Grapevine, TX 76051
(817) 481-1041
Dental Implants – Grapevine, TX
Replace Any Number of Missing Teeth
Replacing missing teeth is essential to maintain overall oral health. Patients who lose a single tooth and do not replace it are more likely to experience additional tooth loss. At Smiles by Martin, Dr. Greg Martin and the rest of our skilled team often recommend dental implant supported tooth replacement solutions. These are the only repair options that restore the entire lost dental structure both roots and crowns for optimal comfort and support. If you’re missing one or more teeth and would like to explore your tooth replacement options, contact Smiles by Martin to schedule a consultation to discuss dental implants in Grapevine, TX. Our dental office team is happy to treat patients from Flower Mound and other nearby communities.
Why Choose Smiles by Martin for Dental Implants?
- Partnered with Local Dental Implant Experts
- Dentist with Nearly 20 Years of Experience
- Flexible Financing Options Available
What Are Dental Implants?
Dental implants are quickly becoming the most popular way to replace missing teeth, and once you learn a little bit about them, it’s not hard to see why. A dental implant is a small titanium post that is inserted into the jawbone to act as a replacement root for a lost tooth. Within three to six months, the jawbone actually grows around the implant until they are essentially the same structure. Then, a metal fixture called an abutment is placed atop the implant. The abutment will secure your custom-made crown, bridge, or denture (your restoration) into place.
Other tooth replacements, like dentures and bridges, just sit on top of the gums, but dental implants go one step further by replacing the tooth’s root as well as its visible crown. This allows them to look, feel, and function almost exactly like your original teeth. That’s why Dr. Martin recommends dental implants to the majority of eligible patients.
The 4-Step Dental Implant Process
One of the biggest reasons that dental implants are incredibly successful is due to the multiple steps involved to ensure they can look and function as natural teeth. Our team will thoroughly evaluate your oral health and situation while working closely with a trusted local specialist so that we can make sure you get the best possible results for a brand-new smile. Until then, here are the various stages of the dental implant process and what you can expect.
Initial Dental Implant Consultation
You’ll first undergo an initial consultation with Dr. Martin so that he can assess your mouth and oral health. While you might be missing teeth and can benefit from dental implants, our team will need to ensure you’re free of any underlying problems that can risk treatment failure, such as periodontal disease and decay. Some patients may require preliminary services like bone grafting, gum disease treatment, or tooth extractions to prepare their mouth. Once any potential complications have been addressed and we determine that dental implants are a viable solution for you, you’ll move on to the surgical procedure.
Dental Implant Surgery
Dr. Martin will work alongside one of our trusted local surgeons to ensure that your implant placement surgery goes smoothly and efficiently. During the procedure, your team will first use a local anesthetic to numb the areas of your mouth that they’ll be placing the metal posts in. You might even receive sedation dentistry to further minimize discomfort as well as to help you remain as relaxed as possible.
Once you’re comfortable, your surgeon will make tiny incisions in the gum line to reach the jawbone where they’ll place the dental implants. Then, they’ll suture the gums closed around the posts before placing protective caps on them to keep them safe while you heal.
Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment
The next portion of the treatment will take three to six months to complete due to osseointegration. This is the essential process where the dental implants fuse with your jawbone and become one with your facial structure. Once completed, you’ll have the stability needed to support your restorations for many years to come. After you’ve recovered properly, you’ll return to our office to have your abutments placed—small metal connector pieces that are designed to link your restoration/prosthetic to your implants.
Delivery of Dental Implant Restoration(s)
You might require some time for your gums to heal after getting your abutments. Meanwhile, we’ll use the dental impressions we took of your smile to fabricate your new teeth. After you’ve finally recovered, you’ll come back to our office to have your new dental crown, bridge, or denture fitted onto your metal posts. If your bite is correct and you’re happy with your results, you’ll be free to show off your pearly whites for all the world to see.
Who Dental Implants Can Help
No matter how many teeth you’ve lost, dental implants could be the solution you’ve been looking for. Usually, all that a patient needs are a healthy mouth and a strong jawbone that can support the implant posts. As an incredibly versatile treatment, we can customize your dental implants based on the number of teeth you need to have restored and where they are located in the mouth. Read on to learn if implants could help you.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Dental Implants?
Pretty much any healthy adult can get dental implants. Here are the things that we consider when determining if someone makes a good candidate:
- Good overall health: Placing dental implants is a surgical procedure, so you will need to be well enough to undergo a minor surgery.
- Great oral health: Issues like cavities and gum disease can potentially cause dental implants to fail, so they’ll need to be addressed first.
- Adequate jawbone density: Your jawbone must be strong enough to support dental implants for your treatment to be a success.
If you don’t initially make a good candidate, you shouldn’t be discouraged. Many patients need to complete preliminary treatments, like tooth extractions, gum disease therapy, or bone grafting before they can get dental implants. We will help you to schedule these preparatory procedures to get you on track. Once you make a good candidate, we will put together a plan that’s right for you.
Missing One Tooth
Replacing a single missing tooth with a dental implant is fairly straightforward. We vertically insert the titanium post within the empty space and top it with a personalized dental crown. Compared to a dental bridge, which requires that two adjacent teeth are filed down, the approach is much less invasive.
Missing Multiple Teeth
Instead of replacing each tooth with its own implant, a small number of posts can anchor a bridge (if the missing teeth are consecutive) or a partial denture (if they’re located throughout an arch). This solution is not only more cost-effective, but it also creates more stability compared to traditional bridges and partials.
Missing All Teeth
Even full-arch tooth loss can be undone with the help of dental implants. By positioning just four to six implants at strategic points along the jaw, we can attach a full denture that sits in place much more securely than traditional dentures. Since implant dentures don’t slip around, they let you eat your favorite foods as effortlessly as you did before tooth loss.
Understanding the Cost of Dental Implants
There is no set amount you can expect to pay for your new smile because there are various factors that influence the price. Dr. Martin provides you with a custom estimate during your initial consultation and discusses your payment options to keep your procedure affordable. You will invest in a healthy, beautiful smile that can last for a lifetime.
Types of Dental Implants
There are various factors that influence the cost of the treatment, like how many teeth you are replacing. A single unit implant is more affordable than an implant-retained denture, but it is not cost-effective to replace each tooth individually. The amount you pay is largely determined by the type of restoration you need, such as a crown, bridge, or denture. Besides the restoration, you will also need to pay for the abutments and posts.
Stages of Dental Implant Treatment
The process to replace teeth with dental implants occurs in various stages, each of which has separate costs. It can take several months to complete each step in your journey, giving you more time to pay. You will not need to pay for the entire treatment upfront, but you will need to pay for:
- Initial Consultation: Besides the dental office fees, you will need digital imaging and a CT scan.
- Additional Treatments: It is common to need tooth extractions, bone grafting, a sinus lift, or another procedure before placing your implants.
- Placement Surgery: Sedation or anesthesia is used while your posts are surgically placed into your jawbone.
- Abutments & Restorations: You need to pay for an abutment to be attached to each post to connect your restoration. The restoration is often the most expensive part of your treatment.
Are Dental Implants Worth the Investment?
Although dental implants initially cost more than traditional treatments, they are more affordable long-term. They have over a 95% success rate, and they can last for decades with the right care. As a result, you will never need to worry about having them replaced to save money down the road.
Dental implants can also lower your overall oral health costs. The implant posts stimulate your jaw to keep your bone strong and healthy. This protects any remaining natural teeth from dental drift, decreasing your risk of tooth decay, gum disease, and additional tooth loss.
Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?
Most dental insurances do not pay for the entire treatment, but your policy may cover a portion of the cost. Some insurances will pay for certain aspects of the procedure until you reach your annual limit. We work on your behalf with the insurance company to maximize your savings. We accept a variety of payment options to cover any remaining balance, including CareCredit.
If you are ready for a complete smile, contact us today to schedule a consultation with your trusted dentist in Grapevine, Dr. Martin.
Advanced Dental Implant Procedures
Dental implants can last for a lifetime with the right foundation and aftercare. To ensure your new smile has the groundwork it needs to thrive, you may need additional procedures before having your implant posts placed into your jawbone. Dr. Martin will determine if you need any treatments using the CT scan from your initial consultation. If you do, he works with many local specialists, so you can rest assured your smile is in good hands.
Bone Grafting
The long-term success of your new smile relies on your jawbone’s ability to support the implant posts. If you’ve lost teeth to gum disease or you’ve lived with an incomplete smile for a while, you may have decreased density in your jaw. As a result, you may not be a candidate for dental implants, but that doesn’t mean you can’t become one.
Bone grafting is a surgical procedure to enhance the thickness of your jawbone. While under sedation or anesthesia, your gum tissue is opened to give access to your jawbone. A small piece of bone taken from another site or a donor is transferred to the treatment area. Your gum tissue is sutured closed to allow the healing process to begin. It can take several weeks for the graft to integrate with your bone, but it’s time well spent to ensure your jaw can support the posts long-term.
Sinus Lifts
If you’ve lost bone in your upper jaw, there may not be enough space by the maxillary sinuses to insert the posts. Also known as a sinus augmentation, the procedure adds bone to the areas by your premolars and molars.
Sedation or anesthesia is used to ensure your comfort as your gum tissue is opened to allow a small oval to be cut into your bone. Your sinus membrane is lifted upward, and the graft material is inserted into the space. Your gum tissue is sutured closed to allow the area to heal, which can take four to 10 months.
Benefits of Dental Implants
With over 500,000 people choosing dental implants each year, it’s easy to see that they’re popular. Why? Dental implants are the only tooth replacement that restores the entire tooth from the roots up. The unique placement in the jaw allows dental implants to offer a wide range of health and lifestyle advantages that you won’t be able to get with other treatments like bridges and dentures. Read on to learn about the benefits of dental implants in Grapevine.
Day-to-Day Benefits
- Diet: Enjoy a more varying diet thanks to your dental implants. Rooted in the jawbone, they are completely stable, allowing you to eat all your favorite foods with ease. This will make mealtime more delicious and nutritious, improving your day-to-day life dramatically.
- Confidence: Are you ever afraid to smile or speak because of your missing teeth or unstable dentures? Dental implants boost your self-esteem by allowing you to grin and talk with ultimate confidence. Your new, strong, and beautiful smile will improve your mental health and open doors for you both professionally and socially.
- Dental hygiene: Dental implants look and feel like your natural smile, but you can also take care of them as you would your original teeth. Brushing, flossing, and visiting our office is much easier than the maintenance and upkeep that come with options like dentures.
Health Benefits
- Bone health: While it may not be visible right away, one of the most significant advantages that dental implants in Grapevine provide is jawbone preservation. Rooted in the bone, dental implants stimulate it to prevent it from deteriorating after tooth loss. This helps to maintain your full facial appearance and protects you from additional missing teeth down the road.
- Dental health: Unlike other options that require alteration of healthy enamel, dental implants preserve your remaining teeth because they are rooted in the jawbone. They also prevent your remaining teeth from drifting out of place – your teeth rely on each other to stay aligned, which is why even one lost tooth can cause issues.
- Overall health: Studies show that people who lost 5 or more of their teeth by age 65 were more likely to suffer from problems like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis.
Long-Term Benefits
- Success rate: Dental implants have a success rate of 95% or higher even after 10 years. This makes them one of the most predictable and reliable options for tooth replacement thanks to our implant dentist in Grapevine.
- Longevity: With proper care like regular brushing, flossing, and visiting our office, your dental implants can last for over 30 years. This will save you precious time from avoiding the dental visits that come with the maintenance of a denture.
- Cost: While dental implants tend to cost more than other options, their long lifespan can actually save you money in the future by avoided replacements. For example, dentures need to be replaced every 5 to 7 years.
Maintaining & Caring for Your Dental Implants
Dental implants have a very high success rate, but at the end of the day, their longevity largely depends on the quality of the care that you give them. The trick is to take a proactive approach; it is easier to avoid problems with your dental implants than it is to treat them. Our team can show you the steps you’ll need to take to keep your implants safe and firmly in place for the rest of your life.
Make Oral Hygiene a Priority
Dental implants are not vulnerable to cavities, but the gum and bone tissue holding them in place can still be affected by gum disease. An untreated infection could eventually lead to implant failure. As such, it’s important to maintain a good oral hygiene routine after your dental implants have been placed. Brush at least two times every day for at least two minutes. You should floss on a regular basis as well, and you may want to consider rinsing with an ADA-approved mouthwash to kill as many harmful bacteria in your mouth as possible.
Eat a Healthy Diet
You won’t put your implants in any danger just by enjoying a piece of cake every once in a while, but if your diet is almost nothing but sugar and starch, it can very easily lead to oral health issues that put your new teeth at risk. Try to eat fewer sweets and chips to protect your implants; you can replace them with fruits, leafy vegetables, fat-free dairy products, and other foods that help improve your overall oral health.
Break Bad Habits
Dental implants are very strong, but they can still break or become worn down over time. You need to protect them by avoiding bad oral habits that can damage dental implants as well as natural tooth enamel. Biting your nails, opening packaging with your teeth, and crunching ice are all examples of habits that put dental implants at risk. One way to break these habits is to keep sugar-free gum in your pocket so that you have something safe to chew on if the urge strikes you.
Protect Your Dental Implants
If you play sports of any kind, you may have already invested in an athletic mouthguard. If not, you should get one as soon as possible so that you can keep your implants safe while you’re out on the field or on the court. A mouthguard can also protect your dental implants at night if you suffer from bruxism (unconscious grinding and clenching).
Schedule Regular Dental Checkups
You should see your implant dentist every six months for regular checkups and cleanings. By reviewing your implant posts and restorations on a regular basis, we can find and address small issues before they turn into more complex, costly problems. Call us today if it’s about time for your next dental appointment!
Dental Implant FAQs
Dental implants are still quite a new dental technology, relatively speaking. Most people aren’t aware the technology exists until their dentist tells them about it. Once people learn what they can accomplish, they often have many questions. This is understandable, which is why we’ve included a section specifically answering the most common questions about dental implants in Grapevine.
Am I Eligible for Dental Implants?
In most cases, patients with missing teeth are eligible for dental implants. However, the only way to know for sure is to complete a dental implant consultation. During this consultation, the dentist will examine your jawbone density and overall health of your teeth and gum tissue. If sufficient bone is present and you have good overall health, you can move onto the next steps of planning your implant placement.
How Long Does It Take to Get Dental Implants?
The length of treatment can vary depending on your needs. For example, patients who don’t need preparatory treatments performed (i.e., gum disease therapy, tooth extractions, bone grafts, etc.) will expect a shorter treatment time. The healing stage can take anywhere from three to six months depending on where the implant was placed and your dedication to keeping the area clean during the healing phase.
Are Dental Implants Safe?
When implants are placed by a professional oral surgeon or implant dentist in Grapevine and the patient has undergone a proper implant consultation, they are 100% safe. If the dentist doesn’t believe you are ready for implants, he’ll go over treatments that can increase your jawbone’s density, such as a bone graft.
What Can I Eat with Dental Implants?
Dental implants are designed to function exactly like natural teeth. In many ways, implants are even stronger, so chewing your favorite foods like steak or apples is easy and straightforward. Just make sure to keep it clean by brushing twice a day, flossing daily, and visiting the dentist every six months.
How Long Do Dental Implants Last?
Dental implants are known for their durability and longevity. Success rates after a 10-year period are as high as 98%. In most cases, dental implants can last anywhere from 25 years to a lifetime, assuming they’re properly cared for and the patient discontinues the use of all tobacco products.
Dental Implant Aftercare
If you made the decision to replace your teeth with dental implants, then you’ve taken the right step toward a strong, healthy, and beautiful smile for years to come. However, your work isn’t completely finished. It’s important that you practice proper aftercare steps to ensure the longevity of your dental implants. This tooth replacement has a success rate of over 95%, but only with the right maintenance. Keep reading to learn some tips for the aftercare of your dental implants in Grapevine.
Make Oral Hygiene a Priority
Oral healthcare at home is always important, but it’s more vital than ever to practice a good routine. Be sure to brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes each session to remove plaque and bacteria that build up. You should also floss once a day to clean away food debris that get caught in between teeth. In some cases, we may recommend using a water flosser, especially for those with dexterity issues. This easy-to-use tool employs a fine stream of water to clean your teeth and dental implants.
Protect Your Dental Implants
Taking care of your dental implants also involves protection. If you are prone to bruxism, also known as teeth grinding, wear a nightguard to protect your teeth and your new restorations. Clenching and grinding not only breaks down your enamel, but it puts unnecessary pressure on your jawbone and dental implants. Additionally, for patients who participate in sports or physical activity, make sure that you’re wearing a mouthguard. Ours are custom-made to protect your teeth and implants while minimizing concussion on your jaw if you experience head or facial trauma.
Schedule Regular Dental Checkups
Routine visits to our office are always significant because we will prevent and detect oral health issues before they get serious. However, once you get dental implants, it’s important that you see our dentist in Grapevine for regular recall visits. Dr. Martin will carefully examine your smile to ensure that everything is still healthy and functioning smoothly. He will check out the strength of your restorations and look for any signs of wear and tear that could affect your smile.