Dental Implants - St. Albans, WV

Benefits of Dental Implants

Dental implants consist of three main components: the titanium post that integrates with existing bone tissue, the porcelain crown that attaches to the implant, and the abutment that keeps them together. Each part plays a role in providing a tooth replacement that has longevity, incredibly natural esthetics, stability, and restorative benefits. After the implant has integrated with your existing bone tissue, you can expect your tooth replacement to last between 25 years and a lifetime. Just make sure to practice daily oral care and avoid tobacco products at all costs.

Furthermore, eating the foods you enjoy doesn’t have to be a struggle when you have dental implants. Even tough or crunchy foods like steak or apples are easy to eat with dental implants! And, because blood flow and bone stimulation are taking place after an implant restores your smile, you can avoid premature facial sagging of your face and maintain the most amount of biting force possible.

Indications for Dental Implants

There are many ways that you can rebuild your smile with dental implants. Replacing single, multiple, or all the teeth in your jaw is completely ideal. Keep reading to learn more about these options in greater detail.

Missing One Tooth

Replacing a single tooth requires only one titanium implant placed inside of the jaw, which is then given time to heal. After all of your oral structures have healed around the implant, a porcelain crown is placed on top of an abutment, which connects the components together.

Learn More About Single Tooth Implants

Missing Multiple Teeth

Replacing multiple consecutive teeth can be done with an implant-retained bridge. Instead of relying on existing teeth to hold the bridge, which would require removal of tooth enamel, implant-retained bridges use a pair of dental implants to hold either a three- or four-crown bridge. Through this method, you can expect a more stable and reliable restoration.

Missing All Teeth

Fitting a series of dental implants with a full or partial denture is a sure way to create a more reliable and stable fit overall. Plus, you only need to place four to six dental implants to hold a full denture, so your treatment is not nearly as complex as you might initially expect.

Start to Finish Convenience

Our dentists are experts in every stage of dental implant treatment. From planning to placement to restoration, you can get your entire dental implant treatment completed all under one roof! This makes your appointments more convenient and makes communication of your needs easier within our dental office. There’s no need to travel to another dental office just to have the implant portion of your treatment completed! As part of your consultation, we’ll go over all of your specific needs in greater detail.

Understanding the Cost of Dental Implants

No dental implant treatment is created equal, which is why determining the price of your treatment must start with a detailed consultation. During this appointment, we’ll discuss all of your needs, including the number of implants you need placed, the type of restoration(s) you need to restore your smile, and the preparatory treatments that may be necessary before dental implants can be viable. Even though treatment can be expensive, dental implants are considered to be a long-term investment that lasts for decades, which cannot be said for other forms of tooth replacement.

After Implant Surgery

After implants have been placed, it's important to follow these recommendations to ensure their long-term success.

General Care

• To control minor bleeding, apply moderate pressure with gauze pads or a clean, moist tea bag wrapped in a gauze pad.
• Limit yourself to calm activities for the first three to five days to keep your blood pressure stable and reduce bleeding.
• If you usually wear a removable denture or partial denture, we will give you specific instructions about wearing it while your implants heal.

Tobacco use

• Don’t use tobacco for at least 24 hours, and avoid tobacco as much as possible for several months. Tobacco slows healing and increases the risk that your body will reject the implants, and it’s the leading cause of implant failure.

When to call us

• Call us right away if you have heavy or increased bleeding, you have pain or swelling that increases or continues beyond two or three days, or you have a reaction to medication.
• Call us if the implants gradually show through the gums, so we can check them.
• You can also call us with any questions or concerns.

Chewing and eating

• Avoid chewing until the numbness has worn off completely. If we placed a temporary restoration, avoid chewing for one half-hour to allow the temporary cement to set.
• For the first 24 hours, drink lots of liquids and eat soft, nutritious foods, chewing on the opposite side of your mouth.
• After the first 24 hours, you can begin to return to your usual diet, but continue to chew on the opposite side. Avoid very hot or spicy foods until your gums are healed. We’ll evaluate your situation to determine how soon you can chew on the implant.

Brushing and flossing

• For the first 14 days, gently wipe the implant site with the gauze or a cotton swab. After that, brush the area gently with a soft toothbrush.
• Don’t floss the site for four weeks. We will evaluate the healing and adjust your brushing and flossing timetable as necessary.
• Brush and floss your other teeth normally.
• If we have recommended a mouth rinse, use it as directed.

Medication and discomfort

• If antibiotics or other medicines are prescribed, continue to take them for the indicated length of time, even if all symptoms and signs of infection are gone.
• To control discomfort, take pain medication before the anesthetic has worn off or as recommended. It’s normal to experience some discomfort for several days after surgery.
• To reduce discomfort or swelling for the first 24 hours following surgery, use ice packs, 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off.
• To reduce discomfort after the first 24 hours, apply moist heat.
• To further reduce discomfort after the first 24 hours, you can rinse your mouth very gently three times a day with warm salt water. Use about one teaspoon of salt per glass of warm water.