Dental Implant FAQ – Select Dental

The Answers You Need From an Experienced Implant Team

Doctor answering FAQ Select Dental

Make the Best Decision for Your Oral Health

When it comes to replacing teeth, there are several options available, from traditional dentures and bridges to dental implants. However, none offers the lifetime benefits and natural look, feel and function of implant solutions. Patients who visit our full-service practice for dental implants often have questions about the process of whether or not dental implants are the best option for replacing their missing or failing teeth. At Select Dental, you can have your dental implants placed by our experienced periodontist and work closely with our talented cosmetic dentists to create the ideal shape, color and look for your new replacement teeth, all from one convenient location. A personalized consultation with us can answer any further questions you may have, and help you learn if dental implants are the key to bringing a lifetime of health, wellness and beauty to your smile.

Background

Crown

Abutment

Implant Post

Frequently Asked Questions About Dental Implants

Dental implants replace both the roots and crowns (visible portions) of teeth and can replace any number of missing teeth. They consist of a titanium screw that acts at the root and fuses with the jawbone, and a highly esthetic, natural-looking crown, bridge or denture restoration that attaches firmly to the implant screws.

Because they integrate with the bone, dental implants mimic natural teeth more closely than any other option and offer long-term, permanent tooth replacement. Unlike traditional bridges and dentures, dental implants fuse solidly with the jaw, do not rely on other teeth for support, and offer a wealth of health and lifestyle benefits. Dental implants preserve jawbone health and natural facial contours, and blend seamlessly with your smile for a look, feel and function that rivals natural teeth.

Dental implants have a 98 percent rate of success, and rarely need to be replaced. To ensure precision placement and the most predictable results, our periodontist uses guided implant surgery for precision placement of dental implants within the jaw. We use Zimmer Biomet dental implant systems and other high-quality materials that are known for their proven strength and lasting durability.

Dental implants can replace single, multiple and full arches of missing teeth. But you do not necessarily need a dental implant at each missing tooth site. Our full arch systems rely on four to six dental implants, which support a full arch prosthetic, or replacement teeth. Implant supported dentures utilize a series of two or more strategically placed dental implants, and also replace entire arches of teeth with a hybrid denture that fits snugly over your dental implants.

The cost of dental implants is unique to each individual patient, and is determined by your oral health needs, number of teeth to replace, and type of implant procedure and restoration. As a full-service implant practice, we can bundle the cost of treatment for implant surgery and placement, saving you money, time in the chair and from having to visit multiple offices for your care.

Surprising to many patients is the fact that dental implants are a minimally invasive procedure and cause only minor post-operative discomfort. To ensure your comfort during implant surgery, we offer sedation services and use a gentle yet thorough technique to numb treatment areas. We are highly committed to making your implant procedure as comfortable as possible, and strive to put you right at ease the moment you walk through the door!

The dental implant procedure begins with a consultation with our team, where we take 3D cone beam CT images and evaluate your oral health needs. Our periodontist uses guided implant surgery for extreme accuracy in implant placement, and our restorative doctors can often give you temporary crowns for your dental implants with functional, esthetic provisional restorations on the same day your dental implants are placed. Over the next three to six months, your dental implants will integrate with the bone, after which we remove your temporaries and place the final permanent implant restorations.

We take every measure to make receiving dental implants as minimally invasive and streamlined as possible. Most patients report only minor discomfort following implant surgery and require minimal downtime. Because dental implants fuse with the jaw, they permanently become part of your mouth and feel just like real teeth.

Even if you have extensive bone loss in the jaw, you may still be able to receive dental implants. Our periodontist has advanced expertise and knowledge of the jawbone and how it relates to dental implants. We can often rebuild bone to the level necessary to support dental implants through specialized bone grafting techniques.

In many cases, we can extract failing teeth and immediately place dental implants. With our same day dental implants procedure, you never need to worry about going without teeth!

Our periodontist has over 30 years of experience and is responsible for placing dental implants in the majority of our patients. In some cases, we may partner with other periodontists or oral surgeons who are highly skilled in implant surgery.

Drs. Stuart Shoflick, Mathew McCabe, and Krishna Desai are all extremely talented, skilled cosmetic and restorative dentists. If possible, we will place temporary restorations on your dental implants the day of surgery. Our doctors work closely with a dental lab to fabricate natural-looking, gorgeous permanent implant restorations with only the highest quality materials, which we permanently attach to your dental implants once fully integrated with the bone.

When cared for properly, your dental implants can last a lifetime. Over time, natural biting forces may cause the need for the crown or restorative portion to be replaced.

Absolutely! Dental implants closely mimic natural teeth, and we custom design your final restorations in shape, size, color and texture to blend seamlessly with your smile.

Dental implants are cared for just like real teeth and require daily brushing and flossing to keep surrounding tissues healthy. We use special instruments to clean and maintain your dental implants during your continuing cleaning and exam visits.

Most patients are good candidates for dental implants, but certain factors like smoking, diabetes and other health concerns may preclude some from receiving implant surgery. The best way to determine your candidacy for dental implants is to schedule a one-on-one consultation with our knowledgeable, friendly team.

Our Patients
Tell The Story Best

Have other questions?

Request your consultation today.

    I understand the information disclosed in this form may be subject to re-disclosure and may no longer be protected by HIPAA privacy regulations and the HITECH Act.