Dental Implants - Powdersville, SC

Day-to-Day Benefits

• Greater confidence and enhanced aesthetics – By restoring the look of your smile, you can feel more confident and comfortable around family, friends, colleagues, and people that you’re meeting for the first time. After all, only you and our office will know you had implants placed.
• An easier way to clean – You won’t need to worry about special products or tools to keep your dental implants clean. Instead, all you need is your toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss, and mouthwash.
• Eat your favorite foods – When you have a full set of reliable teeth, you can eat all the foods you enjoy without having to worry about a loose denture. That includes chewy cuts of steak, crunchy bread, and healthy fruits and vegetables!

Health Benefits

• Ensure better nutrition – When you aren’t able to eat as many foods due to tooth loss, getting proper nutrition can be difficult. Now, there’s no need to limit how you get your essential vitamins and minerals on a daily basis.
• Prevent future tooth loss – When teeth are lost, the bone tissue that keeps it in place begins to break down as well. This puts neighboring teeth at risk of losing their foundation and being lost later in life. Dental implants keep bone tissue stimulated, ensuring healthy remaining teeth are viable.
• Avoid dental drift – Once teeth are removed, neighboring teeth will begin to take notice. This means that they tend to naturally shift into the open space as a way to compensate for lost teeth. This can cause the bite to become misaligned. Dental implants work to prevent dental drift and keep the bite even.

Long-Term Benefits

• Improved oral and overall health – The titanium posts are surgically placed into your jawbone, allowing it to remain stimulated and avoid deterioration over time. That means you can also prevent changes in the overall shape of your jaw and maintain your biting strength.
• A longer-lasting restoration – Instead of relying on regular replacements for alternative tooth replacement solutions, dental implants are designed to last decades or even a lifetime with regular care and maintenance. This makes them a more cost-effective solution for tooth loss over traditional methods.
• A beautiful smile proven to last – You shouldn’t have to worry about literally fixing your smile just to show it off. Since restorations are securely anchored to implants, you can expect your smile to keep up with the rest of your appearance.

Who Is a Good Candidate for Dental Implants?

Virtually any healthy adult struggling with tooth loss can be a good candidate for dental implants. The characteristics that make someone eligible include:

• Great overall health: Since you’ll undergo minor surgery, you’ll need to be healthy enough to get through the procedure and recover.
• Good oral health: Your mouth will need to be free of issues like decay and infection before we can move forward, as these can increase the risk of failure later on.
• Adequate jawbone mass: Your jawbone will need to have enough bone tissue to support the titanium post(s) for many years to come.

Even if you have existing oral health problems, it doesn’t mean dental implants are completely off the table. Our team will work with you to prepare your mouth for the procedure with preliminary services like gum disease treatment, tooth extractions, or bone grafting. This will be discussed thoroughly during your initial consultation where we’ll develop a detailed plan for restoring your bite.

Missing One Tooth

Needing just one tooth replaced will likely only require a single dental implant. The titanium post will be surgically placed into your jawbone, filling in the vacated socket before a custom-made dental crown is created and secured to the top of your implant.

Missing Multiple Teeth

If two or more consecutive teeth are missing along a row, we can place two dental implants into the outer sockets before creating a dental bridge, which consists of two dental crowns fused together by pontics. Once your implants are firmly in place, we can secure the bridge to the tops of your implants, allowing us to easily fill in the gap.

Missing All Teeth

Using between four and six dental implants, we can create a solid foundation for your customized denture if you’re missing entire arches of teeth. When ready, we will anchor the prosthetic to your implants, effectively restoring your upper or lower arch. This solution can be designed to be fixed or removable, depending on what works for you.

Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery

During your initial consultation, we will go over all the necessary details that will be incorporated into your procedure. Any preliminary treatments, such as tooth extractions, gum disease therapy, or bone grafting, must be completed before getting implants, contributing to your total cost. Then, dental implant surgery will incur its own cost, which varies based on the type of anesthesia that is administered and the number of implants you need. Because we place and restore implants at the same location, you’ll have a single set of fees instead of having to juggle payments to multiple practices.

The Parts of Your Dental Implant

The number of implants you need will affect your cost, but the materials used also come into play. Dental implants can be made out of titanium, zirconia, and more. Additionally, the manufacturer of the implants and the type of restoration required also have roles in determining how much patients pay. As with cars, some makes and models work and look better than others, which is why it’s vital to choose high-quality dental implants. Our implant dentist in Powdersville only uses the finest of materials, and we are always transparent with our patients about how that affects the price.

How Dental Implants Can Save You Money

Even though dental implants incur a significant upfront expense, they may actually save you money in the long run. Because they have the potential to last for decades, you may never have to worry about paying to replace them. That is in contrast to other tooth replacement solutions, such as dentures, that tend to last for just 5 – 10 years. Additionally, since dental implants lower the risk of certain oral health conditions, they can save you from having to pay for restorative care down the road.

Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?

Usually, dental insurance does not cover dental implants in Powdersville. However, we will be happy to work on your behalf with your provider to find out if you are eligible for coverage. With years of experience in maximizing patient benefits, we can review your plan to help you cut down on out-of-pocket costs. Some portions of the dental implant process, like the consultation or part of your restoration, are likely to be covered.

Making Dental Implants Affordable

In addition to accepting dental insurance, we have our own Dental Savings Plan that allows patients to save on services associated with dental implants, including periodontal therapy, crowns, bridges, dentures, and more. Plus, we offer flexible financing through CareCredit to make dental implants as affordable as possible. With this solution, you can choose the monthly payment plan that’s right for you. The best part is that CareCredit plans typically come with little to no interest.

What to Do Directly After Dental Implant Surgery

The biggest priority is to leave the forming blood clot untouched so the healing will happen as smoothly as possible. While the area is healing, remember the following things:

• Don’t spit. Instead, use tissues or swallow your saliva.
• Don’t use a straw to drink.
• Don’t smoke immediately following your procedure.
• Do your best to keep your fingers and tongue away from the site.

Common Side-Effects When Recovering from Dental Implant Placement

Some mild side-effects are perfectly normal, especially in the first few days after dental implant placement. They may include:

• Bleeding: This can go on for several days. It can be lessened with gauze and light pressure.
• Swelling: For the first 72 hours, inflammation is common. Cold and warm compresses can help.
• Discomfort: This can be addressed with your over-the-counter and/or prescribed pain relievers.

All of these side effects should be temporary and gradually subside. If you have any concerns or they don’t seem to be going away, let us know so we can help.

Your Diet After Dental Implant Surgery

For the first few days after your procedure, it is recommended that you stick to softer foods. Here are some of the things that you can enjoy during the healing process:

• Mashed potatoes 
• Yogurt
• Ice cream
• Pudding
• Soup (not extremely hot) 
• Scrambled eggs
• Pasta

As soon as you feel comfortable, you can transition back to your normal diet. Just remember to limit crunchy and tough foods. It’s also a good idea to avoid chewing directly on the site of your new dental implant.

Post-Op Health & Oral Hygiene

The day after your procedure, you can brush your teeth as you normally do. However, you should be careful near the surgical site. Rinse your mouth after meals with saltwater to keep the area clean. If you were provided with prescription mouthwash, use it as directed. When using mouthwash, remember to pick one out that doesn’t contain alcohol. You don’t want to aggravate the healing site.

What to Do After Your New Teeth Are Attached

Once you’ve received your replacement teeth, the difficult part is over! When you first get your new crown, bridge, or dentures, you can expect some minor, temporary sensitivity to the gum tissue. Fortunately, this is easy to manage with pain relievers. You shouldn’t experience any swelling, bleeding, or extensive recovery. You should be ready to show off your new smile right away!

Are Dental Implants Safe?

We can confidently say thanks to many decades of research and clinical results that yes, dental implants are safe. In fact, they hold an impressive 95% success rate on average. In order to ensure your dental implant treatment is safe, we make sure to complete a thorough dental exam beforehand. We’ll also confirm that you have enough bone density to receive an implant as well as healthy gums. If you aren’t able to meet these requirements, we will suggest either a bone graft or periodontal therapy first. This enables you to receive a safe and predictable tooth replacement.

How Long Do Dental Implants Last?

Designed as a long-term solution for missing teeth, dental implants are able to remain healthy in the jaw for at least 30 years and longer! With that said, you’ll still need to take care of them to ensure they stay healthy, just like a natural tooth. As a major investment, you’ll need to practice daily oral care and maintain routine dental checkups. The more you take care of them, the more they’ll make smiling, chewing, eating, and speaking easy and enjoyable. With preventive care, you can avoid problems like implant failure, which can be caused by unremoved plaque and gum disease, just like a real tooth.

Does the Dental Implant Procedure Hurt?

We often hear this question at the practice, and we understand why. Thankfully, those who have undergone the procedure appreciate how far we go to make the treatment as pain-free as possible. For example, we’ll make sure to provide you with a local anesthetic ahead of your procedure as well as other aftercare instructions to keep you healthy as your implant heals. Instead of worrying about feeling uncomfortable, you can start focusing on recovering and thinking about your new smile!

Do Dental Implants Look Natural?

For years, tooth replacements have been effective, but not perfect. For one, they were often noticeable and even obtrusive throughout the day. We understand if you feel hesitant about treatment, especially if you’re someone who wants to move on from wearing a denture. The good news is dental implants are made from natural-looking dental porcelain that’s customized to fit inside your mouth exactly. This results in a smile that is as functional as it is flawless.