How much do dental implants cost?

Fortunately, the cost associated with having a dental implant placed is decreasing. This is due to the materials becoming more readily available. For a single tooth, the investment may be between $2800 and $3500. The variance in cost is due to which tooth needs to be replaced and any additional procedures that may be necessary depending on your individual case.

I'm not happy with my dentures, what are my options?

Over time, our bodies change, including our mouths. When dentures are made, a mold is taken of your mouth and the denture is made to fit that mold. As your mouth changes throughout life, that denture fits your mouth less and less. If the change is minimal and the denture moves slightly or has lost its retention, a reline can be done. A reline adds more pink denture material and fills in the areas where your bone and gums have shrunk. If a dramatic change has occurred in your mouth or your bite has changed, a new denture is most likely needed. The teeth that are placed in a denture will wear down as you chew, especially if the opposite arch has existing teeth. For example, if you wear an upper plate and have natural teeth in your lower jaw, your upper denture teeth will wear more. As a result, you can expect to have a new upper denture replaced more often than someone who has both upper and lower dentures. Most people that have upper dentures do not have problems keeping their plate in because the palate allows for suction to be created. However, many people that wear lower dentures have poor retention because no suction can be created. In these situations, dental implants are the best solution. Implants can used to anchor the denture or support an entire set of teeth.

My partial denture was made years ago, what are my options now?

Partial dentures are an option to replace one or more missing teeth. They have been used for decades after the removal of decayed, broken and loose teeth. Replacing these missing teeth is beneficial for chewing, stabilizing your bite and appearance. A partial denture is still a viable option and usually very affordable way to substitute your teeth. Other options to replace missing teeth are bridges and dental implants. Dental bridges require the use of two solid teeth on either side of the empty space. Bridges require no surgery to the bone or gums and can often be made within 1 month. At Lone Oak Dental, we use newer materials which ensure that the bridge is strong yet beautiful. Implants can be used to replace one, two or multiple missing teeth. The technology with these prostheses is very advanced and rapidly evolving giving us new options all the time. Dr. Jordan prefers to replace teeth using dental implants as it does not require removing healthy tooth structure and there is no chance for decay. In addition, most patients tell us that implants feel more natural than partials and bridges. Please contact our office today in Brookings if your partial is in need of replacement or your are considering other options.

What are mini dental implants?

Mini dental implants are smaller in diameter than conventional implants. Most traditional implants are 3.5 to 6 mm in diameter where as mini implants are less than 3 mm in diameter. These smaller dental implants are great when used to stabilize or anchor a denture. They are often used when the jaw bone has decreased in size over time and traditional implants cannot be placed without extensive bone grafting. Due to their smaller size, these fixtures cannot take as much force and should not be used when replacing a single tooth or anchoring a dental bridge. When possible, Dr. Brad Jordan prefers to use traditional implants.

What is bone grafting?

Bone grafting or ridge augmentation is essentially a procedure to replace bone that has been lost. After a tooth is removed, the bone that supported that tooth begins to disappear as the body no longer needs it. The longer that a tooth has been missing, usually the more bone that has been lost. Because dental implants must be surrounded by bone, grafting is occasionally needed prior to dental implant placement. A variety of materials can be used to increase the volume of bone such as your bone, cadaver bone, animal bone and synthetic bone.

What is the All on 4 procedure?

The All on 4 procedure is a surgical and restorative protocol where all the teeth in one arch are supported by four dental implants. This treatment option can be used in both the upper and lower jaws. Usually, two dental implants are placed toward the front of the mouth and 2 dental implants are placed towards the back of the mouth. The posterior implants are often angled to avoid either the sinuses or the nerves. The All on 4 procedure is versatile in that it can be used if the teeth have been removed or if the teeth are still present. In some situations, the teeth can be removed, the implants inserted and the artificial teeth screwed in during the same day! A fully fixed restoration supported by 4, 5 or 6 dental implants is the closest substitute for real teeth that dentistry is able to offer today. The teeth are screwed into the implants and can only be removed by a dentist.

When are implants preferred over bridges?

Bridges and dental implants both have advantages and disadvantages. Bridges are anchored with two or more teeth while implants are put in where the teeth are missing. One great advantage of bridges is that they can often be completed in about a month. Implants however, require 4 or more months for the missing teeth to be in place and functioning. Bridges are preferred when a tooth has been missing for many years and the placement of an implant would require extensive bone grafting. Some patients are not good candidates for implant surgery due to their health history and for them, a bridge would be beneficial. Since bridges use the adjacent teeth as anchors, if the adjacent teeth are broken and require large restorations, a bridge can solve the problem of the missing tooth and the broken teeth at once! Implants are great in many situations. If the teeth next to the missing tooth have had small fillings, an implant is the recommended treatment. When the adjacent teeth have had root canals or posts, an implant is likely the best option since applying force to these teeth may cause a crack. Overall, in most situations, a dental implant is the best treatment option. If you are considering a bridge or dental implant and would like a professional opinion, contact Lone Oak Dental today!

When can implants be put in immediately after a tooth is removed?

Immediate implants can be a great solution when the situation allows. In order to be able to do this, there must be adequate bone around the failing tooth, the tooth cannot have a large infection around it and the implant must be placed so that it is stable and does not move. The best situations for immediate implants are when dentures are planned, for back teeth that have a single root and when the remaining root is short. Dr. Jordan has placed dozens of immediate implants, please contact us for a consultation!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Dental Implants

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