Dental Implants – Warsaw, IN

Make Oral Hygiene a Priority

True, dental implants themselves can’t get cavities. They’re artificial, made of titanium and porcelain. Even so, they still require that you maintain good oral hygiene.

 

You see, the teeth and gums around your implants are still at risk. Should they suffer from a tooth infection or gum disease, your prosthetics could loosen or fail to fuse. From there, you’d have to replace them with new ones – an expensive and involved process.

 

Given these facts, it’s crucial that you clean your implants often. More specifically, remember to brush them twice daily, floss them once daily, and rinse them with mouthwash.

 

Eat a Healthy Diet

Implants let you eat a wide range of foods. After all, they restore your bite force and act similarly to natural teeth. That said, you’re better off maintaining a healthier diet.

 

The simple fact is that some foods don’t go well with implants. Hard items –pretzels, nuts, jawbreakers, etc. – can chip or crack them. On the other hand, sticky or sugary stuff can decay surrounding teeth and wedge between implants.

 

Meanwhile, a “mouth-healthy” diet benefits your implants. Dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese have calcium, strengthening your jawbone. Similarly, leafy green veggies have folic acid and other vitamins that help to prevent gum disease.

 

Break Bad Habits

If you’re not careful, bad oral habits can cause your implants to fail. Therefore, try to stop as many of them as you can.

 

For instance, refrain from using tobacco products. These items slow recovery from implant placement and encourage gum disease. As those effects occur, your implants are less likely to fuse correctly.

 

Chewing on hard objects – ice, fingernails, packaging, etc. – is also a bad idea. If you do, you’ll end up damaging your implants.

 

Protect Your Dental Implants

Yes, implants are durable – their titanium bases and porcelain surfaces ensure that. However, they aren’t indestructible or unbreakable. So, you’ll need to protect them from forces that might cause chips or cracks.

 

Your best bet is to wear a custom mouthguard. In sporting events, this tool would prevent dental injuries. As for nightly tooth-grinding, a special mouthguard for sleep could keep your implants safe.

Schedule Regular Dental Checkups

Lastly, good implant care involves regular dental checkups. Attending these visits every six months ensures your restorations work consistently.

 

At any given checkup, a dentist can monitor your oral health and spot issues early. Therefore, frequent ones allow a dental practice to treat problems before they threaten your implants.

Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery

You may need preliminary treatments before implant surgery. (For example, Dr. Rudolph may suggest gum disease therapy, tooth extraction, or bone grafts.) If so, these services would add to your overall expense. That said, these extra procedures would ensure your new smile’s long-term success. Furthermore, many dental plans partially cover them.

At the same time, surgery incurs its own cost. Your final bill will depend on where the implants are placed, what kind of sedation or anesthesia you need, etc. Fortunately, our team performs the placement in-office — you won’t have to worry about paying an outside surgeon.

The Parts of Your Dental Implant

Even the implants themselves will impact your treatment estimate. As such, you’ll want to take the following into account:

• Implant Brand: Different manufacturers make implants differently. Therefore, how much you pay depends on which brand you get.
• Implant Number: The more implants you get, the higher the treatment cost.
• Implants’ Size or Material: Longer implants are more expensive than shorter ones. Similarly, zirconia implants are pricier than titanium models.

How Dental Implants Can Save You Money

True enough, dentures and bridges have a lower initial price. However, dental implants’ one-time cost saves you more money in the long run. After all, implants don’t need replacing or adjusting every 5-10 years as dentures and bridges do. They also don’t require that you buy special pastes, cleaning solutions, or adhesives. Best of all, implants are easy to clean and don’t irritate your mouth, preventing costly problems like gum disease, tooth decay, and jawbone loss. Studies even show that good oral health lowers your risk of systemic issues and the costs of addressing them.

Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?

In general, dental insurance doesn’t cover dental implants. Most providers consider them purely cosmetic and thus not medically necessary.

On the other hand, there are exceptions. For example, a policy might offer partial coverage for implants or preliminary treatments. For that reason, our team will review your dental plan to ensure you maximize your benefits. You can trust that we’ll deliver, as we have years of experience in this field.

Making Dental Implants Affordable

Even without insurance, there are ways to make implants affordable. Consider the following options from us at East Center Dental:

• In-House Membership Plan: For a low monthly fee, our office offers discounts on a variety of procedures — including dental implants!
• CareCredit Financing: With the third-party service CareCredit, you can pay for dental treatment with monthly, low-interest installments. That way, you could cover the cost over time instead of all at once.

How Long Do Dental Implants Last?

Dental implants are one of the most permanent solutions for missing teeth, capable of lasting well over 30 years. Of course, their exact lifespan depends heavily on your oral health and lifestyle. You can help your upgraded smile’s durability by brushing twice a day along with daily flossing and rinsing with an ADA-approved mouthwash. Make sure you visit Dr. Rudolph every six months for a checkup and cleaning as well!

Does Getting Dental Implants Hurt?

Before the procedure begins, we will numb your mouth with a local anesthetic to ensure you’re completely comfortable. You’ll also most likely be sedated during your surgery which means your body’s ability to register pain will be much lower. For the first few days following dental implant placement, your mouth may feel sore and irritated. Fortunately, you can easily manage your discomfort by taking over-the-counter pain medication and using cold compresses.

How Long Does It Take to Recover from Dental Implant Surgery?

Most patients can return to their usual activities the day after surgery. However, it’s incredibly important you avoid strenuous exercise for the first 1-2 weeks as it can hinder the healing process. Although you can expect some bleeding and swelling after your procedure, it should stop within 3-4 days. While you recover, make sure you take your prescribed or over-the-counter pain medication as directed. It’s worth noting you may need up to six months for the implants to fuse with your jawbone via osseointegration.

Will People Be Able to Tell That I Have Dental Implants?

Your restorations are going to be personalized for your smile because your implant dentist in Warsaw takes impressions of your mouth to create them. Once they are placed, people shouldn’t be able to tell the difference between them and your natural teeth. The implants are secured in your jaw like tooth roots, so you won’t need to hold your jaw in an awkward way to keep them in place as you might with poorly fitting dentures. The combination of natural appearance and secure fit is unmatched!