Dental Implants – Worcester, MA
The New Gold Standard for Replacing Teeth
Many people are making the switch from traditional tooth replacement prosthetics to dental implants. With this procedure, our dental team at Community Dentists of Worcester can restore the entire structure of all of your missing teeth – including the roots that previously helped stimulate the jawbone to keep it healthy. Thanks to the various advantages they offer, dental implants from our Worcester, MA dentist are considered to be the next best thing to having your natural teeth again. Are you a good candidate for dental implant surgery? Find out by calling our dental office today to schedule a consultation.
Why Choose Community Dentists of Worcester for Dental Implants?
- Knowledgeable Implant Dentists
- In-House Implant Placement and Restoration
- New Teeth That Last Well Over Three Decades
What is a Dental Implant?
The term “dental implant” refers to a small titanium post that is shaped like a screw. When a dental implant is surgically placed in your jaw, it can fuse with the bone via osseointegration. In other words, dental implants are different from other tooth replacements because they basically become part of your body. After osseointegration is complete and abutments have been attached, the implant posts will be able to support customized dental restorations like crowns, bridges, and dentures.
The 4-Step Dental Implant Process
Compared to traditional tooth replacement options like bridges or dentures, the process of receiving dental implants is a little more complex and can take several months. However, given that dental implants can last several decades, this wait is well worth it. Our team here at Community Dentists of Worcester is here to walk you through what this process looks like so that you can feel comfortable about rebuilding your compromised smile with dental implants. Here’s more about the four main steps you can expect.
Initial Dental Implant Consultation
The dental implant process starts with an initial consultation here at our office. During this appointment, our team will examine your mouth and facial structures to determine if dental implants are a suitable option for you. We’ll also need to review your medical history and determine if your jawbone is capable of supporting implants; patients with insufficient bone density might need to undergo a dental bone graft to remedy the issue. Other possible preliminary procedures include periodontal therapy or sometimes tooth extractions. If we’re able to clear you for dental implants, we can get your appointment scheduled and also provide you with an estimated cost and approximate timeline.
Dental Implant Surgery
You’ll be happy to hear that we can complete the entire dental implant process in-house thanks to our skilled and qualified team! This means that you won’t have to worry about scheduling outside visits to other offices, which will save you time and money in the future. And the best part is that the procedure is relatively straightforward! First, we’ll thoroughly numb your mouth and ensure that you’re fully comfortable before beginning the surgery. Next, small incisions are made in the gum tissue to access the jawbone, and the implants are placed precisely into it. The gums are then sutured shut and protective caps are placed over the posts to protect them as they heal.
Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment
Osseointegration, or the fusion between dental implant posts and bone, is arguably the single most important factor when it comes to dental implant success; if the posts cannot fuse with your jawbone, they won’t be able to provide you with a stable, lasting solution. On average, it takes anywhere from three to six months or so for this process to occur; however, it’s also heavily dependent on your compliance with recovery guidelines. Once the posts have successfully fused with your jaw, you’ll come back to receive abutments, which are small connector pieces that allow your final restoration(s) to sit in place.
Delivery of Dental Implant Restoration(s)
A few weeks after your abutments are placed, you’ll come back for your final restorations. You can rest assured that these will be designed based on precise impressions of your natural smile, so you won’t have to worry about awkward-looking results that don’t function well. Once your replacement teeth have been placed, we’ll ensure that your bite is comfortable before sending you on your way with a complete and beautiful smile!
Benefits of Dental implants
Nearly five million dental implants are placed each year in the United States. A major reason why this procedure has become so popular in recent decades is that they offer a number of advantages that traditional replacement options can’t match. Some of these benefits include:
- Being very easy to take care of.
- Having a lifespan of 35 years or more.
- Preventing bone loss in the jaw.
- Preserving the overall structure of the face.
- Feeling and looking natural.
- Enhancing your ability to chew a variety of foods.
- Preventing your new teeth from slipping.
Start to Finish Convenience
Here at Community Dentists of Worcester, we have a highly trained team of dental experts that can complete every step of the dental implant procedure in-house. There’s no need for you to make a visit to a separate specialist; you can stick with a team you’re familiar with the entire time, meaning there’s much less risk of miscommunication or confusion during the process. Our dental office utilizes the latest dental technology – including cone beam CT scans and state-of-the-art digital impressions – to plan dental implant surgery; this helps ensure that your dental implants are placed exactly where they need to go.
Are Dental Implants Right for You?
There are various options for replacing missing teeth, and dental implants aren’t necessarily the best choice for everyone. To determine whether you’re a candidate, we’ll need to examine your mouth and jawbone during an initial consultation. We’ll keep an eye out for bone loss, gum disease, and other potential obstacles for dental implant surgery. In some cases, we may find that preliminary procedures like bone grafts are necessary before you can start the dental implant process.
Once we’ve completed our examination, we will walk you through the treatment process and give you an estimated timeline; we’ll also address any questions you might want to have answered before you commit to the process.
Missing Single Tooth
We can replace a missing tooth with a single dental implant post. It will take a few months for the implant to join with the jawbone, but once it does, we’ll be able to restore it with a personalized dental crown. Unlike a traditional bridge, a dental implant crown won’t require us to make any changes to your healthy teeth in order to fill in the gap in your grin.
Missing Multiple Teeth
When there are multiple consecutive teeth missing, we can often replace them with a bridge and two dental implants. The crowns of the bridge will be anchored to the dental implant posts, keeping your new teeth firmly in place. An appropriate number of prosthetic teeth called pontics will fill in the space between the crowns to complete your grin.
Missing All Teeth
Anywhere from four to eight dental implant posts can be used to support a full denture in order to replace an entire row of missing teeth. Implant dentures will not slip or shift in your mouth, and in many cases, they’re permanently anchored in place, allowing you to brush and floss the same way you normally would.
Understanding the Cost of Dental Implants
Every dental implant treatment is personalized according to the patient’s needs, so there’s no universal cost that applies to every case. At your initial consultation, we’ll have to consider the number of implants required along with the type of restoration that will ultimately complete your smile, along with other relevant factors. Then, we can give you an idea of what the final price will look like. We’re happy to take a variety of dental insurance plans, and we’ve gone out of our way to make sure that you have plenty of options for paying for your procedure. Don’t be shy about letting our team know if there’s anything you want to ask about the financial aspect of getting dental implants in Worcester.
Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery
It’s possible that you might end up needing a preliminary treatment before you’re cleared for dental implant surgery. These treatments include gum disease therapy, tooth extractions, bone grafting, and other similar procedures, and they can all add to the cost of dental implants. However, once your mouth has been prepared to host dental implants, our team can move forward with the surgery. This part of the process will have its own separate cost based on certain factors, but fortunately, we’re able to complete it entirely in-house, meaning you won’t have to worry about being billed by a separate provider or driving somewhere potentially far from you!
The Parts of Your Dental Implants
The overall cost of dental implants is also affected by their respective parts:
- Number of Implants – Dental implants can replace one, two, or even an entire row of missing teeth, and the number that you receive will heavily determine your final bill.
- Type of Restoration – Different types of restorations can be combined with implants; crowns, bridges, and dentures can all be used and have different costs.
- Material – Sometimes implants are crafted from zirconia instead of titanium, which affects their total cost.
- Brand – There are different implant manufacturers that meet the needs of various patients, and the manufacturer we choose will affect the amount you end up paying. You can rest assured that we’ll answer any questions you have concerning brand-specific price points and benefits!
How Dental Implants Can Save You Money
It can be tempting to try and save money by opting for a more traditional tooth restoration option like dentures or bridges, but you should know that despite their higher initial price point, dental implants end up paying for themselves many times over! First of all, you won’t have to pay for replacements every 5 or 10 years, since they’re a permanent option that’s built to last. Secondly, there are no special solutions you’ll have to buy to properly care for them, unlike dentures. Lastly, since they’re quite easy to take care of, you’ll have an easier time dodging nasty oral health issues like gum disease or tooth decay on any remaining natural teeth that would require costly care to address.
Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants
Generally speaking, most insurance plans do not pay for the actual dental implants themselves, but there are some exceptions. Some will apply benefits to portions of the treatment, like preliminary procedures and the cost of the restoration. If you have any questions or concerns about your coverage, you shouldn’t hesitate to contact us; our skilled team can sit down with you and help you learn what out-of-pocket costs you may need to pay when you opt for dental implants.
Making Dental Implants Affordable
In addition to working with most major dental insurance plans, we’re also proud to offer additional financing through CareCredit. You’ll be able to split up the cost of treatment into small, manageable monthly installments with little-to-no interest, meaning that dental implants can be situated to fit into all sorts of differing monthly budgets!
