Dental Implants — Melbourne, FL

Initial Dental Implant Consultation

The first step when it comes to restoring your smile is to schedule a consultation with us. At this time, we will take a look at your smile and surrounding facial structures. This will help us to determine whether dental implants are a good option for you and where and how they should be placed in the mouth. Some patients need to have preliminary procedures completed before getting dental implants, like bone grafting, gum disease treatment, and tooth extractions. After this, we can move forward to planning the rest of your treatment. During your consultation, we are also happy to walk you through the process so you know exactly what you can expect – including the timeline and cost.

Dental Implant Surgery

Dental implant placement surgery is relatively straightforward. After we numb your mouth with a local anesthetic, a small incision is made into the gum tissue to access your jawbone. The implants will then be placed at precise locations and angles. Lastly, your gums will be closed and protective caps will be placed over the dental implant posts to keep them safe during the healing process.

Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment Placement

Over the next 3 to 6 months, the fusion process will take place between the implant and jawbone. This process is called “osseointegration.” This allows for your implant to have a sturdy foundation so that your replacement teeth will stay firmly in place. Once this process has been completed, we can place a metal abutment on the end of your implant.

Delivery of Dental Implant Restorations

A few weeks after your abutment has been placed, your restoration should be ready. You can return to our office where you will receive your new crown, bridge, or dentures (depending on the number of teeth that you are replacing). At this point, we will make sure that your bite is comfortable, and you will be sent on your way to enjoy the benefits of your new and improved smile.

Day-to-Day Benefits

• Self-Stabilizing: You can eat the foods you love because your dental implants are firmly grounded in your jawbone. There’s no need to worry about difficulties chewing or biting down, and your prosthetics won’t fall out.
• Aesthetically Pleasing: Your customized restoration will be made from high-quality materials that blend into your natural smile, so you can feel confident about your appearance.
• Easy Maintenance: Your dental implants in Viera will be easy to maintain because they’ll act just like regular teeth! Simply brush and floss for a healthier smile.
• Better Quality of Life: Denture-wearers often complain about their appearance because they’re embarrassed by their prosthetics. Fortunately, with dental implants, you can enjoy life to its fullest and prepare to engage with family, friends, and colleagues without worrying about your smile.

Health Benefits

• Natural Teeth Remain Untouched: Dental bridges may require that your dentist alter your natural teeth since they will need to serve as anchors for your new bridge, but with dental implants, your existing, healthy teeth will remain unaltered and untouched.
• Bone Preservation: You don’t need to worry about sagging or facial collapse. When your implant dentist in Viera places your titanium posts, they will fuse with the bone over time and create a solid foundation. Not to mention, they will deliver stimulation to the bone each time you bite down or chew.
• Improved Overall Health: Your mouth and body are closely linked, and tooth loss is often the culprit for many systemic issues. With dental implants, you can lower your risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, and even osteoporosis.

Long-Term Benefits

• High Success Rate: You can expect a high success rate of around 95% upon initial placement of your dental implants. This can remain the same even after 10 years!
• Reliable: You’ll enjoy a smile that can last 30 years or more as long as you remain committed to taking proper care of your smile over the years.
• Money-Saver: Because dental implants are a big investment in the beginning, you’ll want to save money along the way. Fortunately, you can! Instead of buying special products and cleaners as you would with dentures or dental bridges, you can avoid these additional purchases because your implants won’t need them (i.e., denture cleaner, denture adhesives). Also, you won’t need to bother with adjustments or replacements every 5-10 years!

Who is a Good Candidate for Dental Implants?

Good candidates for dental implants are missing one or more teeth from the upper or lower arches. When meeting with your implant dentist in Viera to discuss your candidacy, he will evaluate three components to determine if you are healthy enough to proceed:

• Your oral health – Do you show any signs of tooth decay or gum disease? If so, you’ll need periodontal therapy, or if the decay is severe enough, these teeth may need to be removed.
• Your overall health – Do you suffer from any health conditions that might pose a risk of undergoing minor oral surgery?
• Your jawbone – Is your jawbone dense enough to adequately support your new dental implant posts?

Missing One Tooth

More than 120 million Americans are living with at least one missing tooth. This can pose a problem for anyone trying to eat or speak normally. However, patients who are missing only one tooth can benefit from an implant crown. There is no need to alter natural, healthy teeth, as our team will be focused solely on placing the implant in the vacated socket, which will be topped with a metal abutment and a custom-made dental crown.

Missing Multiple Teeth

If multiple, consecutive teeth are missing along an arch, an implant bridge can be put into place. Instead of being fixed over healthy teeth, the customized restoration will sit on top of two titanium posts that are surgically placed into the jawbone and create a solid foundation for a new and improved smile. This eliminates the need to alter existing teeth on either side of the gap, allowing for greater functionality (both real and artificial teeth).

Missing All Teeth

Dentures replace an entire arch of missing teeth, but many patients struggle to find a proper fit that is both comfortable and reliable. Traditional prosthetics can slip or slide around at the most inconvenient of times. Patients who are eligible for dental implants can now rejoice — implants can provide far superior stability for a complete or partial denture. What’s more, because they stabilize the jawbone and promote better oral health, implant dentures can also help you maintain your youthful facial structure for longer.

Learn More About Implant Dentures

All-on-4 is a method of securing a complete denture using as few as four dental implants in Viera. Thanks to the strategic placement of each individual implant, which helps to draw the maximum support from the jawbone, All-on-4 provides significant security for a complete denture in the upper or lower jaw. This treatment can actually be completed in a single day, which is why All-on-4 is often referred to as Teeth-In-A-Day.

Missing Teeth & Low Jawbone Density

When dental implants must be placed in areas where there is insufficient bone structure, or if there is a tight squeeze in the jawbone, mini dental implants can provide wonderful stability for tooth replacement. Just like the name implies, mini dental implants are very similar to the traditional type — just smaller. Because their placement is simpler, they are also a good option for patients who may not have been eligible for dental implants in the past.

Learn More About All-On-4 Implants

What’s the Cost of Dental Implants?

The cost of your dental implants will depend on a few factors, like whether or not you need to have a bone graft procedure to create the right environment and of course how many teeth need to be replaced. To find out how much your dental implant procedure will cost, schedule an appointment with our office. We will talk about everything you need to plan for and also provide tips for making dental implants more affordable.

Here are the factors that can influence the cost of your dental implant procedure.

• If you need to have a bone graft or other preparatory  procedure before dental implants, this will add to the total cost of the procedure.
• In general, the more teeth you are missing the more expensive it is to replace them with dental implants.
• Front teeth can be more expensive to replace than those in the back of the mouth because the procedure is more complex due to aesthetic considerations.
• Patients with metal sensitivities may require an alternative to titanium dental implants, which can cost more.

No matter the total cost of your dental implant procedure, you can feel confident knowing you are making a wise investment in your oral and overall health when you choose this comprehensive method. Nothing replaces teeth better than dental implants!

Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?

Even though dental implants are well-known as the most effective method of tooth replacement, they are still often not covered by dental insurance plans. Most insurance plans will require you to choose the least expensive alternative treatment (LEAT) option, which does not include dental implants. We will check your benefits to determine whether or not you can receive partial coverage. If so, we will be sure to help you maximize the savings.

Making Dental Implants Affordable with Flexible Financing

Even if your dental insurance does not cover dental implants in Viera, you can use CareCredit financing to make convenient payments on any medical or dental procedure. We are happy to accept this method of payment, which works like a credit card you swipe at the time of your appointment and then gradually pay off at the predetermined rate that works best for you. Many patients are able to make their dental implant procedure fit comfortably in the budget when they opt for CareCredit. To learn more or find out whether or not you are approved for this option, visit CareCredit today.

Make Oral Hygiene a Priority

Brushing and flossing become even more important once you’ve made an investment in dental implants. While your new teeth won’t be in any danger from cavities, they will be depending on the tissue in your gums and jawbone to hold them in place. When bad bacteria in your mouth attack these tissues, they weaken them and eventually cause them to break down, eventually leading to implant failure. A good oral hygiene routine will stop harmful bacteria from accumulating, thus keeping your implants safe.

Eat a Healthy Diet

Sugary and starchy foods are infamously bad for your teeth and gums, and the same holds true for your dental implants. A diet that’s high in candy, chips, and sweets raises your risk for gum disease, which in turn makes implants more likely to fail. It’s okay to treat yourself every once in a while, but for the most part, you should trade in sugar and starch for fruits, vegetables, dairy, and other foods that are rich in nutrients that can contribute to a healthier grin.

Break Bad Habits

There are several seemingly innocent habits that can end up doing serious harm to your dental implants as well as your natural teeth. Chewing on pen tips, eating ice, opening packages with your mouth, and biting your nails may seem harmless at first, but the stress they put on your dental implants can build up. The sooner you break these habits, the better off your smile will be. Sometimes you can replace a bad habit with one that’s gentler on your teeth and implants, like chewing gum.

Protect Your Dental Implants

It’s common sense to make sure your smile is protected from sudden blows to the mouth or face while playing sports. When you have dental implants to protect, such precautions are all the more vital. We can provide you with a customized mouthguard that offers better protection than what you would get from a store-bought appliance. Mouthguards can also be worn at night in order to protect your implant from the forces of unconscious clenching and grinding.

Schedule Regular Dental Checkups

One of the most important steps for dental implant care in Viera is to visit your implant dentist every six months. Dental implant problems often start small and easily treatable, and if we catch them at this stage, we can fix them before any more time-consuming and costly intervention is needed.

What to Do Directly After a Dental Implants Surgery

You may not be looking forward to the procedure itself, but when you take all the right steps, you can make the healing process quick and tolerable. Your biggest priority should be to leave the forming blood clot untouched so the healing will occur smoothly. Be sure that you:

• Avoid spitting. Instead, swallow your saliva or use tissues.
• Don’t use straws to drink.
• Keep your tongue (and fingers) away from the surgical site.

Common Side-Effects When Recovering from Dental Implant Placement

It’s normal to experience some side effects in the first few days after getting your dental implants, but they are generally pretty mild. Here are some of the most common ones:

• Bleeding: Intermittent bleeding is normal right after surgery. This can be lessened with the use of gauze and light pressure. This should subside after just a few days.
• Swelling: Swelling is often present for the first 72 hours after surgery, but sometimes it can last over a week. Cold compresses can help to reduce this.
• Soreness: It’s normal for the area to feel sore for a few days, but this can be managed by taking pain relievers as directed.

All of these side effects should be temporary, but if they become extreme or persist, give us a call.

Your Diet After Dental Implant Surgery

It is important that you are mindful of what you are eating after your procedure. Here are some soft foods that you should stock up on ahead of time:

• Mashed potatoes
• Yogurt
• Ice cream
• Pudding
• Soup
• Scrambled eggs
• Pasta

Once discomfort subsides, you can switch back to your normal diet. Just remember that you should avoid chewing directly on the implant site. You want to give your implant the best possible chance of success.

Post-Op Health & Oral Hygiene

It is crucial that you keep your smile clean after your surgery. This way, the implants will be better able to integrate with your jawbone. Here are a few helpful tips:

• Brush your teeth the day after your surgery but be especially careful near the surgical site.
• Rinse your mouth with saltwater.
• Use your prescription mouth rinse if you were provided with one.
• Stay away from mouthwashes that contain high levels of alcohol.

What to Do After Your New Teeth Are Attached

Once your smile has finished healing and your dental implants have fused to your jaw, you have finished the difficult part. When your dental crown, bridge, or denture is attached to the implant(s), you may experience sensitivity, but this is easy to control with over-the-counter pain relievers, and it is temporary. You shouldn’t experience any bleeding, inflammation, or extensive recovery.

Does the Process of Getting Dental Implants Hurt?

The benefits of dental implants are undeniable, but many patients are hesitant to commit because they are worried that the procedure will be painful. So, if you’re in the same boat, you’re certainly not alone. Fortunately, the procedure and recovery are a breeze thanks to local anesthesia, our experienced team, and aftercare best practices. In short, not only will we make certain you are completely relaxed during the procedure, but we will go above and beyond to ensure your recovery experience is equally as comfortable.

What Is the Success Rate of Dental Implants?

Currently, dental implants hold an impressive 95% success rate! We have a few things to thank for that phenomenal statistic. First, the high-quality materials that replace the tooth from the root to the crown. Second, advancements in technology and dentistry (after all, seashells and animal bones were once used!). Third, a thorough screening process to ensure patients have healthy gums and adequate bone density to support dental implants in the short and long term. Without these measures, dental implants wouldn’t be the world-class tooth-replacement solution it is today.