Over the past few decades, dental implants have grown more and more popular among dentists and patients alike as a way to restore smiles. Only dental implants can mimic the roots of your natural teeth, allowing them to offer all kinds of benefits that traditional bridges and dentures simply can’t. Have you been thinking of giving your smile a fresh start with dental implants in Upper Arlington? Take the first step right now by contacting Tzagournis Dental Group of Upper Arlington today.
A dental implant is a metal post shaped like a screw. It’s made to be surgically placed in your jaw, where it will eventually join with the surrounding bone through a natural process called osseointegration. This is what allows implants to feel like natural teeth and last for decades at a time. Once your implant post is in place, a metal abutment can be used to attach a restoration such as a dental crown, bridge, or denture that will complete your smile.
Unlike other regular restoration options like dentures and bridges, dental implants involve a multi-step process to ensure their success. It typically involves a consultation, surgery, osseointegration, and the delivery of your restoration(s) to finish completing your full smile. Our team will be sure to walk you through every step during your initial visit so that you’re entirely aware of what to expect from the process. In the meantime, here’s a brief look at each phase of your treatment for rebuilding your bite.
The dental implant process is slightly different for everyone, but it always follows the same general structure. It begins with a consultation where we evaluate your mouth and jawbone to make sure you’re a candidate for implant surgery. We may need to schedule preliminary treatments to prepare your mouth for the next stage in the process, depending on any underlying issues we might detect. These could include services like gum disease, bone grafting, or even tooth extractions. After we’ve confirmed your oral health is in good condition, we can move forward with your treatment.
Once your jaw is ready to support implants, a minor surgical procedure will be performed to place the posts. The good news is that our talented oral surgeon can perform the entire procedure in-house so that you don’t have to drive across town to a separate practice. The procedure typically involves making a tiny incision in your gums to reach your jawbone, where our team will place your implant(s) in the preplanned locations. Then, we’ll close the gums around your posts before topping them off with dental caps for protection during the healing phase.
During your recovery, you’ll need to get plenty of rest to allow your mouth to undergo osseointegration—when the dental implants bond with your jawbone. It takes about three to six months for implants to join with the jawbone, after which we can perform a second, shorter process to attach abutments—tiny metal connector pieces designed to connect your restorations to your implants.
Finally, we can take impressions of your mouth with your implants in place and use them to design the final restoration. Once we’ve made any necessary last-minute adjustments, we’ll call you back into our office so that we can attach your brand-new restoration(s) to the abutment(s) and put the finishing touches on your new smile. After we’ve given your smile the once over and all is well, you’ll be free to enjoy your rebuilt pearly whites for many years to come.
Dental implants can be used to replace any number of teeth. As long as you are an adult, have a sufficient amount of bone in your jaw, have a mouth free of gum disease, and don’t suffer from any medical conditions that would prevent you from having surgery done, you are most likely a good candidate for the procedure. During your initial consultation, we’ll give you an outline of what you can expect the process to look like based on how many teeth need to be replaced.
A single implant can be placed in the area where the tooth was lost. After the area around the implant heals, we can restore it with a lifelike dental crown. Unlike traditional dental bridges, single implants let us fill in small gaps in your smile without having to make any permanent changes to your natural enamel.
When there’s a gap that was left by three or more consecutive teeth, we can place two dental implants to support a dental bridge. This approach lets us replace multiple teeth at once without needing to place a separate implant post for each one. If multiple gaps need to be filled, you can also get a partial denture supported by a certain number of implants.
Traditional full dentures rest on your gums, but if you’d like your new smile to have more stability, we can instead attach an entire arch of artificial teeth to four or more dental implant posts. Implant dentures can be permanently fixed in place, but they can also be designed to be removable based on your preferences.
Everyone's smile is different, so the cost of getting dental implants varies as well. During your consultation with us, we will thoroughly examine your smile and discuss all of the factors that contribute to the cost of your treatment in detail. Until then, here are some things for you to take into consideration.
Sometimes, patients need to get gum disease treatment, tooth extractions, bone grafting, or other treatments before they are able to have dental implants placed. It is important to consider these procedures when assessing the financial aspects of your treatment if this applies to you. The good news is that many preliminary procedures are partially covered by dental insurance. At Tzagournis Dental Group, we are proud to complete the entire dental implant process at our practice, so you don’t need to worry about working with an outside specialist or needing to pay someone separately for the procedure.
There are several different factors that will play a role in the cost of your treatment. Here are the main ones that we consider:
It’s tempting to try to save money on your treatment by considering other tooth replacement options, like dentures or dental bridges. Both of these are effective at addressing tooth loss, but they don’t provide all of the same benefits that dental implants do. Dental implants can actually help you save money in the wrong run because you won’t need to pay for replacements or repairs every few years. You don’t need to stock up on adhesives and soaking solutions either. Dental implants also help to prevent serious oral health issues, so you may be able to avoid costly treatments later on.
Oftentimes, dental insurance doesn’t cover the cost of dental implants. However, there are some exceptions to this rule. Parts of the final restoration and preliminary treatments are often partially covered. Every plan looks a little bit different, so it is always best to double-check with your provider ahead of time so you don’t end up with an unnecessary surprise. Our team would also be happy to help you with this process. It is always our goal to fully maximize your coverage.
If you don’t have dental insurance, this doesn’t mean that you will be left completely on your own. With our In-House Dental Plan, you can save on procedures completed at our practice. To learn more about your financial options, don’t hesitate to contact one of our friendly team members.
With steps that entail minor surgery, you may worry that you will be in pain, but rest assured we will go out of our way to make sure you’re comfortable. In addition to a local anesthetic, which will numb the area, we can offer you various methods of sedation, calming any fear or nerves you have. After the surgery is over, you should rest for a couple of days, but over-the-counter pain medicine is usually enough to manage any discomfort. During this delicate time, you should also eat only soft foods to give the sensitive tissue enough time to heal. Overall, getting dental implants doesn’t usually include pain.
From beginning to end, the process of getting dental implants can take anywhere between six months and a year. Much of this time is consumed with allowing your jawbone to grow and surround the implant posts. This step is essential for success and gives your replacement teeth stability. When you come in for your consultation, we should be able to estimate how long treatment will take in your specific case, helping you know what to expect.
Each tooth loss situation is unique, and so is each patient’s mouth, which means that the number of required implants will vary greatly from person to person. Often, we are able to replace multiple teeth with fewer implants. Depending on how strong your jawbone is, how many teeth you’ve lost, and where they are in the arch, we can put together a treatment plan that will give you back your stable, robust smile in the most efficient and beneficial way possible.
There is no maximum age for dental implants. Whether you’re 18 or 108, dental implants could be a viable option to replace missing teeth. Again, the only requirements are having a healthy mouth free from infection, being in good overall health, and having enough jawbone density to support the posts. If you meet these criteria, you would be a good candidate, regardless of your age. As a result, it’s never too late to love your functional, complete, and brilliant smile!
7:30 am - 4:00 pm
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Our Upper Arlington dental office is near the corner of Arlington Centre Blvd and W Henderson Rd, slightly south of The Ohio State University Airport. We’re also less than five minutes from Riverside Dr and the Olentangy Fwy.
8:00 am - 5:00 pm
8:00 am - 6:00 pm
8:00 am - 5:00 pm
7:00 am - 5:00 pm
7:00 am - 1:00 pm
We’re in the same general location as the Westerville Community Center, on County Line Rd W between Africa Rd and N Cleveland Ave. We’re also less than five minutes west of N State Street.
