Dental Implants Portland
The Leading Treatment for Replacing Missing Teeth
Whether you’re missing one, several, or all of your teeth, having gaps throughout your smile will have a noticeable impact on your day-to-day life. From making it more difficult to eat and speak to affecting your desire to go out and socialize, many people are dismayed by their smiles when they’re dealing with tooth loss. Our team at Belmont Family Dentistry offers a cutting-edge, gold standard answer to replacing missing teeth, called dental implants. You can learn more about this solution below, and be sure to schedule a consultation with our team to learn whether you’re a good candidate for dental implants in Portland!
Why Choose Belmont Family Dentistry for Dental Implants?
- Modern, Solar Powered Dental Office
- Compassionate & Skilled Dentists
- Advanced Diagnostic Technology Used
What Are Dental Implants?
According to the American Academy of Implant Dentistry, dental implants are artificial tooth roots placed in your jawbone to bond with your natural bone. They become a sturdy base for supporting one or more artificial teeth, called crowns. A connector, known as an abutment is placed on the top of the dental implant to hold and support your crowns. The crowns are custom-made to match your natural teeth and fit your mouth.
The 4 Step Dental Implant Process
Unlike with traditional restorations like dental bridges and dentures, getting dental implants requires a unique, four-step process that spans several months. Although this may seem like a long time, most patients find that the long-term benefits are well worth the wait. At Belmont Family Dentistry, we are proud to place some implants right here in the office, or partner with several trusted local surgeons for more complex cases. While each patient’s treatment will look slightly different, you can expect these four steps to remain the same: the consultation, surgery, osseointegration, and the delivery of your final restoration.
Initial Dental Implant Consultation
At your initial consultation, your dentist will review your oral health and medical history to determine if you are a good candidate for treatment. If necessary, we will work with you to complete any preliminary procedures such as gum disease therapy, tooth extractions, or bone grafting. Next, we can move on to planning the rest of your dental implant treatment and walk you through step by step what you can expect, including the timeline and total cost.
Dental Implant Surgery
At Belmont Family Dentistry, we place some dental implants in-house, and proudly team with a selection of local surgeons for more complex cases. We will determine the best course of action at your consultation, depending on your individual mouth.
During your dental implant surgery, we will first numb the area needing treatment in your mouth. Next, we’ll make an incision in your gums, place the implant posts in your jawbone, and then place a protective cap over the posts.
Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment Placement
Following your dental implant surgery, you will be sent home and the osseointegration process will begin. This is where your dental implant fuses with your jawbone. Typically, this takes about four to six months. Once your dental implants have healed, you will need a second, minor surgery to place the abutments on your implants. As you heal from this procedure over the next several weeks, your final restorations (crowns, bridge, or dentures) will be crafted using the impressions taken of your mouth.
Delivery of Dental Implant Restorations
Finally, you’ll return to Belmont Family Dentistry to have your restoration placed. This will be either crown(s), a bridge, or dentures. We’ll be sure to check that your bite is comfortable and then you’ll be ready to go show off your gorgeous new grin and enjoy all the benefits of a complete smile!
Benefits of Dental Implants
Today, dental implants are one of the most popular tooth-replacement solutions. In fact, roughly 500,000 patients restore their smiles with them each year! If you are struggling with tooth loss and are considering doing the same, then keep reading to learn a few of the many benefits they offer.
Day-to-Day Benefits
Let’s start with the benefits of dental implants that you’ll enjoy almost immediately, like:
- Natural Look and Feel – In addition to being incredibly stable, dental implants are custom-made with your unique face shape, dental needs, and smile goals in mind. As a result, you can live the way you want to: confidently eating, smiling, laughing, talking, kissing, and enjoying all of your everyday activities.
- Stronger Bite – With a compromised bite, many patients are stuck eating the same soft, bland, and boring foods on repeat. Fortunately, dental implants look great, feel natural, and restore some of the strength of your bite. So, you’ll be able to enjoy a much more satisfying and satiating diet.
- Easy Maintenance – To put it simply, you won’t need to adopt a cumbersome oral hygiene regimen with dental implants. To keep them in pristine condition, simply care for them like you do your natural teeth (i.e., brushing twice a day, flossing consistently, scheduling a dental visit every six months).
Health Benefits
Rebuilding your smile with dental implants can also benefit your oral and overall health in the following ways:
- You Can Eat a Varied, Nutrient-Dense Diet – Getting all of the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients you need is difficult when you’re limited to a soft foods diet. Fortunately, dental implants restore the strength of your bite so you can eat seasonal fruits, fresh vegetables, and more with ease.
- Reduces Your Risk of Common Oral Health Problems – Have you heard of dental drift? It’s when the teeth surrounding the gap begin to move into the open space. The change to your bite can lead to several problems, including chronic jaw pain. The good news is that we can replace any number of missing teeth with dental implants.
- Preserve Your Jawbone – Dental implants are unique for several reasons, including that they are the only dental restoration option that preserves natural bone.
Long-Term Benefits
Of course, this list of benefits of dental implants in Portland would be incomplete without touching on the long-term advantages, including:
- High Success Rate – The success rate of dental implants is over 95% for non-smoking patients.
- Improved Comfort – With dental implants, you don’t have to deal with uncomfortable dentures, special adhesives, or painful mouth sores.
- Long Lifespan – While other tooth-replacement solutions usually last for 5-10 years, dental implants can last for 30+ years with proper care and maintenance.
How Much Do Dental Implants Cost?
The cost of dental implants varies based on the individual needs of each patient, as well as the number of appointments needed and procedures performed. Your dentist will provide you with an estimate when your treatment plan is completed. Discussing your payment arrangements and potential coverage from your insurance carrier are also important steps in the planning process.
Dental Implant FAQs
Can Children Get Dental Implants as Well?
Dental implants are a good option for children who have lost their permanent teeth due to injury or accident. Your dentist, however, will want to wait to perform the procedure until after your child’s facial growth and development have been completed, which is typically between 18 and 20 years old.
Does It Hurt to Have Dental Implants Placed?
Many patients state that they tolerate the procedure(s) very well with minimal discomfort and pain afterward. They often report that they are able to return to work and their normal activities the next day.
How Long Do Dental Implants Last?
Dental implants can last for a very long time, as long as you care for them the way you care for your natural teeth–brush, floss, rinse and visit your dentist for regular checkups.