When teeth are missing, your appearance is far from the only thing to be affected. With every tooth lost, your risk for future tooth loss only goes up. Furthermore, once a tooth is removed, the root comes out with it, leaving you vulnerable to long-term oral health issues that Dr. Brice would like to help you avoid. The good news is he can replace your teeth with dental implants entirely in-house. Being an implant specialist means he can complete all steps of treatment, no matter how complex your case may be. To have your first consultation to discuss dental implants in San Antonio, TX, give his dental office a call today!
A dental implant specifically refers to the titanium post that replaces the root portion of your tooth. However, most people refer to the entire replacement tooth as the dental implant, which includes the restoration and the abutment, (or a connector that attaches the restoration directly to the implant post.) Unlike other tooth replacement methods, dental implants are designed to integrate with existing bone and gum tissue, providing a long-term solution unlike any other.
There are many notable benefits to consider when it comes to dental implants. For one, they allow you to eat all the foods you couldn’t before because of their integration with existing bone tissue. Once they have fully integrated, the implant post will regularly stimulate your jaw bone as you chew, providing you the biting strength you were used to having prior to your tooth loss. Eating tough or crunchy foods like steak and apples is simple and seamless once again, ensuring freedom you cannot expect from other tooth replacements.
Furthermore, dental implants last longer than both dental bridges and dentures, averaging about 25 years to a lifetime of use. They don’t require special care to maintain, do not need removal of existing tooth enamel to place (like dental bridges), and have an extremely high success rate (95 to 98 percent) when placed by a professional.
Since dental implants are incredibly versatile, you’re never forced to choose between dental implants and other treatments just because you are missing several teeth. Consider your options below to determine which treatment might be best for you!
Replacing individual teeth requires one implant post, a single abutment, and an implant-retained porcelain crown. Dr. Brice always uses tooth-colored restorations to ensure the most natural-looking tooth replacement possible. Once the implant has had time to fully heal inside of the jaw, the abutment and restoration can be placed.
Instead of removing enamel from existing teeth so they can hold a dental bridge, a pair of dental implants can be used to hold a three- or four-crown bridge. The crowns on either end of the bridge attach to the implants, while the crowns in the center fill the gap in your smile.
Whether you’re missing teeth in opposite sides of your mouth or in your entire arch, a series of implants can be placed to hold a larger, implant-retained denture, whether it’s full or partial in nature. We can even place a temporary denture the same day as your implant surgery through the All-on-4 treatment.
Dental implant treatment is broken down into three distinct parts. This includes the planning stage where Dr. Brice confirms the number and type of teeth being replaced, the surgical portion where the implants are actually placed, and the placement of the permanent restoration. Thanks to Dr. Brice’s expertise, we perform each of these steps in-office for your convenience. Keep in mind that the length of your treatment will vary depending on the complexity of your needs. For example, needing a single implant placed will be far less time-consuming than placing a three-crown, implant-retained bridge.
While the price of dental implants can be a bit intimidating at first, it’s important to keep in mind that your treatment is unlikely to cost the same as any other patient’s. For example, if you only intend to replace one tooth and don’t need preparatory treatments (i.e. bone grafts, gum therapy), then your treatment will be substantially less than someone who needs to replace multiple teeth or have additional care performed to make implants viable. Additionally, there are few tooth replacements more cost-effective than dental implants thanks to their longevity, functionality, reliability, and natural esthetics. This makes them a great long-term investment.
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