Take Your Smile Back
Missing teeth can ruin your smile and seriously impact your oral health. A dental implant is a dental prosthesis, typically made of metal or porcelain, inserted into the jawbone to support a dental crown matched to the exact shape and color of surrounding teeth. The result is a synthetic tooth that looks and feels natural while maintaining as much stability and resilience as a natural tooth.
Unlike dentures or dental bridges, dental implants are permanent, so you don’t need to take them out to clean them– simply brush and floss your implants as you would your natural teeth!
“Should I Get a Dental Implant?”
Missing teeth impact more than your appearance. A full set of healthy teeth is crucial for chewing correctly, speaking clearly, and avoiding dental complications. Tooth gaps leave space for teeth to shift around, resulting in crowded or misaligned teeth that make proper oral hygiene impossible to maintain. Correcting misaligned teeth typically requires lengthy orthodontic treatments that may end up costing you more time and money than a dental implant in the long run.
For these reasons, our doctors at Guelph Family Dentistry recommend replacing your missing tooth as soon as possible.
The Benefits of Dental Implants
Natural Appearance
The material we use to create dental implants at Guelph Family Dentistry is as similar to natural teeth as you can find. Our implants not only look natural– they also feel natural. Clean and care for your dental implants as you do the rest of your natural teeth and they’ll maintain their natural-looking color and shape for years to come.
Strength and Durability
Dental implants are supported directly by the jaw bone, giving them exceptional stability and strength. With proper oral hygiene and maintenance, a dental implant should last up to 25 years.
Preservation of Face Shape
A full set of teeth is crucial for maintaining facial structure. Replacing missing teeth with dental implants helps restore the shape of your face, keeping you looking young and healthy.
The Different Types of Dental Implants
Single Tooth
The most common type of implant, the single tooth implant is used to replace one missing tooth. It is also possible to have several single tooth implants in a row.
Implant-Supported Dental Bridge
This is a great option for patients replacing three or more teeth at once. This method uses one or two single-tooth implants to support a dental bridge. Implant-supported dental bridges provide exceptional stability and convenience.
Implant Denture
Similar to an implant-supported dental bridge, an implant denture is a set of dentures supported by one or more single-tooth dental implants.
The Dental Implant Process
Consultation and Planning
To begin the dental implant process, you’ll first need to come to our office for a consultation. During this consultation, your doctor will check the health of your teeth and jaw to determine if you are a good candidate for the procedure. We use X-rays and imaging to plan the correct placement of the implants. Then your doctor will go over the timeline with you, letting you know what to expect from each step.
Implant Placement
The doctor will begin your dental implant placement by numbing your mouth with a local anesthetic to make sure you won’t feel a thing during surgery. Next, they’ll create a small hole in the site where the implant will go and, using a surgical guide, place the implant in the bone. The tissue is then closed over the top of the implant. Healing of the soft gum tissue at the surgical site usually takes only a couple of weeks. You shouldn’t feel any discomfort beyond a week after the placement.
Your New Tooth
Following the replacement, you’ll need to allow a few months for the jawbone to heal and fuse with the implant. This process is not painful, but it is necessary before placing your permanent crown. Once the bone has fused to the implant, your doctor will schedule an appointment to fit you for your new crown or bridge that matches the exact shape and color of your natural teeth. The doctor will attach an abutment to the implant, and then your new crown will be seated on the abutment. The day you have your new crown placed, you can start eating with it and brushing and flossing it, just as you would with a natural tooth!
Contact us today
to schedule an initial consultation & exam.
Your consultation will include an examination of everything from your teeth, gums and soft tissues to the shape and condition of your bite. Generally, we want to see how your whole mouth looks and functions. Before we plan your treatment we want to know everything about the health and aesthetic of your smile, and, most importantly, what you want to achieve so we can help you get there.
The Cost of a Dental Implant in Guelph
In Guelph, a single implant will cost approximately $3,000 – $6,000+. A full-mouth reconstruction using dental implants can vary widely, ranging from $6,000 to $60,000 and up. A full set of implant-supported dentures (upper and lower) is approximately $30,000. Keep in mind that this is an investment for life and for your health. We’ll make sure you know how to properly care for your implants so that you can preserve and enjoy your investment.
Here are some important factors we consider when creating your treatment plan:
- How many implants you need.
- What other treatment might be needed to make the site ready for surgery.
- The specific materials recommended for you.
- The complexity of the surgery.
- Your recovery time and any potential complications.
Every person and every case is unique! No dental practice can provide you with an exact quote without seeing you for an exam. The dental implant procedure is complex, and many factors go into determining the treatment plan. To get an accurate estimate of the cost of your dental implant, schedule a consultation with our Barton Dental office in Hamilton today.
Frequently Asked Questions
