Dental Implants – Rockwall, TX

Initial Dental Implant Consultation

You’ll first go through an initial consultation with our dental team. During your visit, we’ll discuss your smile goals, look over your oral health, and evaluate your facial structure to determine if you’re a good candidate for dental implants. If so, we’ll also explain the entire process as well as the overall price of your treatment so that you know what to expect.

In some cases, patients may need preliminary treatments before they can undergo the implant surgery. These could include gum disease therapy, bone grafting, and tooth extractions. Once we’ve addressed any issues in your mouth, we can move forward with getting you your dental implants.

Dental Implant Surgery

At the start of your procedure, our team will ensure to completely numb your mouth with a local anesthetic so that you’re pain-free throughout the appointment. We’ll also likely offer you sedation dentistry to further minimize discomfort and keep you relaxed during your visit.

Once you’re comfortable, we’ll start by making a tiny incision in the gums to access your jawbone, where we’ll place your implants in the preplanned angles and positions. Afterward, we’ll suture your gums closed around them and top them with protective caps so that they’re safe while you heal over the next few months.

Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment

During your recovery period, your implants will undergo a bonding process with your jawbone known as osseointegration. This is essential for creating an incredibly stable foundation for your restorations, that way they feel lifelike and won’t shift out of place when eating or speaking. Once this process is finished and successful, you’ll come back to our office so that our team can place your abutments atop your implants.

Delivery of Dental Implant Restoration(s)

After your gums have healed from attaching your abutments, we’ll have you return to receive your new dental crown, bridge, or denture. Your dentist will make any necessary minor adjustments to your restorations to ensure that they match the rest of your smile and that you’re satisfied with the results. Once we’ve confirmed that your bite is comfortable, you’ll be free to show off your brand-new and functional teeth for many years to come.

Day-to-Day Benefits

• Stability – Whenever you speak, laugh, or take a bite of food, you don’t have to worry about dental implants moving out of place. They are secured within the jawbone just like your real teeth, making them rock-solid.
• Natural appearance – Implanted teeth are designed to resemble natural ones in every way you can imagine, and they are always topped with porcelain restorations so that they blend seamlessly into any smile. This helps them bring back a patient’s oral health and confidence at the same time.
• Easy care routine – You don’t have to worry about taking dentures out and letting them soak or trying to floss underneath a pesky dental bridge. Dental implant maintenance is as simple as brushing and flossing every day, just like you would with natural teeth.

Health Benefits

• Jawbone health – Over time, tooth loss can cause the jawbone to deteriorate, which may increase the risk of further tooth loss. Dental implants are the only tooth replacement to prevent this by replicating the roots of missing teeth and stimulating the jawbone just like natural tooth roots do.
• Oral health – Instead of shaving down some enamel from your remaining teeth to support a dental bridge, your implant dentist in Rockwall can place an implant that doesn’t rely on support from surrounding teeth. This enables you to keep more of your natural tooth structure for much longer.
• Overall health – Tooth loss has been linked to a number of overall health conditions, including an increased risk for heart attack, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Because dental implants function exactly like natural teeth, it’s not a stretch to assume that they reduce these risks.

Long-Term Benefits

• High success rate – As long as they are placed by a skilled dentist and the patient takes good care of them, dental implants are successful in more than 95% of cases.
• Designed to last – While regular bridges and dentures typically last about seven to 10 years at most, dental implants in Rockwall have an impressive 30+ year lifespan, and many have been shown to endure for much longer.
• More money in your bank account – Not only do dental implants last longer than dentures and bridges, but they also don’t require any special maintenance products or adhesives. So, even though they cost more up-front, you’ll actually end up spending less money in the long run.

Who Is a Good Candidate for Dental Implants?

The most basic requirement for dental implants is that you need to have at least one tooth that’s either missing or needs to be extracted. Most adults are able to get dental implants as long as:

• They’re in good health overall.
• They don’t have gum disease (or any other oral health issue that could lead to dental implant failure).
• They have enough bone in their jaws for the implants to bond with.

Don’t forget to ask about any preliminary treatments that could help improve your candidacy for dental implants.

Missing One Tooth

The number of dental implant posts you need depends on how many teeth are missing. Of course, if you have only lost one tooth, then the math is straightforward: a single dental implant post can be placed in the gap. We’ll eventually anchor a crown to the implant in order to complete your grin.

A single dental implant topped with a crown is often seen as an alternative for a traditional dental bridge, which can only be placed once permanent changes have been made to the structure of your natural teeth.

Missing Multiple Teeth

After losing several teeth in a row, your first thought may be to get a dental implant to replace each one of them. But a more conservative solution exists: we can just place two dental implants in the gap to support a bridge. Said bridge will completely fill the space, and it will closely resemble your real teeth thanks to the materials that it’s made of.

It’s also possible to support a partial denture with dental implants if the teeth you lost were located in different parts of the same arch.

Missing All Teeth

Full dentures are the traditional way to replace all of the teeth in your upper and lower jaw. However, you don’t have to settle for a denture that rests on your gums; instead, you can get one that’s attached to 4 to 6 implant posts, giving it superior chewing power and eliminating the risk of unwanted shifting or slipping.

When discussing the possibility of implant dentures, we’ll work with you to decide whether they should be removable or fixed. A removable implant denture will require fewer implant posts, but with a fixed one, you don’t have to worry about taking it out of your mouth to clean it.

Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery

Before we begin to rebuild your smile, we need to make sure you’re a good candidate for dental implants. Many patients need to complete preliminary treatments like gum disease therapy, tooth extractions, or bone grafting before moving forward with dental implants. While these procedures will add to the length and cost of your treatment, they’re vital for maximizing the success of your new smile.

Then, the surgical placement of your dental implants will incur its own cost. The price of dental implant surgery will depend on factors like where in the mouth your implants are being placed and what type of sedation or anesthesia you’d like. Since we conveniently perform the entire treatment process right here in our Rockwall office, you’ll save time and money instead of visiting an unfamiliar specialist.

The Parts of Your Dental Implant

Aside from the process itself, your dental implants themselves will influence the cost of your treatment. When preparing your estimate, we’ll consider several important factors, such as:

• Number of dental implants: Replacing a single missing tooth with one dental implant will naturally cost less than replacing several missing teeth with two or three dental implants. However, keep in mind that replacing an entire arch of missing teeth with an implant denture will likely be much more cost effective than it would be with individual crowns or several bridges.
• Type of restoration needed: Dental implants can be topped with a variety of restorations that will influence the end cost. For example, a custom-made crown will cost less than a full denture.
• Materials used: Typically, dental implants and their restoration are made of titanium and dental porcelain, but other materials such as zirconia, acrylic, and more could be used as well. What your new smile is crafted of will influence the overall price.
• The manufacturer or brand: There are several different companies that make dental implants. Some make their dental implants in different sizes or shapes to help improve success rates for different situations, such as low jawbone density or metal allergies. We’ll be more than happy to discuss with you the specific details of your dental implants and where they come from during your treatment.

How Dental Implants Can Save You Money

It’s true that dental implants typically have a much higher initial cost than that of other tooth replacement options like dentures and dental bridges. However, they can easily become the more cost-effective solution in the long run! Dentures and dental bridges need to be replaced every several years. Combining this with the cost of occasional repairs and readjustments, these restorations can become quite costly over the years. On the other hand, the one-time cost of dental implants can give you a strong, healthy smile that lasts a lifetime and saves you thousands of dollars.

Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?

Every insurance policy is different, but most don’t cover the entire cost of dental implants. However, they usually cover select parts of the treatment, such as a percentage of the final restoration or a portion of any necessary preliminary procedures. Our talented team has years of experience navigating insurance benefits and helping our patients minimize their out-of-pocket expenses, and they’ll be happy to review the details of your policy during your consultation.

Making Dental Implants Affordable

At Spillman Family Dental of Rockwall, we don’t want anything to stand between our patients and the strong, healthy smiles they deserve. That’s why in addition to dental insurance, we’re happy to accept financing through CareCredit. This third-party company offers low- to no-interest payment plans that can break up the cost of your dental implants into smaller amounts that fit into your monthly budget. You can apply for CareCredit here or give us a call and we’ll be happy to walk you through the process.

What to Do Directly After Dental Implant Surgery

As your gum tissue begins to heal around your implant, a blood clot should begin to form. This is an incredibly important part of your healing process as it protects the vulnerable areas of your mouth and ensures the dental implant remains secured in place. For that reason, be sure to follow the steps below:

• Get plenty of rest and avoid strenuous activities for the next several days.
• Avoid spitting. Instead, use tissues to absorb excess saliva (or simply swallow it).
• Do not use straws. The suction needed to use straws can dislodge the blood clot.
• Avoid tobacco as it can negatively impact your body’s ability to heal.
• Avoid touching your treatment site. Do your best to keep your fingers and tongue away from it for the next several days.

Common Side Effects

It’s normal to experience side effects following dental implant surgery, including swelling, intermittent bleeding, and general discomfort. However, these side effects should go away after a few days to a week at most. To manage your symptoms, take painkillers as prescribed, apply a cold compress to your face to reduce swelling, and replace gauze pads regularly as they absorb blood from your implant site.

Diet

The day of your surgery, you’ll want to make sure you have foods available at home that require virtually no chewing. Fruits and veggies to make smoothies, low-sugar yogurts, applesauce, mashed potatoes, cold soups, pudding, and ice cream are all great options. After a couple days, you may be able to upgrade to fork-tender foods, such as meatloaf, scrambled eggs, and soft-cooked pasta. Once the soft tissue in your mouth has healed, you should be able to eat regular foods. Avoid hard or crunchy foods until advised by our team that it’s safe to consume them.

Health & Oral Hygiene

You will be able to brush and floss normally after your dental implant surgery. However, you will want to avoid the surgical site while performing oral hygiene to ensure the stitches do not become loose or come out. To manage swelling and inflammation, use an oral mouth wash or saltwater mixture to clean the treatment area. Avoid oral rinses that contain alcohol as these can lead to dry mouth.

What to Do After Your New Teeth Are Attached

Once your implant crown, bridge, or denture is placed, you may notice a little tenderness around your gums. This is a normal reaction and will go away with time. However, if you notice bleeding or major discomfort, get in touch with our office right away.

Make Oral Hygiene a Top Priority

Brushing twice a day with fluoridated toothpaste and flossing at least once a day will keep food debris from collecting on your dental implant as well as dramatically reduce plaque production. While the restoration that sits atop your implant will not develop decay like your natural teeth, the gum tissue supporting the implant can easily become infected if it’s not well protected daily. For a more thorough cleaning, we recommend adding an oral rinse to your hygiene routine.

Eat a Healthy Diet

The foods you eat can have an impact on your oral health just as much as how often you brush and floss. Eating foods high in sugar and starch make it much easier for oral bacteria to produce plaque acids throughout the day, while eating healthy options like fruits and vegetables can naturally scrub your teeth of loose food debris and contain vitamins and minerals that promote positive oral health. Consider taking a closer look at your diet to make sure it’s balanced.

Break Bad Habits ASAP

Dental implants are far from indestructible, despite being incredibly durable and long-lasting. That means poor habits that damage natural teeth can easily harm dental implants as well, including:

• Biting your nails
• Using your teeth to open bottles, packages, and perform other tasks
• Chewing on ice cubes
• Biting pens, pencils, or other objects out of stress or anxiety
• Using tobacco products

The best thing you can do is find a replacement for these poor habits quickly. Feel free to talk with our team or your general physician if you need guidance.

Protect Your Dental Implants

Are you someone who enjoys staying active, particularly by playing sports? Having the right protection is essential for many reasons, whether you’re playing football, basketball, soccer, hockey, or another sport. For that reason, you’re better off using a custom-made mouthguard to prevent serious oral injury to your dental implants and any remaining teeth you have. Furthermore, if you suffer from chronic teeth grinding and clenching (or bruxism), a nightguard can provide a reliable cushion for your teeth as you sleep throughout the night.

Schedule Regular Dental Checkups

Maintaining checkups and cleanings every six months with our office is incredibly important for a few reasons. Not only can we confirm that your current oral care routine is working, but we can catch any underlying issues before they have a chance to cause harm to your smile. We can also evaluate the status of your dental implant and make sure no problems are present with its integration inside your jawbone.

What Can Cause Dental Implants to Fail?

Dental implant failure is an extremely rare occurrence, but it can happen. If it does, it’s usually for one of two reasons: peri-implantitis (an infection) or failed osseointegration. While peri-implantitis is a form of gum disease that damages the bone and gums supporting the implant, failed osseointegration occurs when the implant fails to fuse with the implant to begin with. If you had low jawbone density prior to surgery, you’re more likely to experience this complication. Other notable causes of failed dental implants include chronic teeth grinding, using tobacco, having poor oral hygiene, and certain medical conditions like diabetes, cancer, autoimmune disorders, or osteoporosis. Our team will make sure you are eligible to receive dental implants before beginning treatment as well as offer guidelines for minimizing your risk for implant failure.

How Long Does Dental Implant Surgery Take?

While it depends on how many implants you are receiving at a time, placing a single implant takes between one and two hours. Keep in mind this time is also set aside to create a sterile surgical atmosphere and administer anesthesia. If you are also receiving sedation dentistry, we would provide it during this time as well.

Will People Be Able to Tell That I Have Dental Implants?

We capture detailed impressions of your mouth, then use this data to design your permanent restoration that attaches to your dental implant. After the restoration is placed, no one should be able to tell that you even received a dental implant. Remember, implants are essentially prosthetic roots inside the jaw. You will not have to hold your jaw in any strange or peculiar way just to keep it from shifting around (something that is very common for poorly-fitting dentures).

Do Dental Implants Decay?

Dental implants are not made from enamel, which means they cannot develop cavities. However, your remaining teeth can still develop cavities as well as the gum tissue surrounding the implant site. For that reason, you will still need to practice routine brushing and flossing every day to keep your dental implants healthy.

Is There Anything I Shouldn’t Eat with Dental Implants?

Over the first couple weeks after your surgery, certain foods are going to become harder to chew. Avoid alcohol, sugary, or acidic beverages. Do not use a straw until your treatment site has fully healed. Once your healing period is complete and your implant is restored, you should be able to eat just about anything you’d like without much worry. However, some very sticky or chewy foods can loosen or dislodge your restoration. Use caution if eating these items or avoid them entirely.

Does Getting Dental Implants Hurt?

Luckily, dental implant placement doesn’t hurt. Our dentists will numb your mouth before treatment begins. That way, your body won’t sense any pain from the procedure. The most you’ll feel is slight pressure as our team works on the treatment site.

That said, your mouth may feel sore after the surgery. (The anesthetic will eventually wear off, after all.) You’d be wise to take prescribed or store-bought pain relievers as directed. Fortunately, the aches should fade after two or three days. Call our office if they don’t or if they worsen instead.

How Long Does It Take to Recover from Dental Implant Surgery?

Implant surgery is a bit invasive, but recovering from it involves little time. Ideally, you’ll be well enough to resume normal activities the day after it’s done.

Of course, you still need to exercise caution as you heal. Therefore, avoid strenuous exercise for the first week after surgery. Watch for signs of bleeding and swollen gums as well. (You can use gauze and cold compresses for these symptoms.) Also, take prescribed or store-bought pain relievers as needed.

While the surgery’s recovery time is short, implant fusion takes longer. You’ll likely need six months before your implants fully fuse with your jawbone.

How Successful Are Dental Implants?

Compared to other restorations, dental implants are highly successful. Their success rate is over 95%, even ten years after initial placement.

Still, how well your implants function will depend on how you care for them. It’s thus crucial that you maintain them with the following:

• Good Oral Hygiene – Implants don’t decay, but they can fail from adjacent infections. So, remember to brush twice daily, floss once daily, and rinse with mouthwash often.
• Routine Dental Checkups – By seeing your dentist every six months, they can diagnose and treat your oral issues. That means they’ll prevent threats to your implants.
• A Healthy Diet – A low-sugar diet of lean proteins, dairy products, and leafy greens won’t harm your implants. In fact, it’ll strengthen your mouth and reduce the risk of implant failure.

Do Dental Implants Make You Look Younger?

As a matter of fact, yes – dental implants do make you look younger. In particular, they keep your cheeks from turning hollow and sunken.

You see, your jawbone depends on teeth for stimulus. The force of biting and chewing helps preserve its bone tissue. When you lose a tooth, the jawbone loses that stimulation and deteriorates. You’ll then suffer facial collapse if it’s left untreated.

Thankfully, dental implants prevent such facial collapse. They’re the only replacement teeth that can stimulate the jawbone. As such, they prevent the bone atrophy that makes you look older.