Dental Implants – Conroe, TX

Initial Dental Implant Consultation

First, your Conroe implant dentist Dr. Vargo or Dr. Peters will see you for a consultation. They’ll take a close look at your mouth and take X-rays of your jawbone to see if you are a good candidate for dental implants. If necessary, they’ll work with you to schedule preliminary treatments like bone grafting or gum disease treatment to improve your candidacy. Then, they’ll work alongside you to plan out your entire treatment so you’ll know exactly what to expect.

Dental Implant Surgery

Next, you’ll see us for your dental implant placement surgery. Placing dental implants is a minor surgical procedure, so we’ll thoroughly numb your mouth and potentially administer a sedative to ensure your comfort. Then, we’ll make one or more small incisions in your gum tissue to access your jawbone. There, the implant roots will be placed directly into the bone tissue.  We’ll close the gums around the implant and place a protective cap over it, which will help your gums retain their natural shape.

Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment Placement

After your surgery, you’ll be sent home to heal. It should take a matter of days to recover from your surgery, but your jawbone will continue to heal for a very long time. For the next three to six months, the implant and bone tissue will fuse in a process called osseointegration, which will leave the foundation of your new teeth firmly embedded in your jawbone. Then, you’ll visit us for a second minor procedure in which we attach small connecting pieces called abutments to the top of your dental implants. We’ll take impressions of the area and get to work carefully designing your custom-made restoration while you heal over the following weeks.

Delivery of Dental Implant Restorations

Before you know it, you’ll be returning for your final appointment. We’ll securely anchor your brand-new crown, bridge, or denture on top of your implants to complete your new smile. We’ll ensure you’re pleased with your results, check that your bite feels comfortable, and answer any remaining questions you may have. Then, you’ll be all set to go out and show off your complete, confident smile!

Day-to-Day Benefits

• Because dental implants always remain firmly in place and are topped with restorations that are tailor-made to your unique smile, they’ll look and feel incredibly natural. In fact, they mimic your original teeth so perfectly that you might even forget you lost your teeth at all!
• People who wear dentures often have to avoid many of their favorite foods, as chewing can be difficult without the roots of your teeth. With dental implants, you won’t have to worry about changing your diet. Your new teeth are anchored within your jaw, allowing you to dig in to crunchy vegetables, tough steaks, and pretty much any food you’d like!
• To clean regular dentures, you have to not only take them out and brush them several times a day, but also let them soak overnight. Dental implant maintenance is much quicker and easier; all you have to do is brush and floss your teeth like normal.

Health Benefits

• By being so easy to maintain, dental implants naturally lead to more effective oral hygiene. Compared to bridges and dentures, implants don’t have as many hard-to-reach areas that could harbor bacteria. Therefore, this solution may lower your risk of gum disease.
• Traditional bridges and partial dentures rely on your remaining teeth for support, which can weaken them over time. Full dentures rest on the gums and may cause sores or irritation if they shift around. Neither of these issues will occur with dental implants, as they’re completely self-supporting.
• When the roots of a tooth are lost, the jawbone loses the stimulation that the roots provided through biting and chewing. As a result, the jawbone gradually deteriorates, leading to a higher risk of further tooth loss (as well as a sunken, older-looking face). Dental implants can prevent and even reverse this problems by functioning exactly like real tooth roots.
• Denture wearers often suffer from nutritional deficiencies because eating fruits, vegetables, and other healthy foods can be problematic. In contrast, dental implants help you maintain a balanced diet by enabling you to chew a variety of nutritious foods.

Long-Term Benefits

• When placed by an experienced implant dentist in Conroe, dental implants achieve long-term success in more than 95% of cases.
• A regular bridge or denture can only last for about seven to 10 years, while implants have a remarkable 30+ year lifespan.
• In the long run, you’ll end up saving money by choosing dental implants over traditional prosthetics. Although implants cost more initially, you won’t need to pay to get them replaced as often, and you also won’t need to constantly buy special maintenance products – both of which can rack up quite a bite of money over the years.

Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery

Some patients need preliminary dental treatments like gum disease therapy, tooth extractions, and bone grafting to maximize the success of their new smile. However, it’s worth noting that these services will add to the overall cost of your treatment. Luckily, they’re often partially covered by dental insurance, meaning you don’t have to worry about breaking the bank!

The cost of dental implant surgery itself is affected by the location of the surgical site and the type of dental sedation needed. Since we complete the entire process from start to finish under one roof, you don’t have to worry about working with other providers and paying them separately.

The Parts of Your Dental Implant

Let’s take a look at the parts of a dental implant that affect the overall cost:

• Number of Implants – Although you can replace a single missing tooth with an implant, it will be more cost-effective to get an implant denture than to replace several teeth separately.
• Type of Restoration – Crowns, bridges, and dentures all cost different amounts. Logically, the smaller it is, the less expensive it’ll be.
• Material – Some implants are made of zirconia instead of titanium, which can affect the overall cost.
• Brand – Different manufacturers make dental implants differently based on a patient’s unique needs and goals. The chosen manufacturer will influence the amount you end up paying.

How Dental Implants Pay for Themselves

It can be tempting to rebuild your smile with traditional dentures or dental bridges because of their lower initial price. However, dental implants in Conroe are a worthwhile investment that pays for themselves in the long run. Because of their unique placement, you won’t need to replace them every few years like you would with other options. Plus, there are no special tools or solutions needed to take proper care of your implants. All you need to do is brush, floss, and rinse as you would with natural teeth to ward off oral health problems that would require costly care.

Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?

Although most dental insurance plans will not offer coverage for implants, there are a few exceptions. For instance, certain parts of the final restoration or preliminary treatments may be eligible for coverage. Our team will review the details of your policy to find out how you can maximize your benefits while reducing your out-of-pocket expenses.

Making Dental Implants Affordable

Are you worried about paying for the total cost of your treatment? We’ve got you covered. At Conroe Advanced Dentistry, we offer CareCredit financing to help make your dental bills a bit easier to manage. With this option, you can split up the overall price of your dental implants into smaller, budget-friendly monthly installments. Since there are multiple little-to-no interest plans to choose from, you’re guaranteed to find something that’ll fit your budget perfectly!

How long do dental implants last?

If you commit to properly taking care of your dental implants, you can expect them to last at least 30 years or more. There are cases in which individuals even enjoyed their permanent prosthetics for an entire lifetime! Ultimately, the lifespan of your new teeth is dependent upon your overall health and how well you maintain them. As long as you continue to practice optimal oral hygiene, eat healthy foods, limit your consumption of sugars and starches, avoid unhealthy habits (i.e., smoking, eating ice, etc.), and continue to see your implant dentist in Conroe every six months or more, you’ll enjoy your dental implants for decades to come.

How successful are dental implants?

It is believed that as long as you have a trusted implant dentist placing your new prosthetics, your initial placement has a success rate of 95%. Even after 10 years, the percentage may only fluctuate between 90-95% if you continue to take care of your smile. Considered far superior to dental bridges and dentures, these permanent prosthetics make it possible for individuals to embrace a better quality of life. Instead of worrying about having to adjust or replace your teeth every few years, you can trust that the initial procedure of placing your implants will allow you to avoid potential complications and instead, enjoy life with a fully functional, complete smile.

How long does it take to recover from dental implant surgery?

The osseointegration process typically takes between 3-6 months. This is the fusing of dental implants to the bone. However, you will not need to remain at home for the duration of this time. It is believed you can resume your normal activities the day after your oral surgery, but you’ll need to avoid any strenuous exercise or physical activity for at least the first week. Within the first few days, the bleeding should stop, and any swelling should cease after 3-4 days. If you continue to experience mild discomfort, you can take an over-the-counter pain reliever.

Will People Be Able to Tell I Have Dental Implants?

If you were missing an entire row of teeth, there is a good chance people will notice once you have dental implants in place. However, if you are simply replacing one or more teeth that are usually not visible to others, it is unlikely anyone will notice your new teeth. The thing to remember is that your dental implants will look and act just like regular teeth. Not only will your restoration consist of high-quality materials that blend in with the rest of your smile, but your implant posts will mimic the natural tooth structure, so it looks just like “another tooth.”