What are Dental Implants?
Dental implants serve as replacements for missing teeth, consisting of small metal screws placed into the jawbone through a minor surgical procedure. Once positioned under your gums where the tooth used to be, the implant acts as a stable foundation similar to a natural tooth root. It is then capped with a dental crown or another restoration to ensure it looks, feels, and functions like a real tooth.
Considering dental implants is an important choice. If you’re curious about the process but uncertain about what it entails, we’re here to guide you. This information will help you understand the steps involved and make a confident decision about your dental care.
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Why You Might Need Dental Implants
Your natural teeth not only shape and support your smile but also enable comfortable eating and speaking.
When you lose a tooth, it creates a gap that can cause your remaining teeth to shift out of alignment, increasing your risk of oral health issues. Even losing a single tooth can set off a chain reaction that affects your overall oral health, facial appearance, and quality of life.
One inevitable consequence of missing teeth is bone resorption. This natural process occurs when your body breaks down non-essential bone tissue to repurpose its minerals elsewhere.
Teeth in your jawbone stimulate the production of new bone tissue by applying pressure. Without teeth, this stimulation ceases, and the bone tissue gradually dissolves, leading to a shortened jaw and chin, wrinkles, and a sunken appearance in your cheeks and lips.
Dental implants offer a solution that closely mimics natural teeth. By replacing missing teeth with implants, you can prevent or address the issues mentioned above, maintaining your oral health and facial structure.
The Benefits of Dental Implants
When you lose a tooth, it can affect more than just your appearance. Missing teeth can lead to discomfort while eating, changes in your bite, and potential bone loss or movement of your remaining teeth. Additionally, gaps in your smile can impact your self-esteem and overall oral health.
- Restore Your Natural Appearance – Dental implants are crafted to blend seamlessly with your natural teeth, providing a permanent and aesthetically pleasing solution. They are customized to match the size, shape, and colour of your existing teeth, ensuring that your smile looks natural and harmonious.
- Feel Confident in Your Comfort – After a dental implant is placed, the titanium post integrates with your jawbone as it heals, creating a stable foundation. Whether supporting a crown, bridge, or dentures, the implant ensures a secure fit. This stability allows you to laugh, smile, and enjoy your favourite foods without the worry of shifting teeth or sudden discomfort.
- Improve Bone Strength – Losing teeth can lead to the weakening and atrophy of the supporting bone. Dental implants help counteract this by stimulating new bone growth around the implant, thus reinforcing and maintaining the strength of your jawbone. This not only supports the implant but also contributes to overall oral health.
Dental implants offer a durable, long-term solution that mimics the feel of natural teeth. With proper oral hygiene, they can last for decades, providing a reliable and comfortable option for tooth replacement.
Dental Implant Restorations
A dental implant restoration is the visible part of the implant that mimics a natural tooth. While the implant itself is hidden beneath your gums, the restoration, often a crown, bridge, or denture, is what gives you the appearance of a new, natural-looking tooth when you smile.
- Dental Crown – The dental crown is a popular choice for covering a single-tooth implant. This restoration looks and functions like a natural tooth, seamlessly integrating with your existing teeth.
- Dental Bridge – For those missing several teeth in a row, a dental bridge can span the gap. Supported by one or two implants, it replaces multiple teeth efficiently. In cases where an entire upper or lower arch of teeth is needed, a full implant-supported bridge uses four or more implants for secure placement.
- Implant Denture – Implant dentures enhance the stability of removable dentures. By attaching the denture to two small implants, you gain improved fit and comfort, ensuring your denture stays in place.
A New Life with Dental Implants Awaits!
Your smile will be transformed for the better with a dental implant.
Maintaining and caring for dental implants is simple. Just brush and floss daily and protect your implant from injury during sports. Regular checkups with us will ensure your implant remains healthy.
In return, your dental implant can give you many years of strong, confident, and radiant smiles!
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How It Feels
While the thought of having a metal implant placed in your jawbone might seem daunting, the actual procedure is much more comfortable than you might imagine.
To start, we use a mild anesthetic to numb your mouth, ensuring you won’t feel any pain during the surgery. With the help of advanced dental technology, the implant placement process is swift, precise, and minimally invasive, leading to reduced discomfort and a quicker recovery time.
Many patients find the brief half-hour procedure quite uneventful, often feeling relaxed or even sleepy. The most challenging part for you might be holding your mouth open for a few minutes at a time, but that’s usually the extent of the discomfort.
After the procedure, you may experience some swelling, mild discomfort, and bruising for a few hours. However, this is typically easy to manage with the guidelines we provide. Most patients notice significant improvement at the surgical site within a week.
It’s also worth noting that dental implants have a success rate of nearly 95%, making this procedure one of the safest and most predictable in modern dentistry.
What to Expect on Your Dental Implant Treatment Journey
The process of placing a dental implant is surprisingly comfortable and straightforward.
Assessment
Your journey begins with a consultation to determine if dental implants are suitable for you. During this visit, your dentist will take X-rays and a 3D cone-beam CT scan of your jaw to assess the bone structure and plan your treatment. They will also take scans or impressions of your teeth to accurately plan the placement of your implant.
Inserting the Implant
When it’s time for the procedure, a local anesthetic is used to numb the area completely. The dentist will then make a small incision in your gums and drill a tiny hole into the jawbone. The implant post is carefully inserted into this hole. In some cases, stitches are used to help the gums heal around the implant.
Finalizing the Restoration
After the implant has had a few months to integrate with your bone, you will return to the dentist’s office. At this appointment, your custom-made dental restoration, such as a crown, bridge, or denture, will be attached to the implant. This final step ensures you have a fully functional and natural-looking tooth replacement.
Contact us today
to schedule an initial consultation & exam.
Your consultation will include an examination of everything from your teeth, gums and soft tissues to the shape and condition of your bite. Generally, we want to see how your whole mouth looks and functions. Before we plan your treatment we want to know everything about the health and aesthetic of your smile, and, most importantly, what you want to achieve so we can help you get there.
Cost of Dental Implants in Toronto
In Toronto, getting a single dental implant typically costs between $3,000 and $6,000 or more. For those considering implant-supported dentures, the average expense is around $30,000. Full-mouth reconstructive implants can vary widely in price, ranging from $6,000 to $60,000 and beyond. It’s crucial to understand that the dental implant process is highly individualized, making it impossible to provide an accurate quote over the phone. A detailed in-person consultation is necessary to evaluate your unique needs and determine the exact cost.
- Type and Number of Implants: The specific type of implant and the number required for your treatment.
- Materials and Supplies: The quality and kind of materials used in the procedure.
- Dental Team’s Expertise: The experience and time invested by the dental professionals involved in your care.
- Surgery Location and Complexity: The surgical site and the complexity of the procedure.
- Recovery Support: The duration and extent of follow-up care and support provided during your recovery.
Several key factors influence the cost of dental implant surgery:
Every case is unique, so it’s essential to consult with a dentist and undergo an oral exam. This allows us to evaluate your specific situation and present you with various treatment options. We would be glad to offer you a more precise quote based on your individual needs.
Are There Other Solutions for Missing Teeth?
Yes, there are alternative solutions for missing teeth. For gaps caused by one to three missing teeth, a dental bridge might be an appropriate option. If you have many missing teeth, whether on the top, bottom, or throughout your entire mouth, dental prosthetics or removable dentures can be considered.
When evaluating the cost of dental implants against other tooth-replacement methods, it’s important to weigh the pros and cons. Dental implants might require a higher initial investment, but they offer superior security and durability compared to bridges or dentures. Removable dental prosthetics need special care, regular maintenance, and may require adjustments or replacements over time.
In contrast, dental implants are maintained just like your natural teeth, with regular brushing, flossing, and routine dental check-ups. With proper care, a dental implant can last a lifetime, making it a long-term solution for tooth replacement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Your dental implants will look just like your natural teeth. Although the implants themselves are metal screws, they are hidden beneath your gums and topped with realistic restorations that blend seamlessly with your smile.
Dentures and implants offer different benefits. Dentures rest on your gums and can sometimes shift, whereas implants are anchored securely below the gums, providing a stronger, more stable bite. Each option has its own pros and cons. A personal consultation will help determine which treatment suits you best.
Yes, there are alternatives if dental implants are not suitable for you. Dental bridges and full or partial dentures can also replace missing teeth effectively. To find out which solution is right for your specific needs, schedule an appointment with us. We are here to discuss your options and answer any questions you may have.
To qualify for dental implants, you need to be an adult with good oral health. A strong jawbone is essential to support the implant, and healthy gums are crucial to prevent complications. If you’re unsure about your eligibility, contact us for a consultation. We can assess your condition and discuss treatments to enhance your oral health, ultimately making implants a viable option, or we can explore other tooth replacement solutions.
Yes, they will! Dental implants are designed to blend seamlessly with your natural teeth. Whether you receive a crown, bridge, or implant-supported denture, these restorations are custom-made to match the shape and colour of your existing teeth. This ensures a natural look and feel, often making it hard to distinguish between your implants and your real teeth.
Modern dental implant procedures are highly refined, making them predictable and relatively painless. The surgery is performed with precision to minimize discomfort. With appropriate aftercare, you should experience minimal swelling and very little bleeding. We care about your comfort and well-being, so if you have any concerns or anxiety about the procedure, please let us know so we can provide the necessary support and reassurance.
You can usually return to work the day after your implant surgery. However, the exact recovery time can vary depending on the specifics of your treatment. Once we have all the details, we’ll provide a precise time frame and let you know if you need to take more time off. We’ll also give you clear post-operative care instructions to ensure you heal properly.
Regular checkups are essential for the longevity of your dental implants. Implants require the same professional cleaning and examination schedule as natural teeth. Typically, we recommend visiting us every six months, though this can be adjusted based on your specific needs. Regular checkups help keep your implants in top condition.
Caring for dental implants is much like caring for natural teeth. Brush and floss regularly, attend professional cleanings and checkups, and report any issues to your dentist promptly. This routine care will help maintain the health and functionality of your implants.
Dental implants are intended to be a long-term solution and generally do not need to be replaced. With proper care, they can last many years, providing a stable and reliable option for tooth replacement.
