Do Dental Implants Fail?

If you’re dealing with missing teeth and researching your options, you may be considering dental implants. As an alternative to dentures and bridges, implants permanently replace teeth from root to crown. Let’s take a look at some of the advantages and possible complications of dental implants so you can decide for yourself whether they’re worth pursuing a consultation.

Advantages of Dental Implants

Dental Implants offer many advantages over traditional replacement options. The implant is a titanium post that is inserted into a patient’s jaw bone. Because implants fuse to the jaw, they provide improved comfort, speech, and appearance. Dental implant patients can eat their favorite foods without discomfort or pain.

While removing and placing dentures can be a messy process, and sometimes embarrassing when they fall out, dental implants stay in place. They require the same hygiene care as real teeth, brushing, flossing, and routine professional cleanings. Dental implants, unlike bridges, don’t alter the health of surrounding teeth, which improves long-term oral health exponentially.

Dental Implant Complications

Dental implants have dramatically altered the way dentists and patients think about replacing missing teeth. As long as patients are healthy enough to undergo the procedure, they are candidates for dental implants.

Two requirements for this procedure are healthy gums and bone, although many concerns can be addressed, making patients eligible. People interested in implants should also be committed to regular dental visits and good oral hygiene. With proper care, dental implants have a 98 percent success rate.

Complications occur in a small percentage of cases but can be treated provided they are caught before severe symptoms take hold. Some of these situations include:

•    Infection surrounding the implant

•    Teeth decay and trauma

•    Damage to the surrounding nerves

•    Sinus problems, particularly if implants are placed in the upper jaw near the sinus cavities

•    Implants fail to fuse with bone - this is more common with heavy smokers

Caring for Dental Implants

Dental implants can last a lifetime as long as they receive proper care. Brushing, flossing, and routine dental visits will protect the smile and ensure it stays healthy.

Want to learn more about our dental implant procedures in Northern Virginia? Call our office today to schedule an appointment.

Are Dental Implants Expensive?

Dental implants have changed the way dentists and patients think about replacing missing teeth. Implants are a comfortable, long lasting, and easy to care for solution. But are they an affordable option?

The truth is that dental implants are most costly up-front, but patients often find themselves saving money due to the long lifespan of this treatment. Let’s take a look at the cost of dental implants and how they compare to other solutions for missing teeth.

How Much Do Dental Implants Cost?

Dental implant procedures are customized to fit each patient, and the final cost will depend on each person’s treatment plan. The individual price of a dental implant can range from $1500 to $4500, and while that may seem higher than what you would expect, it’s important to remember that dental implants are proven to last over 25 years, eliminating the need for additional treatments.

Cost of Dental Implants Compared to Dentures and Bridges

One of the most significant differences between dentures and implants is that dentures usually replace all or most of your teeth, while dental implants are created to replace one tooth at a time. The cost for a full set of dentures can range anywhere from $600 to $5000. The life expectancy of a set of dentures is only seven to ten years, which means you will pay to repair or remake the appliance many times.

Bridges are used to replace one to three teeth at a time and are created by securing an artificial tooth between two crowns. Bridges range from $550 to $1200 per tooth and can last five to 15 years.

Why Dental Implants are Worth the Money

As you can see, dental implants last significantly longer than either dentures or bridges. They are also far less prone to complications than the other options. They provide a permanent solution to missing teeth, and they feel and look completely natural.

The recommended solution will depend on many factors, including your overall health, how many teeth you are replacing, and your budget. While cost will likely be an important factor in your decision, you may find that dental implants are more affordable, consider their long-term advantages.

To learn more about our dental implants in Northern Virginia, please give Lorton Springfield Dental Implant & Oral Surgery a call. We are happy to discuss all of your options so you can choose a tooth replacement method that meets your needs and budget.

Do Implants Stop Bone Resorption?

Missing teeth in the smile cause a variety of issues besides creating gaps in your smile. The jaw bone requires teeth to stay dense and to keep the facial structure intact. Once they are lost, bone volume gradually decreases. At Lorton-Springfield Oral & Implant Surgery, we offer implant placement and bone grafting procedures to restore the jawbone. However, there is a misconception that implant placement alone will stop bone resorption. Below we detail the benefits of implants and how they do not stop resorption but slow it.

Benefits of Implants

Compared to traditional methods of replacing teeth such as dentures, partials, and fixed bridges, dental implants are the only treatment method that replaces both the tooth root and crown. As posts are biocompatible, they integrate with existing jaw bone to create a stable foundation for implant restorations. Whether you’re missing just one or a full arch of teeth, implants and implant restorations replace them without the need to alter healthy ones or the application of denture adhesives.

How Implants Slow Bone Resorption

As implant posts are placed into the jaw, they effectively replace the missing tooth roots needed to retain jaw bone density. However, the longer a tooth is lost the amount of jaw bone density is diminished. Using digital imaging and CT Scans, our oral surgeons can determine whether you require additional bone grafting procedures. The inserted implant posts keep existing jaw bone from depleting at an advanced rate, but bone grafting is the only way to replace and restore jaw bone volume density.

Long-Term Benefits of Implants and Bone Grafting Compared to Dentures

Dentures have long been a solution to replace missing teeth and restore patient’s smile function. Unfortunately, dentures sit on top of the jaw and do not slow the process of depletion.

Implants and bone grafting offer a long-lasting solution. Even if you’re only missing a few teeth, this treatment can have a positive impact on the health of your jaw and your smile. Implant posts replace teeth preventing the shifting of alignment, and bone grafts strengthen existing bone tissue.

Schedule a consultation with our experienced oral surgeons at Lorton-Springfield Oral and Implant Surgery today. We can help determine the best method of tooth replacement and how to restore your jaw bone volume.

Comparing Traditional and Implant Bridges

Replacing missing teeth is essential in maintaining the health and function of your smile. At Lorton-Springfield Oral & Implant Surgery, we offer implant placement services as a long-lasting solution to tooth loss. However, there are other alternatives such as fixed bridges that can replace teeth as well. Here are the pros and cons of each treatment to help you decide which solution is best for you.

Traditional Fixed Bridges

A well-known dental restoration, bridges have been used to replace teeth effectively for years. Most of these restorations are made from porcelain, this material replicates the same aesthetic as natural enamel and is durable. Other options include ceramic and porcelain-fused-to-metal. Compared to dental implants, fixed bridges are more cost-effective.

This treatment, however, affects natural tooth structure. A bridge is made out of two crowns, and a prosthetic tooth called a pontic. To hold the fake tooth in place, neighboring teeth must be altered and capped with a crown. The three parts replace a single missing tooth at the expense of healthy teeth.

Implant Supported Bridges

The reason why implant dentistry is so innovative is that it replaces missing teeth from root to crown. Implant bridges are prosthetics that attach to implant posts without using other teeth for support.

Implants also stop the process of jaw bone resorption that comes with the loss of teeth. Where traditional prosthetics and restorations do nothing in preventing further bone loss, implants and bone grafting can restore the health of your jaw. All in all, implant-supported bridges are a long-lasting solution that support the health of your smile.

The only setback with implant-supported bridges, however, is the cost of treatment. Initially, implant treatment can be more expensive than traditional options. However, compared to the maintenance needed for traditional restorations and the expected jaw bone loss, investing in this treatment now offsets these costs in the long run.

At Lorton-Springfield Oral & Implant Surgery, we collaborate with your general dentist to determine the best method to replace missing teeth or deplete jaw bone density. For more information about our services, schedule a consultation today!