Dental Implants – Gilbert, AZ
Regain a Natural Looking & Feeling Smile
Dental implants are a versatile treatment that can replace one or all missing teeth, depending on your needs. Each procedure is custom-suited to fit the needs of the individual patient, making sure that the prosthetics feel perfect in your mouth. Because they replace the entire structure of missing teeth from the roots upward, they look and feel completely natural because they don’t slip or shift in your mouth. To learn more about what tooth replacement dental implants in Gilbert, AZ has to offer, be sure to call our dental office to schedule a consultation with Dr. Condie today.
Why Choose Desert Springs Dental Group for Dental Implants?
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Replaces Entire Structure
of Missing Teeth -
Customized Restorative
Procedures -
Natural Looking & Feeling
Replacement Teeth
What is a Dental Implant?
The dental implant itself is a small titanium post that we will surgically place below your gumline to restore the missing root structure of your tooth. It will fuse with your jawbone through a natural process called osseointegration, providing the area with blood flow to keep it from deteriorating. Once you’ve healed, we’ll attach a metal connector piece called an abutment to the implant that will hold your dental bridge, denture, or crown in place.
The Dental Implant Process
Dental implants are not something that can be completed in a single appointment in most cases. To replace teeth in this way, you’ll need to undergo multiple phases of care, all of which are essential to the longevity and function of your dental implant(s). Below, you can learn about the unique steps involved, set expectations ahead of your future appointments, and prepare any questions you may have for our team before your initial consultation. Please give us a call if you have any questions or would like to schedule a visit!
Initial Dental Implant Consultation
At your first appointment with Dr. Condie, you’ll have an opportunity to ask questions about treatment and receive a detailed evaluation from our team to determine your eligibility. If we learn your mouth requires preparatory services to receive dental implants, including gum disease therapy, bone grafting, or something else, we’ll help you make plans to complete these treatments before going forward with dental implants. However, if your mouth is healthy enough to receive dental implants, we’ll partner you with our trusted oral surgeon and get started designing your permanent restoration.
Dental Implant Surgery
Dr. Condie works with the best oral surgeons in the area to provide you with ideal and long-lasting results. By partnering with implant experts, we’re able to offer top-notch care to each of our dental implant patients and increase successful results. During surgery, you’ll be given local anesthetic to numb any sensations ahead of time. Then, the gum tissue will be opened up and a tiny hole in your jawbone will be made for the implant to fit into. Once the implant is placed, the gum tissue is stitched close and given time to heal. You’ll receive detailed aftercare instructions to ensure a smooth recovery process.
Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment
Once the implants have been surgically placed, you’ll need to wait between three and six months for them to fuse with your jawbone. This process is known as osseointegration and is one of the most important steps of your tooth replacement. Without proper fusion, the implant won’t maintain its longevity. After healing is complete, you’ll return to our dental office so we can place your abutments. These metal connectors keep the permanent restoration stable, whether it’s a single crown, bridge or denture.
Delivery of Dental Implant Restoration(s)
Your gum tissue will need an additional couple of weeks to heal around the abutment portion of your implant. After it does, we can attach your personalized restoration and perform adjustments as needed. Not only will we make sure it blends in with any remaining teeth as closely as possible, but we’ll modify your restoration to keep your bite even. Once placed, you can now eat all your favorite foods and smile with confidence! Whether you received a crown, bridge, or denture, only you and our office will know you had dental implants placed.
Benefits of Dental Implants
Patients and professionals alike recommend dental implants due to the variety of unique benefits they offer, which make them stand out among your other tooth replacement treatments. Unlike traditional bridges and dentures, implants replicate the entire structure of missing teeth, including the root. As a result, the jawbone remains stimulated, which means nutrients keep getting sent to the area. In other words, the jawbone becomes preserved and doesn’t degrade, as what happens with traditional bridges and dentures. Because of this unique ability to keep the jawbone strong, dental implants offer many other important advantages.
Day-to-Day Benefits
You may not necessarily notice them every day, but there are plenty of benefits that you enjoy with dental implants on a daily basis. For instance, dental implants are not challenging to keep in excellent condition. They require daily maintenance, but it only takes a few minutes. Brushing and flossing, just like regular teeth, removes a lot of plaque from everyday use, and regular routine visits to our office in Gilbert can make sure any complications that arise are addressed immediately.
Implants also look and feel completely natural because they preserve your facial structure and have comparable stability as real teeth. As a result, you don’t have to feel self-conscious about how your smile will look when you talk or eat in front of others. Confidence in your replacement teeth is pretty much priceless!
Health Benefits
One of the major complaints about dentures is that they can slip out of place. It can be difficult to bite and chew fibrous or crunchy foods like carrots, broccoli, and apples. In fact, dentures have been found to restore only about 25 percent of the original biting strength. Consequently, many denture wearers eat softer, more processed foods to make it easier. This doesn’t have to be the case with dental implants. These replacements restore about 70 percent of your biting force, which means you can enjoy more nutritious foods, which can help you live a fuller, higher quality of life.
Long-Term Benefits
Compared to other tooth replacement options, dental implants tend to last the longest by far. Dentures must be adjusted every couple of years and replaced every 5 to 7 years to keep up with jawbone deterioration. While bridges can go for up to 10 or even 15 years at most, implants can have a lifespan of 30 years or more. This longevity means that, although they cost more at the beginning, implants can become the most frugal way to replace missing teeth in the long run.
Who Dental Implants Can Help
Whether you’ve lost one tooth or many, nearly any adult can get dental implants in Gilbert. You just need decent health to qualify for the metal posts. That said, please consult Dr. Condie before you commit. She’ll assess you to see if implants suit your smile. Then, our dental team will draft a custom treatment plan just for you. We’ll happily explain in more detail if you’d like. To that end, please keep reading or call our office.
Who is a Good Candidate for Dental Implants?
If you’re an adult in good health, you can likely get dental implants. These prosthetics don’t have strict requirements. Still, do take note: implants benefit some patients more than others. The best candidates for them often have these three traits:
- Good Overall Health – Since implant placement is a surgery, your body must be decently healthy to bear it. Otherwise, this process will have adverse side effects.
- Great Oral Health – Things like untreated cavities and gum disease cause implant failure. So, your dentist should treat them before performing an implant surgery.
- Sufficient Jawbone Density – Your jawbone needs high strength and density to support dental implants. An overly weak jaw will cause the implants to get loose and fail.
Missing One Tooth
The best solution for one missing tooth is a single implant and crown. With this pair in place, your smile will be restored seamlessly. The treatment’s effects should also last a good while – the average implant has a longer lifespan than a dental bridge. Placement also shouldn’t be invasive, as the dentist won’t need to alter your other teeth. (Such alterations can weaken a tooth and make it more sensitive.)
Missing Multiple Teeth
When you’ve lost consecutive teeth, you’d benefit from an implant bridge. This device relies on two dental implants fused to a pontic (i.e., an artificial tooth.) Once properly set, it’ll replace several teeth without using natural abutments. That means placing it won’t require any enamel removal.
Of course, a partial implant denture is better if you lose teeth throughout your mouth. It’d use several implant posts to anchor itself in place.
Missing All Teeth
Ideally, you’d get an implant denture once you’ve lost (or soon will lose) all your natural teeth. The appliance restores an entire arch of pearly whites and is held in place with four to six implants.
Indeed, an implant denture has perks that a normal one doesn’t. Its use of implants ensures it won’t slip or fall from your mouth. Also, it’ll restore your bite force enough to help you chew tough foods. This denture is especially great because it’s long-lasting. Unlike a standard one, it can work for a lifetime and save you money on repair and replacement work.
Understanding the Cost of Dental Implants
Because each dental implant procedure is custom-tailored to meet that patient’s needs, there’s no singular set cost for the treatment. We can provide you with a price once we’ve examined your dental X-rays and conducted a visual inspection of your mouth. This will allow us to determine details of your plan, like how many implants you’ll need to have placed, what restoration you require, and whether you need preliminary procedures. We’re happy to offer additional financing as well. Just call and schedule an appointment and speak with one of our dental staff if you have any questions or would like to learn more about the cost of dental implants in Gilbert.
Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery
One aspect of your dental implant treatment that can increase your cost is preliminary services. Should we discover that you need periodontal therapy, tooth extraction, or even bone grafting, this will incur its own fee and require you to undergo additional treatment before moving forward with your dental implant placement. Although these are not required for all patients, it is during your initial consultation that we will go over this information with you, if necessary, as these procedures and therapies will be necessary before you are able to receive your implants.
Also, your dental implant placement surgery will incur two separate fees. Dr. Condie partners with the best oral surgeons in the area, which means you will be required to pay a fee to the implant dentist in Gilbert as well as for the implant restoration, which you will receive from Dr. Condie at Desert Springs Dental.
The Parts of Your Dental Implant
Depending on the type of dental implant you receive, most are not one solid piece. They contain various parts that make up a cohesive structure that mimics the natural tooth. Most dental implants are made up of (92.5%) titanium posts, metal abutments, and ceramic or porcelain restorations. The materials, brand, and manufacturer can all lead to higher-priced or cheaper tooth replacement solutions. Before you decide for or against a particular dentist or type of dental implant, it’s important to remember that the price you pay will ultimately determine the quality of your smile. This can mean new teeth that last a lifetime or those that will need to be replaced frequently.
The good news is that our team will always be transparent with you regarding the materials and brand used, so you are aware of the quality you’ll receive.
Final Dental Implant Restoration
Before you can officially begin to enjoy your new smile, the final restoration must be fabricated and secured into place. As we mentioned earlier, your implant dentist in Gilbert will ensure the color, size, shape, and dimensions of your restoration perfectly match the rest of your smile. Whether you need a dental crown, implant bridge, or implant denture to replace your missing teeth, the type of restoration you need will largely impact the overall cost of your treatment.
Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?
The hard truth is that most dental insurance companies do not offer available coverage for dental implants in Gilbert. While some are coming around to the idea, they are still viewed as more of a “want” and not a “medical necessity.” However, even if the surgical placement of your implants is your responsibility, other aspects of treatment may be covered by insurance, such as your consultation, final restoration, and any possible preliminary treatments. You will need to check with your insurance company about available coverage for any aspects of your dental implant placement to find out what your out-of-pocket expenses will be.
Making Dental Implants Affordable
Don’t have insurance or are worried about being able to afford any remaining balance left over after filing your claim? Not to worry! At Desert Springs Dental, our team will be happy to discuss flexible financing options to lessen the financial burden. With CareCredit OR Lending Club, you can apply for a low or no interest payment plan that allows you to break up the cost of your treatment into manageable monthly payments.
You can also opt to participate in our in-office discount plan that allows you to pursue treatment while staying within your budget.
Dental Implants FAQs
How long do dental implants last?
Unlike traditional bridges, partials, and dentures, dental implants are proven to last for 30 years or longer with the right aftercare. The longevity of your new smile depends on your health and lifestyle, like your commitment to your oral hygiene. It’s best to brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss every night before bed. An antimicrobial mouthrinse will help remove any harmful bacteria left behind by your toothbrush and floss. In addition to your oral hygiene at home, don’t forget to visit your dentist at least twice a year for a cleaning and checkup. Your dentist in Gilbert will recommend avoiding anything that may damage your new smile, such as chewing on overly hard or sticky foods.
Can I take dental implants out?
You cannot remove dental implants on your own because they are surgically placed into your jaw. Your bone will fuse to them through a process called osseointegration; therefore, only a dentist can take them out. While your posts are permanent, there are some implant dentures that can be removed for cleaning.
What are signs my dental implant is failing?
Dental implant failure is rare. Generally, the risk is under 5%; however, if a complication arises, don’t wait to contact your dentist. If you develop any pain, inflammation, or feel the implant is loose, call your dentist immediately. They will identify the cause of the problem and provide the right intervention to prevent your dental implant from failing.
Do dental implants feel natural?
Dental implants closely feel natural. They don’t rely on other teeth for support, suction, or an adhesive. Instead, your new teeth are anchored to your jawbone, so you’ll never need to worry about any slipping or irritation. You’ll benefit from unmatched stability to enjoy many of your favorite foods again. In fact, you can regain as much as 70% of your biting force. Since the implants don’t have any nerve endings, any sensations you feel in the area from pressure, heat, or cold will come from the surrounding gum tissue.
Are dental implants safe?
Over 500,000 people per year choose dental implants because they are a safe and effective treatment when performed by a qualified dentist. You’ll undergo a thorough consultation to look for any potential risk factors. Based on the results of your examination, you may need additional procedures to become a candidate for dental implants, like bone grafting or periodontal therapy. If you have any pre-existing medical conditions, like cancer or diabetes, it’s best to inform your dentist, so they can take a few extra precautions to ensure your safety and the success of your new smile.
Maintaining & Caring for Your Dental Implants
Getting dental implants is very exciting. With the right aftercare, dental implants can last upwards of three decades or even the rest of your life. This makes them the longest lasting tooth replacement option out there. However, they will only last if you care for them. Here are some steps that you should be taking every day to keep your implants looking and feeling great!
Make Oral Hygiene a Priority
Dental implants don’t get cavities like normal teeth do, but you still need to practice excellent oral hygiene. In addition to keeping your surrounding teeth in good shape, sticking to an excellent oral hygiene routine can prevent other dental problems, like gum disease, that can cause your implants to fail. Remember to brush, floss, and rinse with mouthwash every day.
Eat a Healthy Diet
One of the many benefits of getting dental implants is the fact that you don’t need to worry about eating restrictions. You can easily enjoy nutritious meals without struggling to chew. Just remember to brush, floss, and rinse with mouthwash every day.
Break Bad Habits
Refrain from smoking and using tobacco products immediately after dental implant placement. This can slow down healing and increase your risk of developing an infection. Don’t use your teeth as tools either. You could end up accidentally damaging your dental implants or surrounding teeth. Instead, try to find some scissors, pliers, a bottle opener, or another tool that can help you complete your task safely.
Protect Your Dental Implants
Your dental implants may be strong, but they aren’t completely indestructible. You should always wear a mouthguard to protect your dental implants and natural teeth while participating in sports. If you grind your teeth at night, ask about a nightguard to protect your implants from additional wear and tear.
Schedule Regular Dental Checkups
You should always attend regular cleaning and checkups twice a year. This way, we can monitor your dental implants and spot any issues as easily as possible. By catching potential problems now, you can keep them from becoming more serious and leading to greater complications.
