Why Choose Gillis Dental for Dental Implants?
- Start to finish treatment in one location
- Advanced technology leads to reliable results
- Stable, beautiful, long-lasting tooth replacement
Although we offer a few different types of tooth replacement, we always recommend dental implants in Needham as the best option for patients who are candidates for the procedure. This remarkable treatment is unique because it replaces teeth from the roots up. Here at Gillis Dental, we are proud to be able to perform every step of the implant process in one convenient location. We invite you to call us to learn more about how tooth repalcement with dental implants in our Needham, MA dental office may be able to benefit you.
What is a Dental Implant?
The dental implant procedure involves placing a prosthetic tooth root into the mouth that bonds to the jawbone just like a real one. This gives the implant the stability it needs to support a restoration on top that replaces the visible portion of a tooth. One implant can be attached to a crown to fill a single gap, while a small number of implants can serve as the foundation of a bridge or denture that is guaranteed to stay in place during eating and speaking.
The 4 Step Dental Implant Process
Most dental offices must refer patients to an outside specialist for the dental implant placement surgery, which can cost extra time and money. Moreover, many patients are nervous about visiting someone who has never treated them before. When you choose Gillis Dental, you can avoid such issues. Our team has the training and experience necessary to provide complete dental implant care, including your initial consultation, the implant placement surgery, osseointegration and abutment placement, and restoration.
Initial Dental Implant Consultation
During your initial consultation, our team will take some images of your mouth, learn about your oral health, and start planning the details of your treatment. If necessary, we will incorporate preparatory procedures, such as gum disease treatment or bone grafting, into your treatment plan. We will provide a rough timeline estimate and financial information to prepare you for the road ahead.
Your consultation is a prime opportunity for you to ask questions about dental implants and what to expect throughout the treatment process. We want you to be well-informed before you commit to anything!
Dental Implant Surgery
We perform dental implant surgery right here in our Needham office, so it is unlikely that you will need to visit an outside specialist for any portion of your treatment.
The procedure itself is fairly straightforward. First, we make sure you will feel little to nothing by administering local anesthetic. Then, we will make incisions in your gums, place the implants in their pre-planned positions, and close the incisions before we send you home to start your recovery. Most patients are feeling well enough to return to work within a few days of their procedure.
Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment Placement
After the implants are in your jawbone, osseointegration should take place. Basically, this is the biological process that allows the implant posts to form a strong bond with your jawbone. It allows them to provide a sturdy base for the crown, bridge, or denture that you will receive in the future.
Once adequate osseointegration has occurred, you may need to undergo another minor surgery, wherein we will expose the implant tops and place healing caps on them. Later, the caps will be replaced by abutments, which are small connector pieces that will help your new teeth stay in place. (Some patients receive abutments on the same day as their initial implant surgery, so this second procedure is not necessary in all cases.)
Delivery of Dental Implant Restorations
When you are ready for your new teeth, we will use an advanced scanner to take impressions of your mouth. Those impressions, along with detailed design notes, will get sent to a dental laboratory, which will fabricate your beautiful new teeth.
Once your restoration is ready, we will verify that it measures up to our strict quality standards before we attach it to your implants. Then, you can go and start to adapt to your new smile. Before you know it, you can expect to fully experience the many benefits of implant-supported tooth replacement.
Benefits of Dental Implants
Dental implants provide several benefits that make them superior to other tooth replacement options. In fact, when you learn about the many advantages they offer, it becomes easy to see why dentists in the U.S. place more than 5 million of them each year! They have the potential to boost your daily quality of life, support your health, and continue providing benefits for decades to come. Continue reading below to discover some specific perks that you may experience with this lifechanging treatment:
Day-to-Day Benefits
During your day-to-day life, dental implants may benefit you in a number of ways:
- Natural function.Dental implants are extremely sturdy. In fact, they can allow you to eat practically anything without taking special precautions.
- Beautiful appearance. Dental implant restorations closely mimic the appearance of natural teeth. It is unlikely that anyone will notice that you have artificial dentition.
- Easy maintenance. Caring for dental implants is similar to caring for natural teeth. Thorough oral hygiene and other good practices are essential!
- Clear speech. Speech is the result of complex interactions between several oral structures, including the teeth. Implants may help you to enunciate sounds with clarity and confidence. Plus, unlike traditional dentures, they will not slip and slide around your mouth.
Health Benefits
Dental implants may support your oral and overall health in some noteworthy ways:
- Protection for the remaining natural teeth. Placing dental implants rarely requires that the remaining natural teeth be extracted or modified. Implants can also prevent the remaining natural teeth from shifting out of place.
- Bone preservation. Some bone deterioration normally occurs after tooth loss. Implants stimulate the jawbone and help to keep it strong and whole. Not only is this good for your health, but it also helps to preserve the shape of your face.
- High success rate.The dental implant procedure is successful in over 95 percent of cases. The risks involved are very minimal.
- Improved nutrition. Without a full set of teeth, you might tend to gravitate toward soft foods that are not nutrient-dense. Implants can help you to enjoy a robust diet that supports your head-to-toe wellness.
Long-Term Benefits
Dental implants can start providing benefits soon after you receive them, and those benefits can extend for many years into the future.
- Dental implants have the potential to last a lifetime, so you are unlikely to have to deal with the expense of replacing them. The restorations on top of implants can also last for many years.
- Monetary value. The longevity of implants, combined with their health benefits, may help you to save a lot of money throughout the years. In fact, they may be a better long-term value than traditional dentures!
- Save time. The easy maintenance and low-risk nature of dental implants may help you to save a lot of time as the decades pass.
- A longer life. Did you know that tooth loss is associated with a decreased life expectancy? Replacing your teeth might help you to extend your years!
Missing One Tooth
To replace a single tooth, we insert one dental implant into the jawbone. After the implant bonds with the tissue around it, it is ready to act as a substitute tooth root. Then, we place a custom crown on top of it to replace the visible portion of the lost tooth.
Missing Multiple Teeth
If your missing teeth are all in a row, we will likely recommend that you receive an implant-supported bridge. This type of restoration is similar to a traditional bridge, but instead of relying on the remaining natural teeth for support, it is anchored in the jawbone via dental implants.
Missing All Teeth
For patients who have lost all or most of their teeth, we can strategically place dental implants throughout the jawbone to provide support for an implant-supported denture. This type of restoration may be permanently fixed in place, or it may “snap” onto and off of the implants.
Understanding the Cost of Dental Implants
Because no two patients are the same, we cannot provide an estimate for the total cost of treatment without first performing an examination. Many factors, including pre-existing oral health conditions and the number of implants needed, affect cost. Also, keep in mind that each stage of the procedure, including preparatory treatment, the placement surgery, the abutments (small pieces that connect the implants to the restorations), and the final restoration, comes with its own price.
When you visit us for a consultation, we will provide you with a personalized estimate of the cost of your treatment. We will also help you explore financing and insurance options that may help you to afford this potentially life-changing procedure.
Although dental implants present a significant cost, they are well worth it! The stability and function they provide make them a truly wise investment in your oral health. Plus, because they stand the test of time so well, they may end up costing you less in the long run than prosthetics that require replacement every few years.
Dental Implant Failure & Salvage
Generally speaking, dental implants are a successful treatment; they thrive in more than 95% of cases. Of course, there is always the slight chance that failure will occur, perhaps due to infection, underlying illness, or other factors. If you ever believe that not all is well with your dental implants, contact us right away. After we evaluate the situation, we will be able to recommend an appropriate salvage treatment. Our goal is to get your oral health back on track as soon as possible!