Dental Implants Arlington
The #1 Choice for Replacing Missing Teeth
Dental implants in Arlington make it possible for our team to restore one, multiple, or an entire arch of missing teeth. Dr. Gray partners with local specialists for the surgical placement of dental implant posts for optimal results. The results are replacement teeth that not only look real, but feel completely natural, as they’re able to restore the entire structure of your missing teeth, from the roots to the biting surface. To learn more about this treatment and whether you’re a good candidate, schedule a consultation today.
Why Choose James T. Gray, DDS for Dental Implants?
- We Partner with Local Experts for the Best Results
- Additional Financing Available Through CareCredit
- Dentist with Full Mouth Reconstruction Training
What Are Dental Implants?
Dental implants are small titanium posts that are surgically placed within the jawbone beneath the gumline. They’re designed to restore the root structure of missing teeth, allowing you to enjoy restorations that look and feel natural. They’re made from biocompatible materials like titanium that are able to naturally fuse with the jawbone through a process called osseointegration, providing a variety of health benefits.
The 4-Step Dental Implant Process
The process of getting dental implants is more complex than that of traditional restorations, meaning things will take several months longer. That said, when you consider that dental implants have the potential to last a lifetime, the wait is a small price to pay! While every case is a little bit different, the whole process can often be categorized into four main steps. Here’s a closer look at each of them so you can know what to expect when you restore your smile.
Initial Dental Implant Consultation
The first step on your journey to rebuilding your smile is meeting with Dr. Gray for a consultation. During this appointment, he will carefully examine your smile, taking detailed X-rays and noting the extent of your tooth loss. He’ll be able to quickly determine if dental implants are an ideal solution for you; patients who are in decent oral health and have sufficient jawbone density are normally good candidates. Before you leave, Dr. Gray will outline your entire treatment plan and timeline with you, making sure all of your questions are answered before the next step.
Dental Implant Surgery
Once you’ve decided to move forward with getting dental implants, our team will help you schedule your procedure. Our practice is proudly partnered with some of the best, locally renowned dental implant experts in the metroplex, ensuring that your implants are placed precisely how they need to be. As for the surgery, it’s a surprisingly straightforward process: each implant is placed directly into the jawbone after small incisions are made in the gum tissue. Normally, a protective cap is placed over them to shield them and maintain the shape of your gums throughout the healing process.
Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment
Following your dental implant surgery, your mouth will need a few months to heal – and this is perhaps the most important part of the whole process. Your implant posts will need time to fuse with your bone tissue through a process called osseointegration; this ultimately ensures that the posts are sturdy enough to act as replacement tooth roots and fully support your dental restorations. Once your mouth has fully healed, you’ll be able to receive your abutments, which go on top of the implant posts and secure the custom-made prosthetic.
Delivery of Dental Implant Restoration(s)
After the healing period, you’ll finally be able to receive your custom-made dental restorations. Dr. Gray will take a physical impression or digital scan for the dental lab to create this new set of teeth, and a crown, bridge, or type of denture can be milled by skilled technicians. It usually takes a few weeks for the lab to create your replacement teeth, which will look, feel, and function as closely to your original teeth as possible.
Partnering with Local Specialists for Surgical Placement
Dr. Gray has helped numerous patients achieve fully restored smiles with the help of dental implants and partners with trusted local specialists to place them. Once you are approved and cleared for treatment, Dr. Gray will refer you to an oral surgeon we partner with for the careful placement of each implant into the appropriate areas of your jawbone.
Benefits of Dental Implants
Patients who are considering dental implants in Arlington will want to know why they are a superior choice over other, more traditional tooth replacement solutions. Some of the most identifiable benefits include:
- Improved aesthetics and boosted confidence
- Better oral health because of the continuous stimulation to the jawbone
- Ease of maintenance
- A restoration that is designed to last decades or longer
- A natural-looking solution that offers full restoration of your smile
- Greater stability and fully restored functionality
Indications for Dental Implants
If you are looking for a versatile solution, dental implants are the desired method of treatment. Not only can they replace one missing tooth, but they can also restore your smile if you are missing multiple or all of your teeth.
Missing One Tooth
To replace a single missing tooth, a dental crown is attached to one dental implant post. Sometimes, two consecutive teeth can also be replaced with a single implant post by fusing two crowns and anchoring them to the implant.
Missing Multiple Teeth
For three or four consecutive missing teeth, our team will need to attach a series of fused dental crowns, known as a bridge, to two dental implant posts, one on each end. This will give you the completed smile you deserve without requiring additional implants to hold the bridge in place.
Missing All Teeth
When patients have more extensive tooth loss, an implant denture may be recommended. We’ll use partials to fill gaps in patients’ smiles, and full dentures to replace an entire arch of missing teeth. Like their traditional, removable counterparts, these dentures are crafted by molding a gum-colored base that fits between remaining teeth or against the gum line and supports replacement teeth. Rather than being anchored by clasps connected to surrounding teeth or suction between the denture and gums, these prosthetics are attached to between four and six implant posts.
All-on-4 / Hybrid Dentures
Patients interested in an implant denture who may not have adequate jawbone density to support a traditional implant denture may still be candidates for All-on-4 dentures. These dentures are supported on just four implant posts. All-on-4 utilizes the denser part of the jawbone at the front of the mouth to provide support for all four implants rather than spreading them over the length of the jaw. During a coordinated appointment with a local oral surgeon, two of the implant posts are positioned vertically, and the other two are inserted diagonally from the back of the mouth to the front. This provides support for the whole denture that is immediately placed on top.
Understanding the Cost of Dental Implants
Dental implants are one of the costlier tooth replacement options available; however, when comparing their benefits to those of other solutions, it is easy to conclude that choosing dental implants will be much more cost-effective in the long run. While most dental insurance companies do not offer coverage for implant placement, there may be other aspects of treatment that they will cover, such as your initial consultation or custom-made restoration.
No matter if insurance covers any or all of your procedure, Dr. Gray’s team will be happy to assist in helping to make your remaining out-of-pocket expenses more manageable. You may choose to pay in the form of cash, credit, or personal checks, or if you are having difficulty paying for the remaining cost, we are happy to be a partner with CareCredit, which offers a short term, no-interest financing plan or extended financing plans up to 60 months with interest.
Dental Implant FAQs
Are Dental Implants Safe?
When placed by a trusted professional, dental implants are 100 percent safe, both in the short- and long-term. While Dr. Gray himself does not place the implants in-office, he works with trusted oral surgeons who are experts in the field with many years of experience. Since implants became popular over 50 years ago, dentists and researchers have found more ways to place them effectively and safely. Clinical studies have also shown dental implants have a success rate as high as 98 percent, even after 10 years!
How Long Does the Dental Implant Process Take?
Treatment time can widely vary depending on the person. For example, those who need bone grafts are going to have a longer treatment time as their newly donated bone heals. The overall process can take as little as a few months to as long as one year, depending on your medical and dental history, the health of your supporting jaw, and the materials and techniques used.
Will Dental Implants Feel Like Natural Teeth?
Not only will your teeth look natural thanks to Dr. Gray’s sophisticated implant restorations, but they’ll also feel secure and natural. Eating foods like apples, steak, corn on the cob, and many other chewy and tough foods will be easy again. As long as you keep up with oral care habits and visit Dr. Gray regularly for exams and cleanings, there’s no reason to worry.
Keep in mind that not all implant restorations are created equal, which is why we recommend visiting Dr. Gray for the most aesthetically pleasing restorations in the Arlington area.
How Do I Care for Dental Implants?
While dental implants require the same maintenance compared to natural teeth, it’s important that you avoid using tobacco products. This is especially important during the healing stages, either after receiving a bone graft or after the initial implant placement. Brush for at least two minutes at a time with fluoride toothpaste and floss daily, especially around the implant. The restoration itself cannot develop decay, but plaque can still harm the surrounding gum tissue holding it in place.
How Long Will Dental Implants Last?
With proper care, dental implants can last anywhere from 25 years to a lifetime. Thanks to the integration with natural bone, they can withstand daily use without the worry of shifting or becoming loose. Just make sure to keep your gums healthy, as gum disease is the number-one leading cause of tooth loss in adults.
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