment to stop the jawbone deterioration associated with tooth loss. The titanium implant post will stimulate blood flow in your jawbone, which prevents reabsorption and keeps your jawbone full and healthy. As a result, you’ll minimize your risk of future tooth loss while also providing your facial tissues with support for a youthful appearance.

Reduce Oral Healthcare Costs

You’ll initially pay more for dental implants than other treatments, but they are the most cost-effective overall. With the right care at home, you’ll never need to pay to have your dental implants replaced, adjusted, or repaired! In addition, they also protect any remaining natural teeth from the common complications associated with tooth loss. You’ll have a decreased risk of cavities, gum disease, and additional tooth loss to reduce your long-term oral health expenses.

Enhanced Self-Confidence

If you have an incomplete smile, it’s easy to feel insecure about your appearance. Not to mention, people may view you differently, like being older, less intelligent, or unprofessional. Filling the space in your smile will instantly boost your self-esteem and change first impressions. You’ll look younger, smarter, and more professional. This can open new doors to promote your social and career opportunities for a better outlook on life.

Who Dental Implants Can Help

Dental implants are incredibly versatile, meaning you can replace one tooth, multiple teeth or an entire arch because of their strength. During your consultation, we’ll consider the following options and help you determine which one may best suit your needs!

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Are Dental Implants Right for Me?

So, how do you know if dental implants are right for you? The best way to find out is to come into our office for a consultation. One of our experienced dentists will carefully examine your smile, checking for how many teeth you’re missing, the strength of your jawbone, and the condition of your oral health. After this consultation, we’ll be able to make the best recommendation for you. However, good implant candidates will typically have enough jawbone volume for placement, a commitment to a positive oral healthcare routine, and avoid smoking or using tobacco products.

Missing One Tooth

Replacing a single tooth requires just one titanium post followed by one porcelain crown. The crown is attached to the post via an abutment, which keeps the restoration stabilized. Our dental office uses porcelain because of how well it mimics real tooth enamel, even when light reflects off of it.

Missing Multiple Teeth

To replace multiple missing teeth, we take what would be a traditional dental bridge and customize it to fit on top of dental implants. The main difference is we do not need to remove natural tooth structure just to fit the bridge on top of implants, unlike a traditional bridge. The bridge is made up of three or four crowns, with the crown on either end hollowed out to fit on top of the implants. The crowns in between, or pontics, fill the gap in your smile.

Missing All Teeth

If you already have a denture, you may be wondering if dental implants are still a good option. The answer is yes! In fact, implants can change your life. We can place dental implants, attaching your denture to them for a strong and sturdy smile. With the denture anchored to your jaw, you can enjoy confident smiling, comfortable speaking, and easy eating. The best part is that implants can help your denture last longer and they preserve the strength of your jawbone.

Understanding the Cost of Dental Implants

The cost of dental implants in Glastonbury varies largely because of the many different ways your treatment could develop. For example, some patients will need to pay for preliminary treatments like bone grafts, periodontal therapy, sinus lifts, or other services, which will increase the overall cost. Furthermore, those who intend on replacing multiple teeth via an implant bridge or denture will inherently pay more than someone replacing a single tooth because they are more complex restorations and require more implants to anchor.

Regardless of your overall cost, it’s important to keep in mind that your dental implant treatment is a long-term investment. Even if their upfront cost is high, their long-term benefits make it an extremely cost-effective solution, especially when compared to traditional bridges and dentures.

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Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery

Bone grafting, periodontal therapy, sinus lifts, and tooth extractions are all considered preliminary treatments that may be recommended by our team to ensure the success of your dental implant placement. However, with these additional treatments comes an increase in the overall cost of your care. While this may not be a welcomed realization, it’s important to remember that they are necessary if you want to make sure your implants remain firmly in place for as long as possible.

But it isn’t just preliminary treatments that are factored into the total. Your surgical procedure is included as well. Because we partner with a trusted oral surgeon offsite, it will be necessary for you to pay one fee to the implant dentist in Glastonbury as well as a separate fee for the customized implant restoration, which is put into place by our team of experts.

The Parts of Your Dental Implant

The brand and manufacturer of dental implants are chosen by the dentist. As a result, you may be inclined to opt for a cheaper solution if you believe the cost to be too high. However, the price you pay will reflect in the quality of the materials you receive, so keep in mind that cheaper isn’t always better. High-quality options like titanium, which makes up 92.5% of all dental implants in Glastonbury, are most commonly used. Why? Because they are known to easily fuse with the bone and oral tissue, creating a solid foundation for your custom restoration.

When meeting with our team to discuss your candidacy for dental implants, we will offer honesty and transparency when discussing the materials used to craft your new smile.

Final Dental Implant Restoration

The type of restoration you receive will be based on the number of teeth you are missing. Normally, someone would pay less when only replacing a single missing tooth. However, the more teeth that need to be replaced, the greater the increase in price simply because of the additional materials used. A team of lab technicians will be responsible for creating your restoration whether it be a dental crown, bridge, or denture. They will need to make sure it matches the color, size, and shape of your regular teeth to create a natural appearance.

Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?

Dental insurance companies, for the most part, do not offer coverage for dental implant placement. Yes, this is disappointing, but unfortunately, they do not view these prosthetics as “medically necessary” in most cases. The good news though is that you can inquire about coverage for other aspects of treatment, such as your initial consultation, any preliminary treatments, or even your custom restoration. Our team will be happy to work on your behalf and file any necessary claims or paperwork to minimize the level of stress and keep your treatment moving in the right direction.

Making Dental Implants Affordable

No matter where your dental insurance company chooses to stand on the issue of coverage, you can count on an alternative solution to make paying for your dental implants more affordable. With the help of CareCredit, you can enroll in a low or no interest payment plan to pay for the remaining costs associated with your dental implant treatment. By breaking up the cost of your care into more manageable payments, you can stay within your budget and worry less about the future of your smile.

The team at Glastonbury Dental Associates is here to help you through the entire process of receiving dental implants. Not only will we provide exceptional dental care, but our team will walk you through each step, helping you to better understand the cost of your treatment, maximize your benefits, and answering any questions along the way. Contact us today to learn more about dental implants and let us help take your smile to the next level.

Dental Implant FAQs

Dental implants are a great option for replacing missing teeth, but they are quite an investment, so it pays to be well informed about the procedure. We’re here to help! Here are the answers to some of the most common questions we receive about dental implants in Glastonbury. If you don’t see the information that you’re looking for below, don’t worry. Give us a call and we’d be happy to answer your questions and get you started with an initial consultation.