Dental Implants – Corpus Christi, TX

Initial Dental Implant Consultation

Firstly, we’ll begin your treatment process by discussing your oral health and dental needs during an initial consultation. Our team will assess your smile and determine the proper steps for rebuilding your missing teeth, including which kind of restoration would be best to renew your grin.

We’ll also want to ensure that you’re free of any underlying complications, such as decay or gum disease, that way you’re at a far lower risk of implant failure later on. If necessary, we’ll provide preliminary services like gum disease treatment, bone grafting, or tooth extractions to prepare you for your procedure.

Dental Implant Surgery

Our team can complete the entire dental implant process in the office, so you won’t have to travel across town to receive the treatment you need. At the start of your appointment, we’ll provide you with a local anesthetic so that you don’t feel any pain during the surgery. We might even offer sedation dentistry so that you can enjoy optimal comfort and relaxation.

Once you’re safe and ready, we’ll make an incision in your gums to access the jawbone locations where we’ll place your dental implants. Afterward, your dentist will suture the gums closed around the posts and place protective caps over them to keep them safe while you heal.

Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment

You’ll typically need to spend three to six months recovering from your dental implant surgery. This is especially necessary for osseointegration to occur—the process of the titanium posts fusing with the jawbone. Once this is properly completed, you’ll return to our office to have your abutments placed, which are small metal connector pieces that link your restoration to your implants. You’ll need to take several weeks to allow your gums to heal from this stage of the process.

Delivery of Dental Implant Restoration(s)

After your gums are recovered, you’ll return to our office to receive your final restorations. Depending on your treatment plan, you’ll receive either a dental crown, bridge, or denture atop your dental implant(s). Our team will then confirm that your bite is correct and comfortable and that you’re satisfied with your results before sending you on your way to show off your new and full smile!

Day-to-Day Benefits

Once the final restoration has been placed on your dental implants, you can look forward to the following improvements in your day-to-day life:

• A Boost in Self-Esteem: Not only will your dental implants closely resemble your natural teeth, but there’s no chance of them slipping at inopportune moments. You will once again have a complete, dazzling smile that you can show off without hesitation.
• A More Varied Diet: Dental implants provide chewing power that is comparable to that of your natural teeth. As a result, you will be able to eat virtually anything you want, including foods that are often difficult for traditional denture-wearers to handle.
• An Easier Oral Hygiene Routine: Taking care of dental implants isn’t that much different than taking care of your natural teeth. As such, there’s no need to learn any complex new cleaning techniques to keep your smile safe.
• Clearer Speech: Denture-wearers often have trouble speaking clearly due to their prostheses slipping when they don’t want them to. Dental implants will help make sure that your new teeth stay secure so that you can continue to speak clearly no matter the situation.

Health Benefits

 

 

There are several health benefits to choosing dental implants to fill in the empty space in your smile:

• Prevention of Bone Loss: Your teeth normally stimulate the jawbone to help it maintain its strength. Consequently, when teeth are missing, bone resorption can occur. Fortunately, dental implants can provide the necessary stimulation to the jaw in order to put a stop to bone loss.
• Prevention of Dental Drift: Teeth have a tendency to drift toward open space. As such, when there’s a gap in your smile, your remaining teeth may gradually start to move out of alignment. You can avoid dental drift by having the empty space filled with a dental implant.
• Better Nutrition: An incomplete smile can severely limit your ability to eat a varied diet. But since dental implants allow you to enjoy all kinds of foods, they can make it that much easier to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Long-Term Benefits

The short-term advantages of dental implants will make themselves known relatively quickly, but the treatment also has a number of important long-term benefits that are worth considering:

• Prevention of Facial Collapse: The bone loss associated with missing teeth can eventually lead to a sunken facial appearance. Dental implants can help you avoid facial collapse so that you can maintain a more youthful look.
• High Rate of Success: The success rate of dental implants is as high as 95%, making it a tooth replacement option that you can count on.
• Longevity: Dental implants don’t have to be replaced as often as traditional dentures and bridges. They may even last the rest of your life if you take the right steps in caring for them.

Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery

Any preliminary treatments that you need before you can get dental implants, like gum disease therapy, tooth extractions, and bone grafting, will contribute to the overall cost. For many patients, these treatments are necessary to ensure that the dental implants are successful. Preliminary treatments are sometimes covered by dental insurance, so this is something that you should double-check with your provider. Since we conveniently provide the entire treatment under one roof, you won’t need to worry about working with an outside surgeon and needing to pay for the implant placement separately.

The Parts of Your Dental Implant

These are the main factors that will contribute to the cost of your dental implants:

• Number of dental implants: Depending on the number of your teeth that you need to have replaced and where they are located in the mouth, you will need more or fewer implants. The more implants you need, the higher the cost will be.

• Type of restoration: Crowns, bridges, and dentures all have different costs. Usually, the smaller the restoration, the lower the cost.
• Size or material: Implants can be made out of zirconia or titanium. These materials are at different price points.
• Brand of dental implant: Dental implants come from many different manufacturers. This can influence their cost.

How Dental Implants Can Save You Money

It can be tempting for patients to try to save money by opting for bridges or dentures instead, but dental implants have benefits that you can’t get from other tooth replacement options. They can even help you save money in the long run. You won’t need to worry about paying for replacements every 5 to 7 years either like you would for dentures, and there’s no need to stock up on adhesives or soaking solutions. They can also help you to avoid oral health issues, like gum disease, misalignment issues, and tooth decay, that require costly treatments over time.

Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?

A lot of the time, dental insurance plans don’t cover the cost of dental implants, but there are some exceptions. Parts of the final or preliminary treatments are often covered. Our team will gladly work with you to help you understand what is and isn’t covered before your treatment begins. This way, we can help you fully maximize your coverage.

Making Dental Implants Affordable

If you don’t have dental insurance, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re completely out of luck. We work with CareCredit – a third-party financing company that can split the cost of your treatment into manageable monthly installments with little to no interest. To learn more about your financial options, talk to one of our friendly team members.

What to Do Directly After Dental Implant Surgery

Following your procedure, you’ll want to get plenty of rest so as not to hinder your body’s healing process. Some patients are able to return to work the very next day, but if your job involves physical labor, you should ideally take two or three days to recover.

During this period, one of your top priorities should be to protect the blood clots that are forming over the implant sites. You can do this by:

• Not using tobacco for at least three days (or a week if possible).
• Avoiding drinking through a straw.
• Trying not to use too much force when spitting or rinsing your mouth.
• Refraining from touching the surgical site with your fingers or tongue.

Common Side Effects

For a few days after getting dental implants in Corpus Christi, you can typically expect these side effects:

• Swelling – It’s normal for the area near the implant site to swell up, but this should subside after three to seven days. Cold compresses can help greatly.
• Intermittent bleeding – We’ll show you how and when to change the gauze pads after your procedure to slow the bleeding. Most of it should pass after the first day or so, but the site may bleed occasionally for the next two to three days.
• Soreness – The area where the implant was placed will probably be sore for the next several days. Make sure to take your prescribed or over-the-counter pain medication as directed.

Diet

At first, you should only eat foods that don’t require chewing, such as mashed potatoes, pudding, yogurt, and ice cream. As your mouth heals and you grow more comfortable chewing, you can start to add slightly heartier foods to your diet, such as meatloaf and scrambled eggs. Once you’ve worked up to your pre-surgery diet, still be careful not to chew directly at the implant site.

Health & Oral Hygiene

As with any oral surgery, proper hygiene is crucial after dental implant placement. Most patients should be able to brush and floss as normal, but take care to avoid the surgical site. We may prescribe you an antibacterial mouth rinse to use during your recovery. Be sure to use it as instructed, and do NOT spit it out too forcefully.

What to Do After Your New Teeth Are Attached

After your implant dentist in Corpus Christi has secured your crown, bridge, or denture onto your implants, your new smile is complete! You might experience some sensitivity in your gums for a day or two, but this should be mild and temporary.

Make Oral Hygiene a Priority

You need to ensure you’re following the recommended brushing, flossing, and rinsing routine to keep your oral health in tip-top shape. Although dental implants are not susceptible to cavities like natural teeth, they can still be affected by nearby decay and gum disease. By brushing twice a day for two minutes, flossing at least once before bedtime, and using an ADA-approved mouthwash, you can effectively eliminate harmful bacteria that lead to gingivitis and reduce the likelihood of decay.

Eat a Healthy Diet

Incorporating nutritious foods into your daily eating habits is vital. While an occasional treat like a cookie or slice of pie is fine, they shouldn't be a staple in your regular diet. Overconsumption of these sweets increases the risk of cavities and gum disease. Instead, you should opt for fruits and vegetables, which can naturally clean teeth. Additionally, include leafy greens, lean proteins, and low-fat dairy to strengthen tooth enamel and enhance gum health.

Break Bad Habits

Breaking unhealthy lifestyle habits can be challenging, but it's essential to make the effort. Dental implants are a significant investment, so why engage in behaviors that can cause substantial harm? Smoking, nail-biting, using teeth as tools, chewing ice, or stressing by chewing pens and pencils can all result in emergency dental visits if not cautious. Abandoning these habits will protect both your dental implants and natural teeth from damage.

Protect Your Dental Implants

If you play sports or suffer from chronic teeth grinding (bruxism), having an oral appliance is essential to protect your smile from potential injuries. A properly fitted mouthguard will relieve unnecessary pressure on your jaw joints and facial muscles, minimizing enamel wear and tear. Additionally, it acts as a cushion against impacts from hard hits, falls, or flying objects that may affect your teeth and gums.

Schedule Regular Dental Checkups

Routine checkups and cleanings every six months are crucial, regardless of the number of teeth replaced with dental implants. These appointments allow our team to carefully examine your oral cavity and prosthetics for any indications of decay, disease, or impairment. Catching these issues at an early stage enables us to offer prompt treatment, reducing the risk of implant failure in the future. Furthermore, we'll ensure you receive the necessary information and advice to maintain your natural and artificial teeth.