Dental Implants – Oak Point, TX
Change Your Life with Natural Looking & Feeling Replacement Teeth
Dental implants in Oak Point are one of the latest advancements the dental field has seen when it comes to replacement teeth. Using advanced technology like our CT/cone beam scanner and digital impression system, along with Dr. Pankti and Dr. Jainisha’s specialty training, we’re able to rebuild your smile to not just look natural, but also feel lifelike. To learn whether you’re a good candidate for this life-changing restorative procedure, give our dental office a call to schedule a consultation today to discuss tooth replcement with dental implants in Oak Point, TX!
Why Choose The Elegant Dentistry for Dental Implants?
- Detailed & Precise CT/Cone Beam Scanner
- Two Expertly Trained Dentists
- High-Quality Treatment Results & Experiences
What are Dental Implants?
Dental implants themselves are small titanium posts that are surgically placed below the gumline and into the jawbone to restore the missing root structure of teeth. Due to their biocompatibility, they can naturally fuse with the jawbone through a process called osseointegration, allowing them to provide necessary blood flow to the bone to keep it from deteriorating over time. Once this has occurred, our team will be able to attach any type of restoration, like a crown, bridge, or denture, onto the implants to secure them in place.
The 4-Step Dental Implant Process
Dental implants usually involve a multi-faceted process to ensure a successful treatment. No matter the level of tooth loss, our team will thoroughly evaluate your situation so that we can develop the proper plan for rebuilding your missing pearly whites. The best part: we can perform the entire process in-house, so you won’t have to worry about traveling across town to get the treatment you deserve.
Initial Dental Implant Consultation
Every patient will need to start their dental implant treatment with an initial consultation. During this visit, Dr. Pankti or Dr. Jainisha will examine your mouth and help you determine whether dental implants are the right tooth loss solution for you. They’ll then develop a treatment plan to walk you through, so you know what to expect throughout the process. Additionally, if you’re experiencing any existing or underlying oral health problems like decay or gum disease, we’ll need to address them before moving forward with your procedure. Patients who don’t have sufficient jawbone tissue may also require bone grafting to prepare them for the dental implant placement.
Dental Implant Surgery
Once we’ve ensured that your oral health is in good condition, we can begin with your surgery. Due to our team’s advanced training, we’re able to complete the entire process, including the placement procedure, in-office. This means that you won’t have to travel to a specialist for part of the treatment and work with a different team.
Our team will provide you with a local anesthetic to numb your mouth completely. We’ll then make a tiny incision in your gums to access the bone tissue in the exact place(s) we’ll be inserting the dental implant(s). Afterward, we’ll stitch the gums closed around the posts and cover them with a protective cap to make sure you heal properly.
Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment
After your implants have been placed, they’ll fuse with the jawbone over the next three to six months. This is the process known as osseointegration, which is what will create a stable and lifelike foundation for your future restorations. Once this has occurred, our team will call you back in to attach small metal connector pieces (abutments) onto your implant posts. You’ll then be sent home for your gums to recover.
Delivery of Dental Implant Restoration(s)
When we receive your permanent restoration from our laboratory, we’ll make sure they meet our specifications and call you in to secure them onto your abutments and complete the process. Before sending you on your way, we’ll also verify that your bite is correct and comfortable and that you’re satisfied with the results. If everything checks out, you'll be free to enjoy your full and healthy smile again!
Benefits of Dental Implants
Dental implants are such a popular tooth replacement option among patients because they offer an array of unique benefits that set them apart from traditional restorations. Not only will they help you regain your entire bite, but they’ll also improve other aspects of your oral and overall health to promote a better quality of life. When you choose to restore the entire structure of missing teeth with dental implants, you’ll be able to enjoy the following special advantages.
Day-to-Day Benefits
- Simplified maintenance: Instead of needing to use special products or techniques to preserve your dental implants, you’ll simply need to brush, floss, and rinse them with mouthwash every day like natural teeth.
- Munch on your favorite meals: Dental implants can easily help you regain 80% or more of your natural biting power. This means you should feel comfortable eating most of your favorite foods, including those with tougher textures like steak, apples, and nuts.
- Improved confidence: Since you won’t have to worry about your new teeth moving out of place when chewing or talking, you can feel incredibly confident about your smile in the long run.
Health Benefits
- Jawbone preservation: Tooth loss often leads to the deterioration of the jawbone due to a lack of stimulation from tooth roots. This can end up resulting in a more aged and shrunken appearance, and any remaining teeth could potentially be at risk of falling out as well. By placing dental implants in the jawbone, you can promote healthier bone tissue, preserving the strength and structure of your jaw.
- Zero dependence on natural teeth: Your dental implants won’t need to rely on any existing teeth to remain in your mouth, providing a more comfortable solution. Traditional restorations like dentures and bridges are often supported by gums or other natural pearly whites, which can place them at risk of issues like decay, gum disease, and even the need for extraction.
- Maintain youthful appearance: Since dental implants preserve your jawbone health, you won’t have to worry about facial sagging that usually comes with tooth loss. You’ll be free to enjoy a more youthful look while maintaining a healthier and stronger smile.
Long-Term Benefits
- More cost-effective treatment: Though dental implants come with a higher upfront value, they won’t require as many replacements as often as other solutions, such as dental bridges and dentures. You also won’t need to buy special products to maintain them. This can end up saving you much more in the long term.
- Long-lasting solution: Not only do dental implants often boast a success rate of 95% or more, even 10 years after being placed, but they can also last decades to the rest of your life so long as you maintain them with good oral hygiene and routine dental checkups and cleanings.
Who Dental Implants Can Help
The best way to determine whether you’re a good candidate is to schedule a consultation with our team. We’ll make sure your gums are healthy enough to support the restorations and determine whether your jawbone is sufficiently dense enough to fuse with the implants. Don’t worry, if you’re not a good candidate right away, we can refer you for preparatory treatments to help get you there so you can still enjoy the life-changing benefits of the procedure!
Missing Single Tooth
If you’re missing a single tooth, we can place one dental implant below the gumline. After it has fused with the bone and the abutment has been attached to the implant, we’ll secure a permanent crown that has been customized to match your surrounding teeth and complete your smile.
Missing Multiple Teeth
Instead of needing to secure a traditional bridge by altering your healthy natural teeth, we can place two dental implants on either end of the gap in your smile. These will hold the bridge steadily in place without the need for compromising your dental enamel to support the anchors.
Missing All of Your Teeth
To restore all missing teeth, we can secure a full denture with four to six strategically placed dental implants on each arch. By securing the restoration to implants, slipping or shifting will no longer be a concern and can be restored by up to 80 percent.
Understanding the Cost of Dental Implants
Dental implants’ longevity makes them an excellent choice for your long-term health and happiness. They’re a smart investment to make, but like any investment, you’re probably interested in learning more about what you can expect them to actually cost you.
We’ll give you a complete estimate for what you’ll pay for your dental implant when you visit us for your consultation, but until then, here’s some information that could help you budget effectively for the upcoming procedure.
Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery
In many circumstances it’s necessary to prepare you for your dental implants with preliminary treatments. Bone grafts, for example, are used to bolster the strength of your jaw and provide your implants with a solid foundation. When budgeting for these dental implants, it’s usually a good idea to factor in any of these preliminary treatments that you need.
Then there’s the cost of the surgery itself. We will usually be able to complete your surgery in-house, which means that you’ll typically have a good sense of what this will cost before we begin.
The Parts of Your Dental Implant
You should also consider the cost of the dental implant itself, which can be affected by a variety of factors, including:
- The number of dental implants you’re getting.
- What sort of restoration you’re applying to the implant. Typically, those that replace fewer teeth are less expensive, e.g., a crown will cost less than dentures.
- The material that your dental implant is made out of.
- The brand of dental implant you use.
We’ll walk you through each of these decisions during the design phase of the dental implant process.
How Dental Implants Can Save You Money
While dental bridges and dentures incur a lower upfront cost, dental implants’ larger investment also pays off much greater dividends. This is partially because dental implants regularly outlast other methods of tooth replacement. Dentures and bridges will often stick around for 10-15 years, while dental implants routinely last 20-30.
Dental implants are also arguably easier to clean than dentures or bridges, which means that you’ll have a simpler time preventing serious oral health problems down the line. In these ways, you could consider dental implants to be an investment that will pay off.
Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?
Unfortunately, dental implants are usually omitted from what dental insurance will cover, though there are exceptions. This has been slowly changing over the last several years, so it’s typically still a good idea to talk with your insurance company to make sure that you’re making full use of your benefits. We’ll be happy to assist you in this process.
Making Dental Implants Affordable
If you don’t have insurance, or if yours doesn’t cover dental implants, you may need to pursue other options in order to make the treatment affordable.
For one, we have an in-house membership plan that can afford you substantial discounts for all necessary treatment you get from us, as well as a host of preventive services, for a flat annual fee. We also work with CareCredit and Sunbit to provide our patients with financing services, allowing them to split up the cost of the care they receive from us.
If you have questions about these or any other financial services, give us a call and we’ll talk about how we can make your dental implants fit your budget.