Dental Implants — Coppell, TX
Complete Tooth Replacement Under One Roof
Are you missing one, several, or all your natural teeth? If so, you already know that tooth loss can take a big bite out of your quality of life. Those gaps in your smile can make it much more difficult to eat comfortably, speak clearly, and smile confidently. As if that weren’t enough, missing teeth can lead to jawbone deterioration and an increased risk of serious oral health conditions. That’s why at Sandy Lake Dental & Orthodontics, we’re proud to replace missing teeth with the next best thing: dental implants!
This state-of-the-art treatment is designed to replace the entire structure of a missing tooth, not just the visible portion. While other dental practices need to refer their patients to an outside specialist for dental implant placement, we are proud to offer complete tooth replacement under one roof. From start to finish, we’ll be with you every step of the way on your journey towards a complete, confident smile. Call us today to schedule your dental implant consultation!
Why Choose Sandy Lake Dental & Orthodontics For Dental Implants?
- Entire Dental Implant Treatment Completed in the Same Office
- Permanently Replace Any Number of Missing Teeth
- Financing Options & In-Office Membership Plan Make Dental Implants Affordable
What Are Dental Implants?
Your natural teeth are made up of two parts: the crown, which is the white part you can see when you smile, and the roots, which are hidden underneath the gumline. Traditional tooth replacement options only replace the crowns of missing teeth, which leaves a lot to be desired in terms of stability. Dental implants, on the other hand, consist of three parts to replace the entire tooth: an implant post, an abutment, and a final restoration.
The small titanium implant post is inserted directly into the jawbone to mimic the roots of the missing tooth. Once there, it bonds with the surrounding bone tissue to form a strong foundation for the final restoration on top of it. This custom-made crown, bridge, or denture is secured in place via the abutment and crafted out of high-quality materials to look just like a natural tooth or teeth. Rebuilding a tooth from the roots up like this gives you a smile that looks, feels, and functions just like natural!
The 4-Step Dental Implant Process
Dental implants are considered the gold standard of tooth replacement for a good reason. Even though the process takes several months to complete, patients find the incredible benefits well worth the time and effort. At Sandy Lake Dental & Orthodontics, we’re proud to be able to offer this top-tier treatment to you. While every patient’s treatment plan will look slightly different, there are four main steps that you can expect regarding dental implants in Coppell.
Initial Dental Implant Consultation
The first step on your journey toward a complete and fully functioning smile is a consultation with our dentist. During this appointment, they will conduct an oral examination, review your dental health and medical history, ask about your goals to determine whether this treatment is right for you, and make sure you understand how dental implants work in Coppell. Based on the findings, they may need to perform some preliminary procedures (gum disease therapy, tooth extractions, bone grafting) to prepare your mouth.
Dental Implant Surgery
Our dentist can complete the entire dental implant process in-house to ensure a top-notch result for your smile. In preparation for implant placement, they numb the area to ensure you’re completely comfortable during the procedure. Then, they will make small incisions in the gums, insert the implants at precise angles and locations in the jawbone, and suture your gums shut. Afterward, they will place a protective cap over the posts to keep your mouth safe.
Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment Placement
After approximately 3-6 months, the dental implant will integrate with your jawbone via a natural process called osseointegration. Once that step is complete, you’ll return to the office for a second smaller surgery to place the abutments on top of the posts. While you heal, your final restorations will be made using impressions taken of your mouth.
Delivery of Dental Implant Restorations
A trusted dental laboratory will craft each dental implant restoration so it fits perfectly inside your mouth. When it’s ready, we’ll call you back to the office and attach your crown, bridge, or denture to your abutments. Your implant dentist in Coppell will make any final adjustments to ensure your new smile is exactly what you wanted. You’ll be ready to enjoy your newly rebuilt grin that same day!
Benefits of Dental Implants
Thanks to all of the incredible advancements in dentistry, there are several different options out there to replace your missing teeth. Dental implants have become a preferred method by dentists due to their unique benefits that you can’t get from dental bridges or dentures. In fact, over 500,000 dental implants get placed every single year! Here are some of the incredible ways that dental implants can change your life!
Day-to-Day Benefits
After the healing process is complete, your dental implants shouldn’t feel any different from your natural teeth. You might even forget that they are implants! Here are some of the amazing benefits you can experience every day:
- Increased Bite Force: When you get dental implants, your bite force can be replenished by 90% or more! This is much more than you can get with dental bridges or dentures.
- Easy to Maintain: Caring for dental implants is just like caring for your natural teeth. You should brush twice, floss, and rinse with mouthwash every day. You should also continue scheduling regular cleanings and checkups.
- Improved Confidence: If you have gaps in your smile, it can be easy to feel embarrassed by your mouth. With dental implants, you don’t need to hide behind an incomplete smile! Your restoration will be carefully crafted for a natural-looking, beautiful result!
Health Benefits
Dental implants can have a positive impact on your health. Here are some of the ways that your body will benefit:
- Prevents Bone Loss: When you lose a tooth, the jawbone begins to shrink because it is no longer being stimulated by regular chewing. A dental implant is the only tooth replacement option that replaces the root of the missing tooth, therefore preventing bone loss.
- Improved Dental Health: Missing teeth can lead to other oral health issues. This includes cavities, gum disease, and additional tooth loss. Dental implants can prevent these negative effects.
- Better General Health: Your dental health and general health are closely related. Improved dental health can reduce your risk of life-threatening issues, like diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Long-Term Benefits
Dental implants have a higher cost than traditional dentures and dental bridges, but there are good reasons for this. Implants are an investment in the future of your smile! Here are some of the long-term benefits of dental implants:
- Long-Lasting: Traditional tooth replacement options need to be replaced every few years, but implants can last for many decades with proper care.
- Save Money: Because dental implants are so long-lasting, you don’t need to worry about spending money to replace them or have them repaired. They also improve your oral health, therefore reducing your overall dental expenses.
- Successful: Dental implants have an astonishing success rate of over 95%. Dental implant failure is highly unlikely.
Who Dental Implants Can Help
No matter how many teeth you’re missing, we can use dental implants to help you regain a complete smile. Most healthy adults are great candidates for dental implants, but we will examine your jawbone and oral health during your initial consultation to see if you need to complete any preliminary treatments first. Then, once you are ready to move on to the next step, we’ll begin planning your treatment around how many teeth you’re missing.
Missing 1 Tooth
A titanium post is surgically placed into your jawbone to act as a new root. An abutment is connected to it to attach your custom-made crown. Your new tooth will feel and look natural while giving you a solution that can last for a lifetime.
Missing Multiple Teeth
Two or more dental implants can be used to anchor a dental bridge or partial denture. This eliminates the need for you to replace each tooth with its own dental implant, which saves you time and money.
Missing All Teeth
If you’re missing an entire arch or all of your teeth, implant dentures are a natural-looking solution that rivals traditional dentures. They’re securely fastened to titanium posts so you won’t have to worry about them slipping or shifting while you complete basic daily tasks like chewing and speaking.
Learn More About Implant Dentures
Have you been missing most or all your teeth for many years? Even if you wear dentures, your jawbone can deteriorate over time without the stimulation of tooth roots. This can make it difficult or even impossible to one day choose to restore your smile with traditional dental implants in Coppell. Fortunately, at Sandy Lake Dental & Orthodontics, we offer a viable alternative restoration method that is a quick but assured way to restore an entire missing arch of teeth: All-On-4 dental implants.
Understanding the Cost of Dental Implants
If you’re considering dental implants, cost is sure to be on your radar. When researching online, you may see a wide range of prices for treatment. This is because there are so many factors that can influence the cost of the dental implant process. Instead of trusting a source online, it’s best to come into our office for a consultation with an expert dentist in Coppell. We will carefully check your smile before providing you with a proper estimate. In the meantime, you can read on to learn more about the cost of dental implants in Coppell.
Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery
The overall cost of your dental implants will be influenced by any preliminary treatments you may need. Naturally, if you need a bone graft or gum disease therapy before you qualify for dental implants, then the cost of these treatments will need to be factored into the final price.
Additionally, the dental implant placement surgery will incur a fee of its own as well. This price will vary based on where in your mouth your dental implants are placed and which type of sedation is used. Fortunately, since we provide dental implant placement right here in our office, you won’t have to worry about calculating separate costs for an outside specialist.
The Parts of Your Dental Implant
One of the most significant factors that will influence the cost of your treatment will be the dental implants themselves. Here are some of the main factors we will consider:
- Number of dental implants: While one dental implant will be less expensive than several dental implants, the individual price per implant typically goes down the more there are.
- Type of restoration: Dental implants can support dental crowns, bridges, partials, and dentures, all of which are custom-made and come at their own price points.
- Size or material: Dental implants can be made of zirconia or titanium, and they can be longer or shorter depending on the needs of the patient. These factors will influence the cost.
- Brand of dental implant: Like cars and cell phones, dental implants can vary slightly depending on the company that produces them. We only use dental implants from reputable companies with a history of high-quality products. Don’t hesitate to ask us to learn more about where your dental implant comes from.
How Dental Implants Pay for Themselves
While dental implants initially come with a higher price tag than dentures or dental bridges, they provide patients with unique advantages that they won’t receive with these other options. Primarily, dental implants in Coppell can last a lifetime with proper care, which will save you time and money on replacements and checkup visits. Additionally, they preserve the strength of your jaw and prevent more serious issues from occurring like additional tooth loss, which can also save you time and money in the future. However, all of these benefits are minimal compared to the fact that dental implants make your day-to-day life better. You can eat, talk, and flash your smile in public without worrying about missing teeth or an unstable restoration.
Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?
Unfortunately, most dental insurance plans don’t cover dental implants, but they may be able to help with certain aspects of the process. Preliminary treatments like tooth extractions and gum disease often receive some form of coverage, as do portions of your restoration or sedation. Our friendly front desk team is experienced at maximizing your insurance benefits while minimizing your out-of-pocket costs.
Making Dental Implants Affordable
Dental insurance coverage is not the only way to pay for dental implants. We also offer financing options and a membership savings plan to allow everyone to receive our quality and affordable dentistry. Flexible financing allows patients to break up the cost of their dental implants into smaller amounts that they pay back monthly. Patients who enroll in our in-house membership plan can receive a 10% discount on dental implants as well as additional savings on numerous other treatments. Plus, new patients can qualify for $100 credit towards any dental procedure with our special offers!
Advanced Dental Implant Procedures
Dental implants are an excellent solution to replace one, multiple, or all your missing teeth. They have the potential to last for a lifetime, but their long-term success relies on having a strong foundation. As a result, you may need advanced procedures before undergoing your placement surgery, like a bone graft in Coppell. Although this will add another step to your treatment plan, it’s time well spent to ensure your new smile has the framework it needs to thrive.
Bone Grafting
Bone loss and missing teeth often go hand-in-hand. After you lose a tooth, your underlying jawbone is not being stimulated by the root. As a result, you’ll slowly lose bone density. In some cases, bone loss can be a result of advanced gum disease. No matter the reason, if you don’t have sufficient bone, your jaw won’t be able to support the implant posts.
Bone grafting will add thickness to your jaw to accommodate the dental implants. A small piece of bone is taken from another area in your body or from a donor and surgically grafted onto a specific location of your jaw. Over the next several weeks, the graft will integrate with your jaw to strengthen your bone to support your dental implants for many years to come with the right aftercare.
Sinus Lifts
Your maxillary sinuses are located on either side of your nose above your molars. Sometimes, there may not be enough space between your upper jawbone and the sinus cavity. Inserting an implant would cause the post to protrude into the sinus cavity, leading to the failure of your procedure. A sinus lift in Coppell can solve this problem.
A sinus lift increases the space between your bone and the sinus cavities to make you a suitable candidate for dental implants. A small oval is cut into your bone to allow the sinus cavity to be lifted upward. A bone grafting material is inserted into the hole to hold your sinus in place. Over the next several weeks, your jawbone will fuse with the graft. After adequate healing has occurred, you can be scheduled for your implant placement surgery.
Dental Implant Post-Op Instructions
Having a clear understanding of your dental implant post-op instructions in Coppell is essential if you want a swift and successful recovery. Knowing what to eat, how to clean your smile, common side effects, and when to call our office will put you in a better position to heal effectively and avoid any potential complications. We understand you may have many questions about this time period between oral surgery and the final placement of your new teeth, so after reviewing the following information, do not hesitate to contact our office with any questions.
What to Do Directly After Dental Implant Surgery
It’s always important that you give yourself a few days to rest after surgery. This is why we recommend you take one to two days off from work or even three or four if you’re having multiple teeth replaced.
The anesthesia you receive will not wear off immediately, so you’ll need someone to escort you home. Once you are no longer experiencing the effects of anesthesia, you can expect to feel some soreness, so taking an over-the-counter pain reliever is recommended. Also, if your implant dentist in Coppell prescribed any medications, make sure to take them as instructed.
If you smoke, do not engage in this activity for at least 24 hours. It is strongly advised, however, that you try to quit before receiving dental implants, as it can disrupt the healing process and make osseointegration difficult, if not impossible.
Common Side Effects
Once your dental implant surgery is complete, it’s normal to feel slight discomfort and soreness around the implant site. You may experience swelling, bruising, and minor pain or bleeding, but these symptoms are regular. In fact, they can usually be managed with pain medication that we prescribe, and we may also give you antibiotics to fight off infection.
Diet
We use self-dissolving stitches so you won’t have to worry about taking them out, but you should follow a strict soft-food diet after surgery. And, when you have to chew, be sure to do so on the opposite side of your mouth. In the first few months of recovery, you’ll need to stick to the following types of food:
- Pasta
- Scrambled eggs
- Yogurt
- Ice cream
- Pudding
- Warm soups
- Mashed potatoes
Health & Oral Hygiene
The day after your oral surgery, you are free to brush your teeth like normal, only you’ll need to be careful when cleaning around your surgical sites. The same can be said for flossing. Instead of using mouthwash that contains alcohol, rinse with warm salt water two to three times a day. This flushes out any potentially harmful bacteria and debris.
Maintaining a healthy smile is what will help to keep your new teeth thriving in the coming years.
What to Do After Your New Teeth Are Attached
Once our team attaches your new teeth to your dental implants in Coppell, you can begin to enjoy many of the great benefits only these prosthetics can provide. While it’s normal to feel some slight sensitivity, it will go away within a few days, but you should not expect any swelling, bleeding, or soreness. If you do, make sure to call our office immediately.
Maintaining & Caring for Your Dental Implants
One of the biggest draws of dental implants is that they can last for several decades with proper care. So, the last thing you want is for yours to come loose or fall out within a year or two. The best way to prevent that from happening is by committing to good habits, like brushing consistently. For more helpful tips, read on!
Make Oral Hygiene a Priority
A solid oral hygiene regimen is crucial. Why? In addition to keeping your gums healthy and your breath odor-free, brushing and flossing consistently will help keep your dental implant in good condition. So, if you aren’t already, make sure that you’re brushing twice a day (for two full minutes each time), you’re flossing each night before bed, and you’re rinsing with an antimicrobial mouthwash daily.
Eat a Healthy Diet
Remember, what you eat impacts your oral health. For example, if you eat lots of crunchy foods, like hard pretzels and peanut brittle, there’s a good chance that a chip or crack will occur. Similarly, if you don’t prioritize nutrient-dense foods, like fruits and vegetables, your risk of gum disease increases. That’s why it’s so important to do your best to stick to a healthy, well-balanced diet.
Break Bad Habits
When the scissors aren’t close by, do you use your teeth to remove plastic wrapping? Do you bite your nails when you’re stressed or bored? Do you chew on ice cubes when you’re done drinking your water? Unfortunately, although these habits may seem harmless, they dramatically increase your risk of a serious dental injury. So, do your best to stop – it will protect your dental implants and your wallet!
Protect Your Dental Implants
Another important measure you should take is wearing a mouthguard if you participate in sports, or if you play tennis, ride your bite, or run as a hobby. You should also wear a nightguard if you chronically grind or clench your teeth at night. If you don’t have either of these appliances, but you need one, reach out to our Coppell dental team – we can have a custom-one made for you.
Schedule Regular Dental Checkups
Even if your smile is comprised entirely of dental implants, you need to come to our Coppell office twice a year for a dental checkup and cleaning. After all, serious oral health problems, like gum disease, can still develop. Plus, we need to periodically examine the condition of your dental implants to ensure there isn’t anything wrong. In short, these routine appointments are crucial, so prioritize them!
If you have any questions for us when it comes to caring for your dental implants – from what the proper brushing technique is to which products you should use – don’t hesitate to get in touch!
Dental Implant FAQs
After reading through the above information, you have a better understanding of what the process of getting dental implants in Coppell entails, factors that play a role in the cost, who is a good candidate, and more. With that being said, it’s completely normal to still have a few questions on your mind. To make finding the answers as seamless as possible, we’ve responded to some of the most frequently asked questions we get from patients. If you would prefer to speak directly with our team, don’t hesitate to get in touch!
How Long Do Dental Implants Last?
Dental implants are built to last, which is why their lifespan is 30+ years with proper care. Fortunately, maintaining them correctly doesn’t require any special cleaning products or a complex oral hygiene regimen – the same best practices you use to keep your natural teeth in good condition will do the trick! With that being said, make sure to be diligent about brushing and flossing at home and visit our team every six months for a dental checkup and cleaning. It is also a good idea to avoid poor dental habits that can chip or otherwise damage your dental implant, like chewing on ice, smoking, and using your teeth as tools.
What Can Cause Dental Implants to Fail?
Although dental implants have an impressive 95% success rate, it is possible for them to fail. The two most common culprits are peri-implantitis (a form of gum disease) and failed osseointegration (the fusion of the implant post to the jawbone). Chronic teeth grinding, tobacco use, and certain medications can also increase your risk, which is why our implant dentist in Coppell will review your dental and medical history at your initial consultation and provide you with guidelines on minimizing your chance of experiencing implant failure.
Will People Be Able to Tell That I Have Dental Implants?
All too often, patients are hesitant to commit to treatment because they are fearful the end result will be obvious and obtrusive. Fortunately, you don’t have to worry about that with dental implants! They are custom-made to match the size, shape, and shade of your existing teeth, so you will have a lifelike replica of the missing tooth that is as functional as it is natural-looking. Plus, since dental implants rely on your jawbone for support, not your gums, you don’t have to worry about embarrassing slippage when you talk, chew, or laugh.
Is There Anything I Shouldn’t Eat with Dental Implants?
One of the many perks of dental implants is that they don’t come with an extensive list of dietary restrictions. Therefore, while you should stick to soft foods (like yogurt and oatmeal) during your recovery, you’ll be free to indulge in all of your favorites after that! Just be sure to exercise caution with hard or sticky foods. Like your natural teeth, your dental implants are vulnerable to cracks, chips, and other damage.
What Should I Do If I Can’t Afford Dental Implants?
There is no denying that the upfront cost of dental implants is higher than other tooth replacement solutions. However, it is important to consider the overall price as well. For example, dentures are less of an investment initially, but they do need to be replaced every five to ten years, require frequent adjustment appointments, and need to be cleaned with special products. Fortunately, flexible financing, our in-house membership plan, and our new patient offers are just a few of the ways you can make state-of-the-art dental implants more affordable. Schedule an appointment so we can help you find an option that benefits your wallet and your smile!