Dental Implants in Woburn, MA
In Massachusetts, over 30% of older adults were missing six or more teeth due to gum disease or decay in 2020. Losing a permanent tooth is a distressing experience since our teeth are crucial for daily activities. From smiling at a neighbor to enjoying a juicy steak, our teeth play an essential role in our lives. If tooth loss has impacted your life, know that you’re not alone—and there are effective solutions to restore your smile. Dental implants, in particular, offer a durable and long-lasting tooth replacement that looks, feels, and functions like your natural teeth.
What Is a Dental Implant?
A dental implant is an artificial tooth root made from durable titanium. It consists of two key components: a screw that we insert into the jawbone and an abutment that connects the implant to an artificial tooth or teeth.
Dental implants are an excellent option for replacing one missing tooth, multiple missing teeth, or all of your teeth. We use them to support dental crowns, bridges, and dentures, allowing you to eat, speak, and smile confidently once again.
Who Is Eligible for Dental Implants?
Dental implants are an effective solution for replacing missing teeth, but not all individuals are good candidates for the procedure. Eligible patients are those in good overall health with chronic illnesses like diabetes under control. Candidates must also have healthy gums free from periodontal disease since dental implants can fail if the gums and jaw are vulnerable. If gum health is a concern, we can perform periodontal treatment first.
Additionally, sufficient jawbone density is essential for dental implants. When a patient has low bone density, bone grafting might be needed to strengthen the jawbone before treatment. These criteria help ensure the long-term success and stability of the implants.
The Benefits of Dental Implants
Missing teeth can make daily tasks challenging. Even missing one tooth can affect your speech, chewing capability, and desire to smile. Fortunately, dental implants look, feel, and function like natural teeth, drastically improving your quality of life following tooth loss. For many of our patients, this solution is life-changing due to the many benefits that implants offer, such as:
- Aesthetic enhancement: Our society values a bright, beautiful smile. As a result, those with missing teeth often feel self-conscious and avoid smiling. When we use dental implants to restore your smile, you can look forward to a natural result that boosts your self-confidence.
- Improved chewing ability: Dental implants restore your bite force and make chewing more natural. Unlike other solutions like partial or full dentures, implants allow you to eat all your favorite foods again!
- Clearer speech: The teeth in your mouth, especially your front teeth, significantly impact your speech sounds. Without them, you may experience changes to your speech clarity that can make you self-conscious when speaking. Dental implants resolve these issues, allowing you to communicate confidently again.
- Better oral health: Gaps in your smile are difficult to clean properly, easily becoming breeding grounds for bacteria. A buildup of harmful oral bacteria can lead to tooth decay and gum disease—both of which cause tooth loss if left untreated. By closing the gaps, implants make it easier to care for your smile, helping you maintain good oral health.
- Permanent tooth replacement: Dental implants were designed with durability in mind and can last a lifetime with proper at-home care and regular dental cleanings at Four Corners Dental Care!
Dental Implants Prevent Further Oral Health Issues
In addition to their immediate functional and aesthetic benefits, dental implants prevent issues that can develop after tooth loss. When you lose a tooth, the nearby teeth gradually move toward the opening. A dental implant is a sturdy barrier that prevents the remaining teeth from migrating. This barrier helps maintain your bite alignment and ensures your teeth function properly.
Additionally, a dental implant plays a pivotal role in maintaining the health of your jawbone. Your natural tooth roots stimulate your jaw when you bite and chew, sending signals to your body to keep the bone strong. When you lose your tooth, the roots no longer provide this essential stimulation. As a result, your body thinks that the bone in that area is no longer needed, leading to bone deterioration. As the jawbone recedes, you can experience changes to your facial structure that make you appear older than you are. Additionally, jawbone loss can make eating and speaking more difficult, forcing you to make dietary changes.
The longer you wait to replace a tooth with a dental implant, the more bone loss you may experience, making it increasingly difficult to place an implant.
The Procedure
The dental implant process begins with a free consultation. At your visit, we will discuss your tooth replacement options, evaluate your insurance coverage, and explore financing pathways if needed. During the planning stage, we will also take X-rays so that we can design your custom treatment plan and ensure you have enough bone to support the implants. If not, you may need a bone grafting procedure to build up the jawbone.
The procedure to place the implants and attach your custom restoration involves several important steps:
- Implant screw placement: We will make an incision in your gums to expose the jawbone, drill a hole large enough for the implant, and screw the post into place. We’ll secure a temporary tooth to maintain appearance and function.
- Osseointegration: Following implant placement, the jawbone must fully heal before we secure the abutment piece and restoration. Over 3 to 6 months, the implant fuses with jawbone in a process called osseointegration. This step is crucial as it ensures implant stability.
- Abutment placement: Once the jaw has healed and integrated with the implant, we reopen the gums to expose the implant and attach the abutment (the connector piece between the implant and crown).
- Restoration attachment: We allow the gums to heal for about two weeks before securing your final custom restoration to the abutment.
While the implant process can take several months, the result is a durable, permanent tooth replacement that looks and functions like a natural tooth.
Restore Your Smile at Four Corners Dental Care
Missing teeth profoundly impact our lives, making tasks that were once second nature much more challenging. If you are looking for a durable, long-lasting tooth replacement option, dental implants are an excellent choice. These artificial tooth roots are a versatile and effective solution with both immediate and long-term benefits.
Don’t wait any longer to experience the life-changing advantages of dental implants—contact us today to book a free consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The cost of tooth replacement with dental implants depends on several key factors, including:
- The number of implants and type of restoration used
- Whether preparatory procedures are needed, such as periodontal treatment or bone grafting
- Whether extractions are needed
- Your insurance coverage
At your free, no-obligation consultation, we will provide a detailed cost breakdown as part of your personalized treatment plan and help you make an informed decision.
Your dental insurance plan may cover dental implants, but coverage varies substantially from one plan to another. Whether insurance covers your implants will depend on your policy’s specifics and the reason for treatment. For example, some insurance companies consider dental implants purely cosmetic, limiting coverage. However, implants are more likely to be covered if your teeth affect your health or if you experienced a dental injury.
If your insurance plan doesn’t cover dental implants, you can use an HSA or FSA to pay for your treatment. Four Corners Dental Care also partners with CareCredit to offer flexible financing plans. This health and wellness credit card allows you to get the treatment you need and pay for it over time. At your complimentary consultation, we can help you make an informed choice about your payment options.
We use local anesthesia to ensure you don’t feel any pain during your procedure. Our office is also equipped with nitrous oxide (laughing gas) to help you stay relaxed and at ease.
When the anesthesia wears off, it’s normal to experience some discomfort, swelling, and minor bleeding at the surgical site. Over-the-counter pain relievers are often sufficient to manage pain for many of our patients. However, we may prescribe prescription medication in some instances. You can also improve your post-op outcomes by carefully following our home care instructions after your implant placement.
