Getting dental implants is a big step, so we know you’ll have questions. We want you to feel fully confident in your decision before getting these teeth replacements. The best way to get your questions answered is a consultation with one of our dentists. However, we’ve answered some common dental implants questions for you here to help get the discussion started.

We hope they will get you more familiar with implants and encourage you to schedule an implants consultation. When you’re ready, call Carmichael Dental Care at 334-600-1423.

How Are Dental Implants Different From Other Tooth Replacements?

Dental implants are embedded in your jaw, where your bone fuses around them in a process called osseointegration. Following this, our dentists will attach a dental restoration like a crown or a bridge to your implants. We can restore an implant with:

  • Dental Crown – You can replace a single tooth with a crown attached to an implant. Without an implant, you’ll need a bridge for a single tooth replacement. This involves altering at least two of your healthy teeth.
  • Dental Bridge – We can also attach a bridge to implants to replace several teeth. This avoids the need to drill into your surrounding teeth.
  • Dentures – You can even replace all of your teeth, by attaching dentures to implants. Unlike conventional dentures, you can receive dentures that don’t need to be removed daily for cleaning.

Our dentists will assess your readiness for implants. If you’re a good candidate, we’ll send you to a local oral surgeon to have them placed in your jaw. Once they’ve healed, you’ll come to our office to receive your dental restoration. Remember, we offer a three-year warranty on restorations like crowns.

What Are the Advantages of Implants?

Dental implants have many advantages you won’t experience with other replacement teeth. Normally when you lose teeth, you rapidly lose bone density because there are no longer any tooth roots to stimulate your jaw and keep it strong. Since implants stimulate your jaw the same way that natural tooth roots do, you’ll avoid this bone loss.

In addition, implants offer:

  • Chewing Power – You’ll enjoy a stronger bite with implants, so you will be able to eat all of your favorite foods.
  • Convenience – You won’t need special cleaning solutions to care for implants. You can simply brush and floss as you always have. Plus, there is no need for adhesive to keep teeth in place.
  • Confidence – Since implants are embedded in your jaw, restorations attached to them will stay in place. No more worries about dentures coming loose!

Are Dental Implants Expensive?

This is a common dental implants question – and understandably so. We’ll be honest; implants cost more than other replacement teeth. We think the benefits of better oral health are worth it! In addition, you should consider the long-term cost of implants vs. other tooth replacements.

Specifically, wearing conventional dentures involves costs you won’t experience with dental implants. Remember how we said implants keep your bone intact? Since your jawbone shrinks while you’re wearing traditional dentures, you’ll need to periodically have the fit adjusted. This involves a process called relining, which is often done by an outside lab. Material will be added to the lining of your dentures to help keep them in place. This should be done every other year or so and can cost several hundred dollars. With implants, no fit adjustments are needed.

With implants you also won’t need adhesive, and you may not need cleaning solutions either. Given this, the lifetime costs for traditional dentures and dental implants can end up being pretty similar.

Can I Get Implants?

The only way to know for sure is a consultation with our dentists. They’ll examine you with tools like digital X-rays to determine your readiness for implants. If your jaw lacks the strength to support dental implants, you may still have options. We can perform a bone graft, which will restore strength to your jaw. If you have infected or inflamed gums, you may also need gum disease treatment to prepare your mouth for implants.

Are There Any Downsides to Getting Implants?

There are few downsides to implants, and we think the advantages of implants outweigh them. Depending on the type of implants we recommend, you may need to wait several months for them to fully heal before receiving your replacement teeth. In some cases, you may be able to wear temporary restorations with your implants while they heal.

Depending on the condition of your jaw and the type of implants used, you may also require a bone graft or gum disease treatment, as mentioned above.

We’re happy to answer all of your dental implants questions! Call Carmichael Dental Care at 334-600-1423.