Dental Implants

According to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, dental implants are surgically implanted medical devices that are placed in a patient's jaw to restore their ability to chew or improve their appearance. These implants provide support for artificial teeth, like bridges, dentures, or crowns.

Dental implants can restore comfort and confidence for those who lost a tooth, or teeth, to injury or illness. Many patients with missing teeth suffer from defective speech, rapid bone loss, and difficulty chewing.

This surgical procedure provides patients with natural-looking teeth — allowing them to live comfortable, confident lives.

Who is an ideal candidate for dental implants?

Dental implants are best for patients with good general health and enough jawbone to support the implants. The best way to know if you’re a good candidate is to come in for a consultant and let our doctors examine you. But we’ll reveal a little secret — almost any patient with missing teeth is a candidate, and we can perform procedures to help you become a candidate!

Other characteristics of a good dental implant candidate include the following:

• Non-tobacco users
• Sufficient bone density
• Non-teeth grinders

Endosteal implants

An endosteal implant is a dental implant placed directly into the jawbone. This implant consists of a metal screw that is put into your jawbone to fuse with the bone over several months. Once the implant fuses with the bone, it can help support a dental prosthesis such as a denture or bridge.

Endosteal implants are often used in patients with the proper bone structure — enough healthy jawbone to support the implant — but without enough height for a taller implant.

Subperiosteal implants

Subperiosteal implants are placed underneath the gum tissue on the bone. These implants are regularly used on patients without enough bone density for traditional dental implants.

These implants have a metal frame that is inserted into the space under a patient's gum tissue and attached to the bone. Once the implant has healed, artificial teeth are connected to the metal frame.

Bone grafting

Bone grafting is often required to provide a solid foundation for dental implants. It involves taking bone from another area of the patient's body and grafting it onto the jawbone.

Once the bone has been grafted, it will take several months to fuse with the existing bone. Patients must avoid putting any pressure on the grafted area during this time.

Ridge expansion

Ridge expansion helps correct a narrow or recessed jawbone. This technique involves minor jawbone cuts and the insertion of metal plates or screws. Ridge expansions are then left in place for several months to allow the bone to heal around them. Once the bone has healed, the implants can then be inserted.

Sinus lift

Sinus lift procedures are often reserved for patients who don't have teeth in their upper jaw. This procedure involves lifting the sinus membrane and grafting bone onto the exposed surface. Thus creating more space for dental implants.

All-on-4

All-on-4 dental implants are for patients who have lost all their teeth or have very few teeth left. "All-on-4" refers to all teeth being supported on four dental implants. For this procedure, titanium implants are screwed into a patient's upper and lower jawbones, and then a denture is placed on top. These implants are meant to support fixed dentures and eliminate the need for patients to get separate implants for all of their missing teeth.

Immediate load dental Implants (ILI)

Also referred to as "teeth in a day,' immediate load dental implants allow for the placement of temporary crowns the same day a patient's dental implants are placed in their mouth. These implants are for patients looking to avoid the multiple trips to the dentist that come with other types of implant procedures. If you're interested in a relatively quicker treatment plan, speak with your oral surgeon about this type of implant.

At Affordable Smiles, our implants start as low as $999 per implant, and our extractions start at $99 per tooth. We accept multiple types of dental insurance and offer other payment options, including financing plans.

Dental implants have three parts: the titanium implant itself, an abutment, and a porcelain crown.

While some dentists will only place the crown, our team at Affordable Smiles is equipped to complete your dental implant treatment from beginning to end at the same office and with the same doctor.

When we say dental implants are a life-long investment, we mean it! When properly cared for, dental implants can last a lifetime. Traditional dentures have a life expectancy of 5 to 7 years, and dental bridges can last upwards of 10 years.

While traditional dental crowns, dentures, or bridges can act as missing teeth replacements, these treatments do not address the tooth roots. By securing your restoration with dental implants, you can not only improve security and durability but can have artificial tooth roots that stimulate the jaw bone and promote better overall oral health. Patients can receive high-quality traditional and All-on-4® dental implants at Affordable Smiles, where our entire team is dedicated to providing exceptional care. Our doctors can perform every stage of missing tooth replacement, from the preliminary procedures and the implant surgery itself to providing the finalized restoration placement. This provides patients with cohesive treatment and the added convenience of full service in one dental office.