Dental Implants – Lebanon, NH

Who is a Good Candidate for Dental Implants?

Most patients with good dental and overall health are good candidates for dental implants in Lebanon. However, there are certain situations in which preliminary surgeries, like a bone graft or sinus lift, may be necessary before you can undergo dental implant placement. For these reasons, in-depth consultations are a crucial part of the process, allowing our skilled dentists at Hanover Road Dental Health to speak with you in greater detail about what you can expect and go over your treatment plan.

Here are some of the traits that we look out for in good candidates:

• Good overall health. If you have any underlying medical conditions, like diabetes, it’s important that these are treated and under control before dental implant surgery. This will minimize the risk of complications and help make sure your healing process is successful.
• Good dental health. If you have gum disease, cavities, or any other dental concerns that need treatment, these must be taken care of before you can start the dental implant process.
• Sufficient jawbone density. Patients who have had missing teeth for awhile may have suffered bone loss due to a lack of stimulation to the jawbone. In these cases, a graft may be necessary to ensure there’s enough bone for the dental implants to successfully fuse with.

Missing One Tooth

A single dental implant can support a crown, which is enough to replace one tooth anywhere in the mouth. This means there’s no need for a dental bridge that would require changes to nearby teeth. It’s important to note that once you get an implant, you can expect to wait several months before receiving your crown.

Missing Multiple Teeth

You could get a separate implant and crown for each tooth that’s gone. Three or more missing teeth in a row, however, only require two dental implant posts. These will serve as support for a dental bridge, thus filling in a sizable gap while leaving the rest of your teeth alone.

Missing All of Your Teeth

If you want full dentures to be supported by dental implants, we’ll need to figure out how many posts will be necessary in your case. Normally, four to eight implants should be enough. Implant-retained dentures are typically permanently anchored in place, but depending on the situation, they can also be detachable.

Initial Dental Implant Consultation

You’ll first need to schedule a consultation with our team. This appointment will allow us to discuss your smile goals, review your medical history, and assess your mouth to determine if dental implants are an ideal solution for you. We’ll also need to check for any developing or underlying oral health issues, as these will need to be addressed beforehand. If we find any concerns, such as gum disease or insufficient jawbone density, then you’ll need to undergo preliminary treatments like periodontal therapy or bone grafting to be eligible for dental implants.

Dental Implant Surgery

Your dental implant placement process will involve a minor surgical procedure. Firstly, our team will completely numb your mouth before starting any work, this way you’ll feel comfortable and pain-free throughout your appointment. We’ll then make an incision in your gums so that we can access your jawbone. Your titanium post will be embedded in exactly the right position before we close the gums around it. We will place a protective cap over your implant to keep it safe and preserve the natural shape of your gums, and then you’ll need to take time to rest and recover.

Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment

Over the following several months, your dental implants will go through osseointegration. These titanium posts are biocompatible, meaning they’ll be able to gradually bond with your jawbone and become part of the tissue. This is what will allow your restorations to remain strong, secure, and natural-feeling throughout their lifetime. You should expect the osseointegration process to take about three to six months depending on your health and oral hygiene. Once this is completed, we’ll place a small connector piece to your dental implant. Your restoration(s) will be fabricated while you recover from this step, which takes several weeks.

Delivery of Dental Implant Restoration(s)

We’ll call you back into our office for the final step in your treatment. During your visit, your implant dentist will attach your custom-designed restoration (crown, bridge, partial, or denture) to your titanium post(s) via the abutments that were placed during your previous appointment. After they’ve been fitted in place, we’ll assess your bite to make sure it’s even and secure. Our team will answer any questions you might have about your new teeth before sending you on your way to enjoy your brand-new smile!

Day-to-Day Benefits

Of course, the most apparent benefits of implants are the day-to-day ones. Soon after treatment, you’ll notice the following advantages:

• A Full, Beautiful Smile – Implants blend seamlessly with surrounding teeth thanks to their tooth-colored porcelain. They’ll thus let you smile with confidence and ease! After all, these prosthetics are so lifelike that people can’t tell them apart from natural chompers.

• Easy Eating & Speaking – Because implants fuse with your jawbone, they restore more of your bite force. Furthermore, they won’t slip or fall like dentures sometimes do. The result is that you can count on them for meals and conversations alike.
• Low-Maintenance – Unlike dentures or bridges, implants can be maintained just like any other teeth. In other words, you only need to brush them twice daily, floss them once daily, and rinse them with mouthwash. That way, they’ll stay pretty and functional for a long while.

Health Benefits

As it happens, implants do more than improve your looks; they also boost your bodily health. Over time, therefore, they’ll result in upsides like:

• A Stronger Jawbone – Besides smile gaps, tooth loss triggers jaw erosion, too. That process, left unchecked, can even lead to facial collapse. Fortunately, implants stimulate the jawbone to keep such decline from happening.
• A More Nutritious Diet – As said before, implants strengthen your bite and let you eat tougher foods. Aside from easier eating, though, this effect further expands your dietary choices. Namely, implants will let you eat a wider range of nutritious items.
• Support for Natural Teeth – Aside from looking unseemly, smile gaps can make your surrounding teeth tilt and fall out. However, implants fill the gaps and thus prevent any tilting.

Long-term Benefits

More than anything else, long-term benefits are what put implants over the top. In particular, consider those listed below:

• High Success – Implants rarely ever fail in the long term. Even today, their success rate ten years after placement is over 95%! As such, you can go into treatment confidently.
• Little-to-No Replacement – Compared to dentures or bridges, implants have a significantly longer lifespan. Even the average one will last 15-20 years. With proper care, the number can even reach over 30 years.
• Very Cost-Effective – While they can have a large upfront price, implants usually save you money in the long run. Their lifespan and ease of care mean they don’t need many replacement or repair visits. In contrast, dentures and bridges need regular follow-up care that gets expensive as time passes.

Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery

A few different components you might not think about that are often included in the overall price tag of your treatment are if you require preliminary treatment of any kind (i.e., bone grafting, periodontal therapy, tooth extraction) as well as your oral surgery. Because we do refer you to an outside specialist for dental implant placement, you will receive a separate bill for the surgical component of your treatment.

The Parts of Your Dental Implant

Your dental implants are also part of the overall cost, which includes:

• The number of dental implant posts needed – Do you need one or six? The fewer posts you need, the less you can expect to spend.
• The materials used – Your implant dentist will likely use titanium or zirconia, both of which come with a cost.
• The type of restoration needed – Based on the number of teeth you are missing, we will determine the appropriate type of restoration you will need. This can include a dental crown, bridge, or denture.
• The brand – Different manufacturers have different prices for their dental implants. The important thing to remember is that cheaper is not always better!

How Dental Implants Can Save You Money

By choosing to move forward with dental implant placement, you will discover there are many great benefits, one of which is saving money. These prosthetics are considered a cost-effective tooth replacement solution because:

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• You don’t have to purchase additional cleaning products to keep your new teeth free of decay or bad bacteria.
• You won’t have to buy denture adhesives to keep your teeth in place.
• You’ll avoid frequent adjustments and replacements because your implant posts are fused with the bone tissues.
• You’ll enjoy prosthetics that can last a lifetime with proper care.
• You’ll reduce your risk for high-paying treatment commonly associated with tooth loss (i.e., diabetes care, heart conditions, osteoporosis).

Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?

Some dental insurance companies do provide coverage for dental implant surgery; however, many still do not. As a result, you may find them to be costlier than other tooth replacement solutions. But before you deem them out of reach, you can inquire about coverage for your consultation, preliminary treatment, and customized restoration.

Making Dental Implants Affordable

At Hanover Road Dental Health Family Dentistry, we are pleased to partner with CareCredit to give patients like yourself an alternative way to pay. Offering low-to-no-interest plans and no surprise fees, you can enroll and start saving immediately. Instead of paying the entire amount upfront, you can pay off your balance over several months.