With dental implants in Selbyville, a patient doesn’t just replace their missing teeth, they practically get their teeth back. That’s because, unlike other treatments, dental implants actually restore both the root and crown of a tooth, providing a natural-appearance and rock-solid stability that is indistinguishable from real teeth. Our dentists at Kramer Dental have over 30 years in implant dentistry, so if you’re ready to put your tooth loss behind you for good, they're more than ready to help. To schedule a consultation and learn more about this treatment, contact us today.
Why Choose Kramer Dental for Dental Implants?
30+ Years of Experience Rebuilding Smiles
Countless Successful Dental Implant Cases
Procedures Planned with 3D Cone Beam Imaging
The 4-Step Dental Implant Process
At most other dental offices, the procedures to have dental implant roots placed and then topped with restorations are carried out by different dentists at different dental offices, but with our dentists, most times everything is done right here in our dental office. This one-stop approach not only saves patients a tremendous amount of time, but stress as well, as they are able to work with the same doctor and team that they trust throughout the entire dental implant process. When you get dental implants, you can expect to go through four main stages of treatment:
Initial Dental Implant Consultation
When you first visit our office, our dentists will learn about your oral health to determine if you are a candidate for dental implants. Our team will look at the state of your jawbone, your gums, and other important aspects of your oral and overall health. Most patients do qualify for implants, even if they need some preliminary procedures before they can move forward.
Once your mouth is healthy enough for implants, our dentists will plan the details of your tooth replacement journey. Feel free to ask questions — we want all of our patients to be well-informed about any treatment they commit to.
Dental Implant Surgery
Our denitists have years of experience in placing dental implants, so our team can usually perform this surgery right here in our Selbyville dental office. You will not have to worry about getting to know a different dentist or dealing with a different pricing structure.
The implant procedure itself is pretty straightforward. We numb the mouth and then create small incisions in the gums. We carefully insert the implants at pre-planned positions before closing the gums over them. Then, you can go home to start the recovery process. Most patients feel well enough to return to work within a few days.
Osseointegration is the biological process that allows dental implants to bond with the surrounding jawbone. It takes place gradually over the course of several months.
Once adequate osteointegration has occurred, you may need to undergo a second minor surgery. We will expose the tops of your implants and place healing caps on them. Later, those caps will be replaced by abutments, small connector pieces that will keep your new teeth in place. (Some patients receive abutments during their initial implant surgery, so they do not need to undergo this second procedure.)
Delivery of Dental Implant Restorations
To design your new teeth, we will take detailed impressions of your mouth. Then, our dentists will use those impressions as the basis for determining the best size and shape for your new teeth. They will also carefully select their color so they will complement your features. A lab will then fabricate your crown, bridge, or denture.
Once your restoration is ready, we will verify that it meets our high expectations before we attach it to your dental implants. You will be able to go off and start enjoying all the benefits of your strong, beautiful new smile!
Benefits of Dental Implants
Did you know that over 500,000 dental implants are placed every single year? Dental implants have quickly become one of the most popular ways to replace missing teeth. Thanks to their unique placement inside the jawbone, this modern tooth loss solution can provide many benefits that you can’t get from dentures or dental bridges. Here are just some of the ways that dental implants can improve your overall quality of life.
Day-to-Day Benefits
Once they’ve healed, your dental implants shouldn’t feel much different from your natural teeth. You might even forget that they aren’t your real teeth! Here are some of the benefits that you can experience every single day:
Increased Bite Force: Your bite force can be replenished by 90% or more! This is much more than what you can achieve with dental bridges or dentures.
Easy Maintenance: Caring for dental implants is just like caring for your natural teeth. Remember to brush twice, floss, and rinse with mouthwash every day. Continue to see your dentist for regular checkups every six months.
Increased Confidence: The way you feel about yourself is important. Unfortunately, many people are self-conscious about their appearance when they are missing teeth. By opting for implants, you can show off your smile with confidence again.
Health Benefits
Dental implants can have a positive influence on your health. Here are some of the ways that your entire body can benefit:
Prevents Bone Loss: When you are missing teeth, your jawbone will begin to be reabsorbed by the body, causing it to shrink. Dental implants stimulate your jawbone through regular chewing, therefore preventing bone loss.
Improved Dental Health: Dental implants have the ability to reduce your risk of cavities, gum disease, infections, and tooth loss.
Better General Health: Your dental health and general health go hand in hand. It can even reduce your risk of serious health problems, including diabetes and heart disease!
Long-Term Benefits
Dental implants cost more than traditional dentures and dental bridges, but there are good reasons for this. They are an investment in the future of your smile. Here are some of the long-term benefits you can experience by getting dental implants:
Save Money: You don’t need to stock up on adhesives or soaking solutions. You also don’t need to pay for routine repairs or replacements.
Long-Lasting: Dental implants can last for many decades or even the rest of your life!
Successful: Dental implants have an amazing success rate of over 95%! You are highly unlikely to experience a dental implant failure.
Indications for Dental Implants
Dental implants are able to help patients with any number of missing teeth, so no matter what your situation might be, our dentists can design a treatment just for you. After they have placed your new tooth roots, they can be topped with a variety of restorations:
Missing Single Tooth
A single implant root is placed into the jawbone and topped with a porcelain crown. The nearby teeth won’t need to be altered at all to make room for the prosthetic, unlike with a traditional bridge. This crown will be specially shaped and colored to blend seamlessly with the rest of the smile.
Missing Multiple Teeth
Rather than replacing multiple teeth with individual implants, prosthetics like bridges and partial dentures can be anchored to the jawbone using a small number of implant roots. This helps make the new teeth much more stable and last incredibly longer compared to removable ones.
Missing All Teeth
An entire row of teeth can be brought back using just four to six well-placed implant roots. These will attach to a full denture that is smaller, more comfortable, and allows for a stronger bite versus a traditional prosthetic.
Understanding the Cost of Dental Implants
Every dental implant treatment we provide is unique based on what a particular patient needs, so the price is always different from person to person. But, despite this variance, they are always a wise investment. They may cost more upfront compared to traditional bridges and dentures, but they also last several times longer. The cost of replacing/updating a bridge or denture every five to seven years (which is normal) usually adds up to WAY more than just getting dental implants in the end.
With this being the case, you may wonder how you could fit a dental implant into your budget. Here’s some information that may help you in that regard.
Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery
One of the primary factors in the cost of your dental implant is the price of the preliminary treatments needed before you get it. If you need a tooth extraction, gum disease therapy, or a bone graft, you’ll need to consider the cost of these treatments before beginning.
Then there’s the surgery itself, the price of which depends on whether this procedure is handled in our office or by an external specialist. We’ll be able to tell you more about what’s necessary for you when we meet you in person.
The Parts of Your Dental Implant
Then, of course, you need to think a little bit about the construction and materials of the dental implant itself. The number of dental implants you need, the type of restoration you place onto it, the materials that it’s made out of, and even the brand of dental implant can all vary, and each choice you make influences your dental implants’ price.
How Dental Implants Pay for Themselves
Modern dentures and dental bridges are incredibly nice, and their affordability compared to dental implants makes them an appealing alternative for patients looking to replace teeth. However, as we mentioned previously, dental implants outlast dentures and bridges by a matter of two to one. In the long term, you’re likely to save yourself a lot of money on replacements in the long run.
Moreover, most patients find that dental implants are much easier to clean, allowing you to stave off gum disease and tooth decay much more effectively than you could otherwise. This could also save you a lot of money on dental treatments down the line.
Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?
Unfortunately, it’s rare for insurance to pay for dental implants. However, it is sometimes possible that the crown, bridge, or denture on your dental implant will be covered, so it’s usually worth checking. We’ll be happy to help you coordinate with your dental plan in order to ensure that you’re getting the most out of your benefits.
Making Dental Implants Affordable
Given that you likely won’t be able to rely on dental insurance, you may need to explore other financial options in order to make the treatment affordable. We accept CareCredit, which can provide low-to-no interest financing to patients who qualify. This can allow you to get care now then pay it off later.
That being the case, you can take advantage of everything that dental implants have to offer without stressing endlessly about payment.
Maintaining & Caring for Your Dental Implants
Your dental implants represent an investment that can keep your smile strong, healthy, and complete for a lifetime, but they need proper care and maintenance to stay in great shape for as long as possible. If you don’t take measures to protect them from damage and infection, they may fail or need replacement much sooner than they would have otherwise. Here are a few tips for keeping your dental implants beautiful, healthy, and functional for as long as possible, but feel free to contact our office if you have any questions.
Make Oral Hygiene a Priority
While dental implants cannot develop cavities, patients will still need to practice excellent oral hygiene to prevent oral infections that can lead to their early failure or further tooth loss. A proper at-home oral hygiene regimen includes brushing at least twice a day as well as flossing and using antibacterial mouthwash daily. This will eliminate much of the buildup of plaque and food debris that can harm your smile.
Eat a Healthy Diet
While you can eat whatever you like with dental implants, it’s best to enjoy a nutritious diet to ensure that they last for as long as possible. Overindulging in sugary, hard, or sticky foods can lead to oral infections or damage to your implants. Make sure that your diet includes plenty of calcium, vitamin C, and vitamin D to preserve the health of your gums and help your implants form a strong bond with your jawbone.
Break Bad Habits
Bad oral habits are a leading cause of dental implant failure. Never use your teeth to open packages or bottles, as this can lead to oral injuries and infections. Instead, invest in an inexpensive bottle opener keychain that can easily open your favorite beverage without wrecking your enamel. Chewing on found items like ice, writing utensils, or paperclips can also injure your teeth and dental implants. Tobacco use can slow the healing process and encourage infection after dental implant placement. Kicking these bad habits can help you enjoy your implants for as long as possible.
Protect Your Dental Implants
While dental implants are incredibly strong, they are not invincible. When playing sports or riding a bike, be sure to wear an athletic mouthguard to create a cushion that can protect your smile from oral trauma. If you grind your teeth at night, we offer customized mouthguards that can prevent damage and help you sleep comfortably.
Schedule Regular Dental Checkups
Come to our office in Selbyville every six months for routine exams and cleanings. These visits allow us to monitor your oral health, correct any issues in their early stages, and advise you as to better hygiene practices that can help you maintain a beautiful smile for life.
Dental Implants FAQs
How Long Do Dental Implants Last?
With excellent care and maintenance, dental implants can last thirty years or more, which is several times longer than traditional dentures or dental bridges. Since your implants’ lifespan will be determined greatly by your lifestyle, make sure to brush, floss, and rinse with antibacterial mouthwash daily to prevent oral infections that can cause them to fail sooner. It’s also crucial for you to come to our office in Selbyville for routine exams and cleanings so we can monitor the state of your oral health and correct any problems in their early stages. Avoid chewing excessively on items that are hard or sticky and never use your teeth to open bottles or packages. Tobacco use has also been linked with a greater likelihood of implant failure, so kicking this habit is a great idea.
Does Getting Dental Implants Hurt?
Before your dental implant placement procedure begins, your dentist will administer a local anesthetic to render the entire process completely painless. It’s also fair to remember that your jawbone does not have many nerve endings, so it isn’t terribly sensitive in the first place. While you can expect to experience no pain during the surgery, you may have some soreness for a few days afterward. Luckily, this issue can be managed with prescribed or over-the-counter pain medication or by applying a cold compress. However, call our office if the discomfort gets worse instead of improving after several days.
Are Dental Implants Safe?
For most patients with adequate oral health, dental implants are incredibly safe and successful when placed by a qualified professional. While thin jawbones or untreated gum disease may preclude you from receiving dental implants initially, these issues can often be addressed with treatments like periodontal therapy or bone grafts so that you can safely receive them later. If you have medical conditions that can inhibit the healing process such as diabetes or cancer, we can discuss the issues they present during your consultation and develop your treatment plan accordingly.
What Can Cause Dental Implants to Fail?
While dental implant failure is uncommon, it usually results from peri-implantitis or failed osseointegration. Peri-implantitis is a type of gum disease that results from poor oral hygiene, and it loosens a dental implant by damaging the bones and gums supporting it. Failed osseointegration happens when the implant does not adequately fuse with the jawbone and is more likely if the patient did not have sufficient bone density to begin with. Dental implants can also be more likely to fail due to tobacco use, chronic teeth grinding, oral injuries, poor oral hygiene, radiation to the head or neck, using certain medications, and health conditions such as diabetes, osteoporosis, cancer, and autoimmune disorders. We’ll provide you with the appropriate guidelines for minimizing your risk of implant failure.
