If you have a missing tooth or multiple missing teeth, you may find yourself covering your smile when you laugh. In some cases, you may even have difficulty forming specific words or chewing food sufficiently for digestion.
Besides these daily struggles, tooth loss leaves you vulnerable to the following oral health issues:
- Additional Missing Teeth Due to Wear and Tear
- Jawbone Loss and Deterioration Due to Absent Tooth Roots
- Tooth Migration Due to Open Spaces in Your Smile
Fortunately, your dentist in Columbus, OH, can assess your tooth loss and help find a solution, such as dental implants, which are still he gold standard.
What Are Dental Implants?
Dental implants replace lost tooth roots, making them different (and superior) to other tooth replacement options. These replacement roots fuse with your jawbone and provide a stable foundation for replacement teeth (dental crowns or fixed prosthetics).
Modern implant dentistry means more solutions than ever before. For example, we can replace a single missing tooth or, using up to six dental implants, replace an entire arch of missing teeth with an implant-supported denture.
The Dental Implant Process in Steps
Step #1: Initial Consultation and Evaluation
Your dental implant consultation and evaluation is an opportunity to meet with the dentist and determine your candidacy for dental implants. This visit includes a careful exam, questions about your smile goals, and sometimes x-rays. We also reserve time to answer your questions.
You may be a candidate from the beginning, require pretreatments first, or the dentist may recommend an alternative tooth replacement solution, such as a fixed dental bridge, if implants are not suitable.
If you need pretreatment, it may involve bone grafting to restore your jaw's health and integrity. This allows the implant to integrate successfully.
Step #2: Treatment Planning
If you’re a suitable candidate for dental implants in Columbus, OH, your dentist will plan your treatment. This may include pretreatments, such as gum grafts or sinus lifts, as needed.
We also use image-guided technology to ensure precise dental implant placement.
Step #3: Implant Placement Surgery
On implant surgery day, your dentist takes special measures to ensure the treatment site is numb. You may feel pressure during placement, but you should not feel pain.
After implant placement, the dentist sends you home with aftercare instructions that promote healing and implant integration. It’s essential to follow these instructions and call us if you have questions or concerns.
Step #4: Healing and Osseointegration Phase
For a few days following implant placement, you may notice minor swelling and discomfort. Typically, an over-the-counter pain reliever is all you’ll need. This swelling and discomfort subside within a few days or a week.
Osseointegration (or implants integrating into the jawbone) is not painful. In fact, it happens without your awareness. But as the weeks go by, the implant is fusing with the bone in preparation for your new tooth or prosthetic.
When integration finishes, you come in for the final phase of your dental implant journey.
Step #5: Abutment and Restoration
After osseointegration, your dentist places an abutment (connector) to the implant and then caps it with a dental crown. For implant-supported dentures, we typically implant six or fewer posts to secure your new smile.
After restoration, you’re free to enjoy your new smile, eat your favorite foods again, and live your best life.
Dental Implant Aftercare for Long-Term Success
Dental implants don’t require special aftercare, but it’s vital to maintain excellent oral hygiene and regular dental care to avoid conditions like gum disease and infections, which can lead to implant failure and compromise your health.
- Brush and floss at least twice daily.
- See your dentist every six months.
- Follow all instructions provided by your dentist.
- Report all oral health changes as soon as possible.
Remember, you treat your dental implants just like natural teeth. There are no kits or adhesives to purchase, and you never have to visit us for relines and adjustments.
With healthy habits, your dental implants should last for decades or even a lifetime. Even if we replace the restoration or prosthetic in the future, the underlying implant should still be viable.
Dental Implant Financing Options
We are in-network with some dental insurance plans. While they may not cover dental implants, they may cover pretreatments such as tooth extraction for a damaged tooth. Additionally, we accept a wide range of financing options through third-party entities, such as:
- Cherry Financing
- Proceed Finance
- CareCredit
- Sunbit
Each of these lenders works differently, but some offer interest-free financing to help you get the treatments you want or need. A dental team member can help you apply, and decisions are typically prompt.
Your dentist can also schedule treatment on a timeline that better fits your budget and lifestyle.
Are You Looking for a Dental Implant Dentist in Columbus, OH?
The team at Clintonville Dental Group are thrilled to help you restore your smile. For more information about tooth replacement, including dental implants, or to book a consultation with the dentist, call us today at (614) 261-7210.
Remember to ask us about our Clintonville Dental Group Membership Plan.