Dental Implant Prices: Can I Afford It?
Deciding whether you can afford dental implants can be a complicated process. Dental implant prices depend on many factors including your own overall health, the complexity of the problem, whether additional bone grafting may be necessary, and the cost of the materials used.
There are different types of dental implants used in dentistry. There's been great success with "osseointegrated" implants. It's a system where the bone and implant mesh. A chemical and mechanical bond is formed so the jawbone actually grows into the implants. The most rewarding part of these successful implants in dentistry is that patients are happy with the results for years.
Dental implants are used in different ways by dentists. You may require a single implant to bridge a gap, or two implants to support a bridge. Or, if a lower denture needs to be stabilized, two to four implants might be required.
Unfortunately, if your jawbone can't support an implant due to bone loss, tooth implants may not be an option. However, if you have a sound jawbone, dental implants are the best thing offered in dentistry next to real teeth.
Where to find dental implants in your area:
For more information on dental implant prices or to schedule a dental implant consultation for yourself, enter your information in the form on this page and click Submit. You will receive a list of implant specialists in your area who can give you the tooth replacement information and quality care you need.
+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.
Immediate Dental Implants: What Are They?
Implant dentistry is a safe, predictable method for replacing missing teeth. "Immediate dental implants" or the placement of tooth implants at the time of extraction is a great method of implant placement. This method can be considered when a single upper front tooth is traumatized, when one or two teeth have advanced decay, or when the remaining roots are too short to support a crown. The purpose of this method of tooth replacement is to maintain as much bone volume as possible. This means preserving bone height and width. The benefits to the patient after restoration of dental implants are a beautiful, natural-looking tooth without cutting down healthy adjacent teeth and being able to eat in comfort without the fear of having the tooth loosen or fall out.
An implant dentist can easily determine if a person is a candidate for the immediate dental implants method of replacing missing teeth. They will examine the teeth adjacent to the involved tooth for periodontal disease and take a traditional dental X-ray. Impressions of the teeth will aid in determining one's prognosis. Additional X-rays may be necessary to determine the exact bone width and height, as well as the root position.
Implant placement is performed with local anesthesia. The remaining root is removed and the gum tissue is gently displaced from the surrounding tissue. The dental implant site is prepared with small drills. Special equipment is used to gently place the tooth implant into the prepared site, after which the gums are replaced over the implant with sutures. A temporary tooth replacement is placed in the space where the tooth was removed. Post-operative discomfort is minimal. The sutures are removed in a week, and oral hygiene is resumed.
In the upper jaw, bone grows and adheres to the tooth implant within five to six months, while the immediate dental implants in the lower jaw require three to four months for proper bone formation. After healing, there is a series of visits when an implant dentist will make a tooth that will be attached to the implant. Within a few weeks after receiving the implant-supported crown, patients consider the restoration as their own tooth, rather than an implant.
Implants require good oral hygiene, dental maintenance, and periodic evaluation by a dentist. For further information regarding placement of tooth implants at the time of extraction, look in PubMed, searching the following key words: placement of implants at time of extraction, dental implants, immediate implants.
By William Becker, DDS
+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.