Dental Implants – Eatontown, NJ

Day-to-Day Benefits

• Eat the Foods You Love: When implants are placed, they stimulate the bone tissue, which directly improves your biting force significantly. This cannot be said for other solutions, which only sit on top of the gums and ridge, which does nothing for your long-term bone health.
• Easy to Take Care Of: In order to clean your implants, all you need is a consistent brushing and flossing habit. You won’t need to remove them like dentures. This makes caring for your tooth replacement not only easy but indistinguishable from your previous oral care regimen.
• No More Shifting Restorations: If you’re frustrated with your denture because it’s constantly shifting out of place, you should know that dental implants do not have this issue. This is because implant dentures are always fixed directly to the implant posts, meaning they won’t slip or shift out of place throughout the day, including when chewing or speaking.

Health Benefits

• Reduced Risk of Future Tooth Loss: The more teeth are lost, the more your bone tissue begins to break down. This can compromise the foundation of your jaw, putting you at higher risk of additional tooth loss. Since dental implant stimulate bone tissue, you can prevent the atrophy of your bone and keep your existing teeth securely in place.
• Consume a More Balanced Diet: Since you won’t be held back by the foods you can eat, eating a more balanced diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, proteins, and healthy fats is substantially easier.
• Lower Risk for Systemic Disease: Research has shown that people who have all their teeth are generally at lower risk of certain conditions, including heart disease. With dental implants being the closest thing to natural teeth, it’s more than reasonable to believe that your overall health may be better protected as a result.

Long-Term Benefits

• High Success Rate: Dental implants’ average success rate falls between 95% and 98%, even after 10 years of use. This makes them a fantastic choice when you want to have true peace of mind for your future smile.
• Long-Term Reliability: On average, dental implants last for about 30 years. However, they often last a lifetime when placed by professionals and well taken care of. This cannot be said for other tooth replacements that do not use dental implants, such as traditional bridges and dentures.
• Maintain a Young and Beautiful Smile: All dental implants are equipped with natural-looking restorations that look lifelike and indistinguishable from your natural teeth.

Initial Dental Implant Consultation

First, you’ll have a consultation with Dr. G to determine whether or not this modern tooth-replacement service is right for you. During this appointment, he’ll perform an oral examination, review your medical history, and inquire about your smile goals to see if you’re a good candidate. Based on his findings, you may need to undergo preliminary dental work like periodontal therapy, tooth extractions, or bone grafting before receiving implants. Once that’s taken care of, you can schedule your dental implant surgery.

Dental Implant Surgery

Since Dr. G can place your implants in-house, you don’t have to worry about visiting an outside specialist for your oral surgery. Before starting the procedure, he’ll numb your mouth thoroughly to ensure you’re completely comfortable. Then, Dr. G will make small incisions in the gums to access the jawbone. Each implant post will be inserted at precise locations and angles and your gums will be sutured shut afterward. A protective cap will be placed on each post to protect them during the healing process.

Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment Placement

It’ll take about three to six months for osseointegration to take place. The natural process is what allows your implants to successfully integrate with the surrounding bone tissue. It’s what makes this treatment method so durable and reliable! Once the implants have fully merged with the jawbone, Dr. G will place metal abutments on top of them.

Delivery of Dental Implant Restorations

A trusted dental laboratory will make your restorations using impressions of your natural smile. In many cases, it takes about two weeks to custom-make a dental crown, bridge, or denture. Once we get your new teeth, you’ll return to the office so we can secure them to your implants. We’ll make sure your bite is comfortable and address any concerns you may have. After that, you’ll be ready to put your newly rebuilt grin to use!

Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery

The surgery to insert the implants into your jaw has its own price, of course, and we’ll be up front with you about what you can expect to pay for it. Since our implants are placed in-house, the payment process is more convenient as you don’t have to worry about the fees at a different practice.

However, implant surgery is just one part of the overall process. Sometimes you’ll also have to pay for a number of preliminary treatments beforehand. As just one example, you might have to pay for an extraction if the tooth being replaced hasn’t fallen out yet; if the space in your mouth is already empty, you don’t have to worry about this particular step.

The Parts of Your Dental Implant

In addition to the various procedures, you’ll also have to pay for the individual components of the implant itself, including the post, the abutment, and the final restoration. We work with manufacturers who use high-quality, long-lasting materials that will help ensure that you get the absolute most out of your smile. Some implants will be made out of different materials depending on your individual needs; for example, you might need zirconia implants if you’re ineligible for titanium implants for any reason.

Final Dental Implant Restoration

It probably goes without saying, but different types of implant restorations have varying costs attached to them. You might receive:

• A crown for a single dental implant to replace one tooth
• A bridge that rests on two implant posts to replace several teeth in a row
• A partial denture attached to a strategic number of implants depending on where the teeth are missing
• A full denture firmly anchored to four to eight dental implants

Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?

In most cases, the answer is no. A lot of insurance companies still think of implant placement as an elective procedure that isn’t entitled to coverage. This is not universal, however, and we are happy to review your dental insurance plan with you to see if it can help pay for implant surgery. In many cases, we’ll find that while the surgery itself isn’t covered under your plan, you might still be reimbursed for a certain percentage of the restoration itself or preliminary treatments that were deemed necessary for health reasons.

Making Dental Implants Affordable

Our practice is in-network with Aetna PPO, Delta Dental NJ, Humana, MetLife, and many, many other popular insurance providers. Our team will work alongside both you and your provider to make sure you get the most out of your benefits no matter the circumstances. We also have a special dental membership plan for those without insurance, and we can also discuss the possibility of paying for care in a series of monthly installments through CareCredit.

Bone Grafting

The long-term success of dental implants depends on the process of osseointegration, during which the implants fuse to your jawbone tissue. If there is not enough density in the jawbone – which is common for patients who have been missing teeth for a long time – then bone grafting in Eatontown can help.

This procedure is designed to increase the volume of the jawbone by transplanting bone material from another part of the patient’s body. The bone could also come from a donor. Once Dr. G has grafted the material onto your existing jawbone, he’ll stitch it up. You’ll spend the next few months waiting for the graft to strengthen your jaw to the point where it can give dental implants the support they need.

Sinus Lift

Bone loss in the upper arch, and especially in the back of the mouth, can make it difficult to place dental implants without piercing the nearby sinus cavities. In this case, a sinus lift may be necessary.

Also known as a sinus augmentation, a sinus lift in Eatontown involves restoring bone to the area so that dental implants can replace the upper molars. During this procedure, we gently raise the sinus membrane, add bone grafting material to the area, and close up the gum tissue. It should take somewhere between four and nine months for the site to be ready for implant placement.

PRP/PRF Treatment

PRP (platelet-rich plasma) and PRF (platelet-rich fibrin) may not sound familiar to you, but they can greatly increase the success of your dental implant treatment. Both procedures involve placing a sample of your blood into a centrifuge, processing it into distinct layers. By applying white blood cells, platelets, and stem cells to the site where dental implants are placed, osseointegration becomes faster and more effective. Additionally, PRP/PRF treatments often result in less post-op discomfort and a reduced need for antibiotics.

Ridge Expansion

The “ridge” refers to a specific portion of the jawbone that supports and surrounds the teeth. When teeth are lost, this ridge begins to atrophy, making it too risky for dental implant placement. With ridge expansion, the ridge is segmented into an outer and inner portion. Then, these halves are wedged apart, and bone grafting material is placed between them. After we seal you back up, you’ll be given a few months for the graft to heal. At that point, you should be able to receive dental implants in Eatontown without a hitch.

What to Do Directly After Dental Implant Surgery

In order for the implant site to heal properly, a blood clot must form over the area and remain undisturbed for at least three days. If the blood clot is dislodged, dry socket will occur. Dry socket is not only painful, but it can lengthen the healing process. To prevent this from happening, you should avoid:

• Drinking through a straw.
• Smoking, chewing, or using tobacco in any form.
• Forcefully spitting or blowing your nose. Instead, swallow excess saliva and dab at your nose with tissues.
• Touching the implant site with your tongue or fingers.

Common Side Effects

You’ll very likely experience a few side effects following your procedure, especially in the first few days. These should be minor and should subside over time. If they do not, please contact your implant dentist in Eatontown right away.

The most common side effects after dental implant surgery are:

• Intermittent bleeding – We’ll advise you on how and when to change out the gauze pads to minimize blood flow.
• Swelling – Swelling usually peaks on the second or third day and fades after that, but it can last for up to a week in some cases. Applying a cold compress to your cheek for 10 minutes a few times a day can cut down on swelling as well as pain.
• General discomfort – We may prescribe a pain medication for you to take, or we’ll recommend that you take over-the-counter pain relievers at certain intervals.

Diet

It will be a while until you can use your new teeth to chow down on a juicy steak. For the first several days after your procedure, you should stick to primarily soft foods like:

• Yogurt
• Cold soup
• Mashed potatoes
• Applesauce
• Ice cream
• Scrambled eggs
• Pasta

Once you feel up to it, you can gradually incorporate heartier foods into your diet. However, we highly recommend that you avoid chewing extremely hard foods and applying a lot of pressure when chewing near your implant site.

Health & Oral Hygiene

To prevent post-op infection from compromising your dental implants in Eatontown, you’ll need to stay on top of your oral hygiene. Starting on the day after your procedure, you can brush your teeth as normal, but be careful near the surgical site. For the first week or so, you should rinse your mouth with a saltwater solution at least two or three times a day, ideally after each meal. This can soothe irritated tissues as well as reduce the risk of infection. Avoid mouthwashes that contain high amounts of alcohol, as it can dry your mouth out and potentially complicate healing.

What to Do After Your New Teeth Are Attached

Once Dr. G places your crown, bridge, or denture onto your implants, you can rest easy – the hard part is over! After receiving your restoration, you may experience some mild sensitivity or soreness in your gums, but this should only be temporary. It should also be easily controlled with an over-the-counter pain medication.

Make Oral Hygiene a Priority

One of the great things about dental implants is that you’ll never need to worry about them getting cavities. However, any natural teeth you have left still can. Additionally, oral health issues like gum disease could jeopardize the tissues supporting your implants, causing them to fail. For these reasons, you still need to practice daily oral hygiene. On the bright side, you can brush and floss dental implants in virtually the same way as you would natural teeth.

Eat a Healthy Diet

You should have no trouble chewing with dental implants, so you’ll be free to eat a variety of delicious, nutritious foods. That being said, certain foods are healthier for your implants than others. Overindulging in sugary sweets could increase the risk of mouth infections, while sticky items could pull your restoration off of your implant.

Break Bad Habits

Most of us engage in bad habits from time to time, but some of them could lead to dental implant failure if you’re not careful. A prime example is smoking. In addition to worsening your overall health, tobacco slows healing and encourages the growth of harmful bacteria in the mouth. Chewing hard objects (pencils, pens, fingernails, ice cubes, etc.) and using your teeth as tools to open packaging or bottles could also damage your restoration or even the implant itself.

Protect Your Dental Implants

Dental implant posts and the restorations on top of them are impressively strong, but they’re definitely not indestructible. If you get hit in the face during a sporting event, your replacement teeth could sustain serious damage. That’s why we highly recommend wearing a custom athletic mouthguard to protect your smile whenever you play sports. In a similar vein, you should wear a nightguard if you grind your teeth while sleeping due to bruxism or TMJ disorder. Chronic clenching and grinding can wear down your teeth – both real and implant-supported – over time.

Schedule Regular Dental Checkups

No matter how many natural teeth you have left, you’ll still want to see Dr. G every six months for a routine dental checkup. He’ll have the chance to evaluate your teeth, implants, gums, and other oral structures for early signs of health problems, and if he spots anything, our team can address it right away. We can also give your implants and remaining teeth a professional cleaning to remove harmful plaque that may have built up since your last visit.

How Long Do Dental Implants Last?

In most cases, the lifespan of dental implants depends on the health and lifestyle choices of the patient. To ensure that implants last, it’s crucial to brush, floss, and rinse with mouthwash on a daily basis. It’s also important to attend your regular cleanings and checkups. You should avoid foods that are particularly hard or sticky. With proper maintenance, implants can last for upwards of three decades. This is several times longer than traditional dentures and bridges.

Are Dental Implants Safe?

When placed by a qualified professional, dental implants are very successful. If you have low jawbone density or gum disease, your dentist can address these issues first to ensure that dental implant surgery is safer and more successful. For patients who have health conditions that could make either the surgery or healing risky, we will discuss your options during your consultation. Your overall health is always our number one priority!

How Can I Tell If My Dental Implant Is Failing?

Common signs of a dental implant failure include severe pain around the implant, inflamed or swollen gum tissue, or a feeling that your dental implant is loose. If you notice any of these symptoms or something doesn’t feel right, don’t hesitate to give us a call. This way, we can examine your smile and take any steps we can to save your dental implant.

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

You should be able to resume your normal activities the day after your dental implant surgery. However, it’s a good idea to avoid strenuous exercise for a week or so, as it could delay the healing process. After a couple of days, the bleeding should cease. The swelling should subside after three to four days. Take your prescribed and/or over-the-counter pain relievers as directed. It can take up to six months for your implant to completely fuse with your jawbone.