Dental Implants – Beverly, MA

You’ll first need an initial consultation to ensure you’re a candidate for dental implants. Generally, if you have good oral and overall health, they are a suitable option if you’ve lost 1 or more teeth; however, we’ll also review a CT scan of your jaw to look for any hidden issues, like an infection or bone loss.

Many patients need additional procedures before their placement surgery, like bone grafting. This is often necessary for patients who have lost density in their jaw. The procedure adds thickness to any areas that are weakened.

Sedation or anesthesia is needed to ensure you’re comfortable during your dental implant placement. You won’t feel any pain as your gum tissue is opened to expose your jaw. A small hole is drilled into the bone to insert the post. Your gum tissue is stitched closed, and you’ll spend the next several weeks healing.

The implant post will serve as a root, stimulating new bone growth. Your bone will fuse to the implant through a process called osseointegration. Initially, you’ll experience some pain and tenderness while your bone heals, which you can manage using an over-the-counter pain reliever. After a few days, your pain will subside, but it will take your bone a few more weeks to heal.

Once your jaw has integrated with the dental implant, you’ll need a second minor surgery to attach an abutment to the post. This is a special fixture between the post and the restoration. Your gum tissue is opened to gain access to the post. The abutment is connected to it, and your gums will heal around it to form a seal.

While your gum tissue is healing from your abutment procedure, the dental lab will be working hard to create your restoration to meet your exact needs. It’s made of all-ceramic material to look natural and blend in with any remaining teeth.

A titanium implant post is surgically placed into your jawbone to act as a new root. An abutment is attached to the post to connect a custom-made restoration. Together, the three components create a nearly perfect replica of your natural tooth. You’ll benefit from unmatched stability to chew, bite, smile, and speak without any worry. In fact, you’ll regain as much as 70% of your natural biting force to enjoy your favorite foods again. You’ll have the oral functions you need to maintain a balanced diet.

Besides looking and functioning like your natural teeth, you will also care for them similarly as your real smile. You won’t need any expensive cleaning products. Instead, brush your teeth at least twice a day using a soft-bristled toothbrush and nonabrasive floss. Use a high-quality dental floss to clean in between each remaining natural tooth and around your abutments each day. Some patients find a water flosser to be easier to use to clean hard-to-reach areas, like around your dental implants.

Dental implants are the most reliable solution to replace missing teeth. Whether you’ve lost a single tooth, multiple teeth, or an entire arch, implant-retained prosthetics have the potential to last for several decades with the right aftercare. With over a 95% success rate, you’ll invest in a long-term solution that can last for a lifetime, so you’ll never need to worry about paying to have it replaced.

It’s common to lose density in your jaw after you’ve lost a tooth because your bone isn’t being stimulated by the root. Over time, you’ll have an increased risk of several new complications, like cavities, gum disease, and even additional tooth loss. While other dental prosthetics can help slow the issues associated with missing teeth, there’s only one treatment that stops bone loss.

With an implant post acting as a new root, a dental implant stimulates your jaw to encourage new bone growth. This provides any remaining natural teeth with the support they need to stay in place. It also prevents your facial tissues from sagging to maintain a youthful appearance.

There are few solid requirements for dental implant placement. And even if you don’t meet the bar at the time of your initial consultation, we have the means to help you get there. Here are the most important aspects we look for in a dental implant candidate:

• Good Overall Health: We don’t expect our patients to run marathons, but they must be free from health issues like uncontrolled diabetes and gum disease. These conditions can cause inflammation that complicates the healing process after surgery.
• Adequate Jawbone Density: Your jawbone needs to be thick enough and robust enough to support your implant. If it isn’t, we can perform a bone graft to build up the area before your procedure.
• Commitment To Oral Hygiene: Dental implants are a lifelong commitment, so you should be prepared to improve or maintain your oral hygiene routine. This ensures your implant will stay solid for decades.

The American College of Prosthodontists estimates that roughly half of the adult population in the US is missing at least one tooth. This makes a single dental implant one of the most popular options when it comes to tooth replacement. The implant fixture will support a customized dental crown that will outlast other tooth replacements like dental bridges or dentures.

If you’re missing more than one tooth in a row, an implant-supported bridge can seamlessly fill the gap. This procedure uses two implants to hold crowns fused with false teeth called pontics in place. This is a more cost-effective way to bridge the space between your teeth than individual implants. However, if you have several missing teeth throughout your mouth, multiple individual implants can be accommodated.

Unlike traditional methods, replacing a tooth with a dental implant involves several steps, each with separate costs. It will take a few months to complete the entire process, which can make it easier to afford your new smile. You won’t need to pay the entire amount upfront. Instead, you can pay for each step in your treatment separately. Although every plan differs, you can expect to pay for:

• Initial consultation & diagnostic imaging
• Additional/preliminary treatments, like periodontal therapy or bone grafting
• Sedation or anesthesia
• Placement surgery
• Dental implant posts
• Abutments for each post
• Restoration(s)

The placement surgery itself will also vary based on several factors. These may include the location where the implants will be placed, the kind of dental sedation used, and even the experience of your implant dentist. We are partnered with a local implant specialist, so you’ll want to consult them to receive a more exact price for your placement surgery.

There isn’t a set fee for dental implants because the price is based on your specific treatment plan. Various factors can influence the amount you’ll pay, including:

• Type of restoration: Your dental implant can be fitted with crowns, dental bridges, partials, or full dentures, each with its unique price range.
• Number of dental implants: The more implants you need, the higher the cost of treatment.
• Size or material: The metal posts can come in various sizes, shapes, and materials depending on your dental needs. This will impact the overall cost.
• Dental implant brand: Our team uses the most reliable and trustworthy brands for high-quality dental implants.

It’s no secret dental implants are expensive upfront; however, they are the long-term affordable solution. As the only treatment to replicate the root, they keep your jawbone strong to stop dental drift. This lowers your overall oral health expenses by reducing your risk of tooth decay, gum disease, and additional tooth loss.

In addition, dental implants are also the most reliable option to treat missing teeth. They have over a 95% success rate to last for several years with the right aftercare, like maintaining your oral hygiene and visiting your dentist regularly. You should never need to pay to have them replaced to save money down the road.

Every policy is different, but many dental insurances can be used to cover a portion of the cost after paying your yearly deductible. You can use your annual allowance to lower the amount you need to pay for certain steps in your treatment, like periodontal therapy, X-rays, or the restorations. We’ll work on your behalf with your insurance carrier to lower the amount you will have to pay out-of-pocket. If you owe a remaining balance, we will help you find the solutions you need to keep your new smile affordable.

Even if you don’t have dental insurance, it doesn’t mean you’ll be completely left on your own. Our team understands the importance of being able to afford the necessary restorative treatments to renew your smile. That’s why we’ve partnered with CareCredit—a third-party financier that can help break up the overall price of dental procedures into smaller monthly installments. These often come with little to no interest, meaning you can work within your budget to effectively restore your pearly whites!  

Digital X-rays play a major role in examining the many structures of your mouth and jaw and catching potential issues with your mouth before they turn serious. However, they sometimes aren’t enough to complete certain procedures, including dental implant placement. For example, digital X-rays only provide a 2D image of your mouth, whereas CBCT (or cone beam computerized tomography) scanners can provide a full 3D image for a more detailed evaluation.

Because CBCT scanners offer more information about your mouth, we can make your dental implant placement that much more precise. For example, following your scan (which only takes a few minutes to complete and is painless), we’ll have a better understanding about the exact condition of your bone tissue and unique locations of your nerve endings, blood vessels, sinuses, and other sensitive oral structures.

Additionally, those who need to have multiple dental implants placed (such as for implant dentures) can have greater confidence knowing that the thickest portions of their bone tissue will be utilized to the fullest extent.

Typically, dental restorations are created using a gray, putty-like impression material. To capture a mold of your mouth, patients bite down into the impression material so it can be cured and sent to a dental lab. There, technicians use it to create personalized restorations, including dental crowns, bridges, and dentures (either traditional restorations or those specifically for dental implants).

Unfortunately, this process can be quite uncomfortable for some. In other cases, the mold can be compromised, forcing patients to redo the impression process. By opting for digital alternatives such as the Trios digital impression system available at our office, you can skip the gray putty altogether.

The device consists of a handheld wand that captures hundreds of images of your teeth, gums, and other oral structures in a matter of minutes. From there, the images are sent to a nearby computer where they are recompiled into a 3D image. This image can then be used to design your future implant restoration. The result is a natural-looking crown, bridge, or denture that is not only incredibly lifelike, but comfortable inside your mouth. Opting for digital capture methods also reduces the risk of human error, ensuring your bite remains as even as possible after the restoration has been attached.

Even though dental implants aren’t made of enamel and aren’t susceptible to decay, you still need to keep them clean. Any bacteria that accumulates on your implants could eventually spread to your other teeth or attack the nearby gum tissue, leading to numerous oral health issues. Gum disease is a particularly common cause of implant failure. As such, you should stick to a strict oral hygiene routine of brushing twice a day, flossing at least once a day, and rinsing with mouthwash that has been approved by the ADA.

Once your implants have fully joined with your jawbone, you can eat whatever you want. Make sure your meals include plenty of fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, dairy products, and lean proteins. Aside from the obvious benefits such foods have for the rest of your body, they will also help you maintain healthy gums. Make sure you’re getting plenty of calcium and vitamin C, as these nutrients are particularly key for keeping the gums and jawbone in good shape.

There are a lot of habits that you might not think twice about but can lead to major implant damage in the future. Try to avoid:

• Smoking or the use of any other tobacco products
• Biting your fingernails
• Chewing on pens and pencils
• Crunching ice, hard candy, and other extremely hard foods
• Opening packages with your teeth instead of an appropriate tool

In short, basically any habit that put your natural teeth at risk can also potentially lead to implant failure.

In addition to avoiding bad habits, you’ll also want to make sure your implants are well-protected in high-risk situations, such as while playing sports. During your next visit, you can ask for a custom-made mouthguard. This simple device will absorb the shock of any blows to your head or face, keeping your implants safe from the worst of the damage. A mouthguard is also useful for protecting your implants from wear and tear if you grind your teeth at night.

Every six months, we recommend that you return to our office in Beverly. While we’re checking for cavities and removing the plaque and tartar from your mouth, we can also review your implant posts and restorations to see if there are any problems that need to be addressed right away. Regular preventive care goes a long way towards extending the lifespan of dental implants.