Our team understands just how big of an impact losing teeth can have on your life, even if it’s just a single tooth. We use the latest techniques in the dental field to be able to revive your smile to look and feel natural. Dental implants from our Newport, RI dentist are a highly successful treatment that restores the entire structure of any number of missing teeth, including the roots. This allows them to look and feel completely natural. To learn whether you’re a good candidate for this procedure, we invite you to schedule a consultation with us today!
A dental implant is a small, titanium post that is surgically placed below your gumline and into your jawbone to restore the root structure of your missing tooth. Due to its biocompatible nature, it’s able to chemically fuse with the bone to provide a strong, stable, and lasting foundation for your restoration to be secured to. Atop the implant will be placed a metal connector piece that will hold your crown, bridge, or denture in place.
As the most comprehensive and lifelike tooth replacement currently available, dental implants are the closest alternative to your natural teeth. They’re practically indistinguishable from the teeth you were born with in terms of looks, feel, and function. Compared to traditional dental bridges and dentures, there are multiple unique benefits you’ll enjoy by choosing dental implants.
To find out whether dental implants are right for you, you’ll first need to schedule an initial consultation. During this appointment, our team will take X-rays of your mouth and conduct a thorough visual examination. As we’re doing this, we’ll be considering the following questions:
Even if you’re not a great candidate right away, there are a variety of ways that we can help to make sure that you are one. Once you decide to move forward with the treatment, we’ll develop a customized treatment plan and walk you through the steps and details of your procedure.
If you’re missing a single tooth, we can place one dental implant in the gap in your smile. After we attach the abutment to it, we can complete your smile by securing a customized dental crown. This will help keep your surrounding teeth from drifting out of alignment to fill the gap.
If you’re missing two or more consecutive teeth, we can secure an implant-retained bridge without having to alter your healthy teeth. We’ll surgically place two dental implants at either end of the gap in your smile that will hold the bridge in place, allowing you to eat and speak with ease.
If you’re missing all of your teeth, we can secure a denture in place with anywhere from four to eight dental implants. These will be strategically placed along your arch and keep your restoration from slipping or shifting.
The dental implant procedure takes place over the course of multiple months and appointments, but patients will agree that it’s well worth the investment of their time. First, you’ll visit one of the oral surgeons that we partner with for the surgery. After you’ve healed, you’ll return to our dental office, where we will secure the abutment to your implant. This also requires a recovery time of a few weeks, during which we will be crafting your restoration. Once you’ve healed, we can then attach your crown, denture, or bridge to complete your smile.
To achieve ideal results, our dentist partners with local specialists to complete the first step of the dental implant process. We’ll introduce you to the oral surgeon who will be taking care of this part of the procedure and make sure that you feel comfortable with them. Once the placement is complete, our team will take care of the rest!
The dental implant procedure is customized to meet each individual patients’ needs, which means that the cost of treatment can vary based on a variety of factors. Before you commit to continuing on with the process, we’ll walk through all of the details with you and discuss all of your financial options with you. We’ll also be more than happy to discuss any questions you have about dental insurance coverage as well.
After reading through the information above, you now know a bit more about the dental implant process in Newport. Of course, because it involves major oral surgery, it’s completely normal to have a few concerns about the treatment before committing to it. For your convenience, our team at Newport Dental Associates has decided to answer some frequently asked questions below. If you don’t see the answers you’re looking for, feel free to give us a call today!
Before the procedure begins, your mouth will be numbed with a local anesthetic to ensure you’re completely comfortable. You’ll also likely receive dental sedation, which lowers your body’s ability to register pain. Although the surgery itself shouldn’t be painful, your mouth may feel sore for the next few days. Luckily, you can easily manage your discomfort by taking over-the-counter pain medication, using cold compresses, and diligently following your oral surgeon’s aftercare instructions. Don’t hesitate to give us a call if your symptoms worsen over time!
Even though it’s rare, dental implant failure can occur for one of the following two reasons:
Chronic teeth grinding, tobacco use, poor oral hygiene, and certain medications are a few other causes of dental implant failure. During your consultation, Dr. Baldelli will explain how you can minimize your risk of it happening.
For most people, the jawbone isn’t fully developed until they reach young adulthood. If dental implants are placed before the jaw is finished growing, it can affect further bone development, potentially resulting in complications down the line. Because of that, there’s a minimum age requirement of 18 at most dental practices. Most people don’t have fully developed jaws until their mid-20s. It’s worth noting that men’s jaws take longer to develop than women’s jaws.
As long as your diabetes is under control, your chances of dental implant success are comparable to those of nondiabetic patients. Otherwise, your conditions can delay the healing process, making it more difficult for your implants to fuse with the jawbone. If you’re diabetic and want to get dental implants, you should discuss it with your endocrinologist or primary care doctor beforehand.