Dental Implants – Temple, TX
Enjoy New Teeth
for Life
Thanks to dental implants, your experts at Temple Choice Dental can not only replace your lost teeth, but also make you look and feel as though they were never missing in the first place. Contact us to schedule a dental implant consultation. During this visit, we can determine whether dental implants in Temple, TX are a viable option for you and answer any questions you have about the process of restoring your teeth from the roots up.
Why Choose Temple Choice Dental for Dental Implants?
- Dental Implant Placement Surgery Performed In-House
- Low-Interest Dental Financing Through CareCredit
- Convenient Saturday Hours Available
What Are
Dental Implants?
You actually can’t see a dental implant that’s been placed properly; it’s normally completely hidden beneath the gum tissue. The dental implant itself is a post made out of biocompatible titanium, allowing it to fuse with the jawbone in a natural process called osseointegration. This is what allows dental implants to provide the firmest foundation possible for crowns, bridges, or dentures that are used to replace missing teeth. Because dental implants have a similar structure to real teeth, they tend to look and feel more natural compared to traditional bridges and dentures. Plus, they’re designed to last for several decades (maybe even a lifetime!) with proper care.
The 4 Step Dental Implant Process
Unlike many general dental practices, our team at Temple Choice Dental can handle every part of the dental implant process under one roof. As a result, your treatment will be more streamlined, convenient, and affordable. Rebuilding the entire structure of lost teeth is understandably more complex than just replacing the crowns. Therefore, getting dental implants requires a longer process that can take several months or more. Once it’s complete, though, you’ll be able to enjoy new teeth for life, making it worth the wait! While each patient’s treatment process differs slightly, it can typically be broken down into four steps: the consultation, the implant surgery, osseointegration, and the delivery of your restorations.
Initial Dental Implant Consultation
The first step on your journey towards a new smile is a consultation with our team at Temple Choice Dental. During your appointment, we’ll perform an oral examination and review your medical history to determine whether or not you’re a good candidate for dental implants in Temple. You may need to undergo certain preliminary procedures like bone grafting, periodontal therapy, or tooth extractions before receiving implants. Once that’s taken care of, you can schedule your dental implant surgery.
Dental Implant Surgery
Since we can complete dental implant placement at our office, you don’t have to worry about visiting an outside provider for that step in the process. Our implant dentist will numb your mouth thoroughly to ensure you feel completely comfortable during the procedure. We’ll make small incisions in the gum tissue and insert the implants at precise locations and angles. Then, we’ll suture the gums shut and place a protective cap over the implants to protect them throughout the healing process.
Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment Placement
After dental implant surgery, you’ll spend about two to three months waiting for osseointegration to take place. It’s a natural process that allows the implant to fuse with the surrounding bone tissue. Once that’s done, you’ll return to the office for a second smaller surgery to receive your abutments. They’re the metal connector pieces that are placed on top of your implants, allowing us to attach your new restoration into place.
Delivery of Dental Implant Restorations
Once you’re all healed up, you’ll come back to our office for the final step of the process – the placement of your artificial teeth! Your new dental crown, bridge, or denture will be crafted to blend seamlessly with your remaining teeth. After we’ve attached them to your abutments, you’ll be able to enjoy your newly rebuilt smile!
Benefits of
Dental Implants
Traditional tooth replacement options like dentures and dental bridges only replace the visible portion of missing teeth. On the other hand, dental implants are designed to recreate the entire structure of a missing tooth from root to crown. Why is this so important? This is what allows dental implants to mimic natural teeth in practically every way! In fact, this unique method of tooth replacement offers a wide variety of important benefits for your quality of life that other options simply can’t. Here are just a few of the reasons why our patients love their new dental implants.
Day-to-Day Benefits
- Improved Function and Biting Power:Dental implants are strong and stable. They have chewing power that’s comparable to your natural teeth, allowing you to easily and comfortably eat all your favorite foods.
- Beautiful, Lifelike Replacement Teeth: The restorations dental implants support, whether it’s a crown, bridge, or denture, is precisely crafted to blend in perfectly with the rest of your smile.
- Easy Daily Maintenance: You won’t need to buy any special cleaners, pastes, or brushes to keep your dental implants clean. Simply brush and floss them as if they were normal teeth to keep them strong and sparkling for life.
- A Confident, Carefree Smile: Your dental implants should never cause you any discomfort, nor should they slip or pop out of place while you eat, talk, or smile. They’re so lifelike that you may even forget that they are there!
Health Benefits
- Complete Structural Replacement: Dental implants are the only kind of tooth replacement that replaces a tooth’s roots and stimulates the jaw to keep it healthy and strong. Not only will this prevent a sunken, aged appearance, but it will help keep remaining healthy teeth in place.
- No Damage to Other Teeth:Traditional bridges require the removal of some healthy enamel to be placed. This will not be an issue if you get an implant-supported crown or bridge instead.
- No Gum Irritation or Sores: Traditional dentures rely on your gums for support, which can cause irritation and sores when they lose their fit. Implant dentures encourage healthier gum tissue.
Long-Term Benefits
- Long-Lasting Results:Dental implants can last up to 30 years or longer with minimal maintenance. Many patients can keep them for the rest of their lives.
- High Success Rate:Due to the advancements made over the years, dental implants now have a success rate of around 95 to 98 percent.
- Save Money in the Long Run: While dentures and dental bridges are initially less expensive than dental implants, they need to be replaced every several years. Not only is this inconvenient, but it can become quite costly over time. In comparison, a single higher upfront cost for dental implants could potentially last you a lifetime, which could save you thousands of dollars on replacements alone!
Who Dental Implants
Can Help
We need to evaluate your oral health before we can recommend dental implants. You can have any number of missing teeth, but your jawbone needs to have a sufficient level of density to support the posts, and your gums should be free of infection. Once you’ve been confirmed to be a good candidate for dental implants, we can help you using one of the following treatments.
Missing One Tooth
A single dental implant can be an excellent alternative to a dental bridge that would otherwise force us to remove healthy enamel from your teeth. Once the implant has joined with the jaw, we can place a crown that has been shaped to fit seamlessly into the mouth and blend in with the rest of your grin.
Missing Multiple Teeth
Two dental implants can serve as the basis to replace several teeth in a row. If you have lost at least three consecutive teeth, we can fill in the gap all at once with a dental bridge. Implant bridges tend to be much more stable compared to their removable counterparts.
Missing All Teeth
For those who are missing an entire arch of teeth, dental implants remain a viable solution. You won’t need an individual post for each tooth; it usually only takes four to six posts to secure dentures in place so that they never slip or slide at the wrong moment.
Understanding the Cost
of Dental Implants
The versatility of dental implants means that their cost tends to vary depending on the particulars of the patient and their procedure. The number of implants required, as well as the type of preparations needed, influence the price quite a bit. The upfront cost of dental implants tends to be higher than that of other treatments, but the upside is that since they don’t have to be replaced as often and will last for decades, they can help you save thousands in the long run!
Dental Implant FAQs
Since dental implants in Temple are both an investment and a commitment, it’s natural to have lots of questions on your mind, especially if this is your first time researching this state-of-the-art tooth-replacement option. Don’t worry – our team is always just a phone call away to help. If you’d prefer to learn a bit more before reaching out, however, that’s okay too! To learn the answers to a few of the most frequently asked questions, read on.
Will I Have to Take Off Work for Dental Implant Surgery?
While every case is different, many patients can resume their normal day-to-day activities within a day or two of getting dental implants. However, if your job is physically demanding, then taking three to four days off may be recommended. After all, the last thing you want is to compromise the healing process. If you’re worried about taking time off work, consider scheduling the procedure on a Thursday or Friday.
Do Dental Implants Feel Natural?
They do! There are a few reasons for this. First, dental implants are inserted directly into your jawbone, restoring both the root and crown of your missing tooth. The unmatched stability ensures you won’t have to worry about embarrassing slippage throughout the day. Furthermore, they are custom-made for each patient. As a result, they mimic the shape and size of the missing tooth, guaranteeing they aren’t obtrusive or bulky in any way.
Is There Anything I Shouldn’t Eat with Dental Implants?
Immediately following your procedure, you should stick to a mostly soft food diet. Applesauce, yogurt, hard-boiled eggs, and oatmeal all require minimal chewing power, preventing irritation to the implant site. Once you’re further along in your recovery, you’ll be able to incorporate your usual diet again. The only caveat is that you should continue to exercise caution with hard, sticky, and crunchy foods. Remember, like your natural teeth, your dental implants can chip. Additionally, be sure to limit your consumption of sugary foods and beverages since these increase your chances of developing dental problems, like gum disease.
How Can I Tell If My Dental Implant Is Failing?
With proper care, dental implants can last for 30+ years. And with a success rate of 95%, it’s safe to say that dental implant failure is quite rare. With that being said, there are a few lifestyle habits that can compromise their integrity, like smoking and neglecting to care for your teeth. If you are experiencing any abnormal symptoms around the implant, including severe pain and inflamed gums, then it’s important to call our implant dentist in Temple right away. From there, they can conduct an exam, determine the root of the problem, and put a plan in place to restore your healthy and pain-free smile.
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