Dental Implants Mt Pleasant

Initial Dental Implant Consultation

The first step on any dental implant journey is your consultation with your dentist at Smileworks General & Cosmetic Dentistry. At this appointment, we’ll go over your medical and oral health history to determine if you qualify. In some cases, you might need some preliminary treatments to get your mouth prepared, such as gum disease therapy, bone grafting, or tooth extractions. These procedures will need to be completed before you can get dental implants in Mt. Pleasant, but if any are required, we’ll be happy to help! Then, once your mouth is in good health, we can continue planning the rest of your dental implant journey, including your estimated timeline and total cost.

Dental Implant Surgery

At Smileworks General & Cosmetic Dentistry, we are pleased to partner with local experts to complete your dental implant surgery. These trusted specialists have performed numerous procedures and are highly skilled in the latest techniques to improve your smile’s odds for success.

Once you arrive at your procedure, your surgeon will numb your mouth and ensure that you are completely comfortable before beginning. Then, an incision (or incisions) will be made in the gums, your implant post(s) will be placed into the jawbone, the incisions will be sutured closed, and protective caps will be placed over the dental implant posts. After this, you will be free to return home to rest and recuperate. Plan on taking it easy for the next few days and closely following your aftercare instructions over the coming months.

Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment Placement

The next step in your dental implant journey is the osseointegration of the implant itself. This is where the prosthetic (either made of titanium or zirconium) permanently fuses with the jawbone. Ultimately, this is what will determine the success of your implant, because if it doesn’t stay securely in place, your implant will fail. The exact time this process takes will vary depending on the patient; however, it generally ranges from four to nine months.

Once the bone surrounding the implant has healed, you’ll be ready to have the abutments placed on your implant posts. These are the pieces that connect the teeth to the implant. This will require another minor surgery where your surgeon will need to make incisions in the gums. In some cases, this can be done when the implants are first placed; however, if not, the good news is that abutment surgery is far less invasive and requires a much smaller recovery period (typically around two weeks). While you recuperate, the dental lab will be hard at work creating your new teeth from the impressions your dentist took during your dental implant consultation.

Delivery of Dental Implant Restorations

Once you have completely healed from your abutment surgery, you’ll return to Smileworks General & Cosmetic Dentistry one last time to have your final restoration(s) placed. These may be in the form of a crown (single tooth), bridge (multiple teeth) or denture (entire arch), depending on how many you’re replacing.

Once attached, your dentist will examine your smile to ensure your bite is comfortable and looks great, too. Then, after you are both completely satisfied with the placement, you’ll be free to go and start enjoying all the benefits of your new dental implants in Mt. Pleasant!

Who Is a Good Candidate for Dental Implants?

During your consultation with our team at Smileworks General & Cosmetic Dentistry, we will review your dental history, take a look at your X-rays, complete a visual exam, and learn about your day-to-day routine. That way, we can determine:

• If your jawbone is dense enough to support dental implants
• If your gums and remaining teeth are healthy
• If you’re committed to taking good care of your smile
• If you’re willing to break bad habits, like smoking

If you don’t meet these criteria initially, don’t stress. After all, the necessary preliminary care can often be provided, like gum disease treatment. So, the answer isn’t “no” forever.

Missing One Tooth

Previously, replacing a single missing tooth was accomplished with a dental bridge. Although this is still an option, there is a downside that many patients want to avoid: alteration to the surrounding teeth. If that’s the case for you, then you should consider a single dental implant. After inserting the implant post into your jawbone, we will secure a custom dental crown on top with an abutment. Then, the entire structure of your tooth will be restored!

Missing Multiple Teeth

Are you missing several teeth in a row? Maybe you’re missing multiple throughout an entire arch. In both cases, dental implants may still be an option. If we determine that you’re a good candidate, then we can secure your custom dental bridge or partial denture in place with a few strategically placed dental implants. Since they are secured directly to the jawbone, they feel extremely lifelike, they help prevent bone loss, and they can restore some of the strength of your bite that you lost.

Missing All Teeth

If you are missing all of your teeth, you might assume you have one option: traditional dentures. That’s not the case! Implant dentures mix tried-and-true dentures with state-of-the-art dental implants. If we decide together that this is the best option for you, then we will strategically place 4-6 dental implants throughout the arch. Then, we will secure a custom denture on top to restore the visible structure of your teeth as well.

If you have any lingering questions for us, including if we recommend dental implants for you, then take the next step: schedule an appointment with our Mt Pleasant dental team.

Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery

Preliminary treatments such as gum disease therapy, tooth extractions, or bone grafting will add to the cost of your dental implant treatment, however if your dentist has prescribed any of these procedures, rest assured that they are of vital importance to the success of your new smile. The good news is that many of them are at least partially covered by many dental insurance plans.

The surgery for dental implants will incur its own cost and can vary depending on where the implants are being placed in the jaw, and which type of anesthesia or sedation you need.

Because we want you to get the best results possible, Smileworks is proud to partner with local specialists to help you complete your dental implant surgery. The surgical team will discuss the cost of your surgery with you separately, including what you can expect to pay and which types of payment they accept.

The Parts of Your Dental Implant

There are multiple parts to a dental implant, and each carries its own individual cost. Factors that can affect this include:

• The number of dental implants you need. One dental implant for one missing tooth will cost less than four to six for an implant denture; however, an implant denture will be more cost-effective than replacing each individual tooth separately.

• The type of restoration you need. Crowns (single teeth), bridges, and dentures each have different prices. The smaller the prosthetic, the less expensive it will be.
• The size or material. Some implants are made longer or shorter depending on where they need to be placed within the jawbone. Furthermore, some are made of zirconia instead of titanium.
• The brand of dental implant. Much like car or cell phone brands, different manufacturers make different dental implants to cater to patients’ unique needs.

How Dental Implants Can Save You Money

Unfortunately, many patients are tempted to choose tooth replacement solutions like dentures or dental bridges because of their lower initial price. However, the one-time cost of dental implants could actually be the more cost-effective choice in the long run. That’s because with dental implants, you won’t need to pay for replacements or adjustments every five to ten years like you do with dentures and dental bridges, nor will you need to regularly buy things like special pastes, cleaning solutions, or adhesives to care for them. Furthermore, because dental implants won’t wear down your teeth or irritate your gums like other prosthetics can, they’ll help you prevent issues like gum disease, tooth decay, and jawbone deterioration and their associated treatment costs. In fact, studies have shown that having good oral health can even lower your risk of systemic issues and the cost of addressing them, too.

Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?

While most dental insurance plans typically do not cover dental implants, there are sometimes exceptions. Our dental insurance team will carefully review the details of your plan when calculating your total. We have years of experience maximizing benefits, and portions of your treatment may be covered, such as a percentage of the cost of the final restoration or preliminary treatments.

Making Dental Implants Affordable 

In addition to welcoming dental insurance, Smileworks is proud to accept payment plans from CareCredit, our preferred third-party lender. With these plans, you can break up the cost of your treatment into multiple low-to-no interest payments that may be better suited to your budget. We also proudly offer free dental implant consultations, so you can get all the facts before you invest in treatment.

At Smileworks, we understand that dental implants are a long-term investment in both your oral health and your wallet. We’re here to help you navigate the cost of this treatment and will do our best to make it as affordable as possible so you can get the smile you deserve without breaking the bank.