Dental Implants – Boston, MA

Initial Dental Implant Consultation

First, the patient will need to undergo an in-depth consultation with one of our doctors. While dental implants are a transformative and highly successful service, they are not right for everyone. Our goal will be to assess your oral health and jawbone density and determine whether or not you are a viable candidate.

Dental Implant Surgery

Once we’ve confirmed that dental implants would be a good fit for you, the next step is the surgical placement of the implants themselves into the jawbone. While many general dentists have to refer their patients to outside specialists for this procedure, we’re proud to have brought the specialist to you instead! Our in-house periodontist will personally handle your implant placement in the familiar comfort of our dental office.

Dental Implant Osseointegration /Abutment

Following the surgical placement, patients will need some time for their mouths to heal. This process, during which the placed implant(s) will gradually start to bond with the surrounding bone and tissue, is called osseointegration. Although it can take several months, it results in a strong foundation for your new restorations. Once osseointegration is complete, we can place metal abutments that will secure your restoration in place.

Delivery of Dental Implant Restorations

Finally, you’ll return to our dental office so that our doctors can start designing your new, custom-made restorative work. Several options are available for restoring implants, including tooth-colored dental crowns, bridges, and dentures. All of these choices are securely anchored over the implants for a beautifully lifelike final result.

Replacement Teeth That Look and Feel Natural

Dental implants are the only solution to tooth loss that replicates the root structure of the tooth, not just the crown (the part that’s visible above your gums). Because implants integrate with your jawbone, they feel just as natural as the roots of the teeth you were born with. After some time, you may even forget that you have implants!

Depending on how many teeth you need to replace, each implant is topped with a custom-made restoration (crown, bridge, or denture). We use high-quality, natural-looking materials for these prosthetic teeth. Once your restoration has been placed, onlookers shouldn’t be able to differentiate between it and your natural pearly whites.

The Potential to Last a Lifetime

Because of the powerful bond that implants form with your jawbone, they are able to last for decades if you properly care for them. By contrast, traditional bridges and dentures must be repaired or replaced every 5 to 15 years. Although dental implants may cost more initially, they’re a more worthwhile investment since they can save you money in the long run.

No Need to Alter Your Natural Teeth

If you choose to replace one or more consecutive missing teeth with a dental bridge, some enamel will have to be shaved away from the natural teeth on either side of the gap in your mouth to make room. Plus, these teeth can suffer strain after supporting a bridge for several years. If you want to replace multiple missing teeth in a row, we suggest an implant-retained bridge, in which the bridge is anchored onto implants rather than your teeth. This allows you to preserve your natural tooth structure for much longer.

Remarkably High Success Rate

When they’re well-maintained, dental implants have a success rate of over 95 percent, even after more than 10 years. Fortunately, implant care doesn’t require anything you aren’t already doing to care for your natural teeth. Essentially, all you need to do is brush twice daily, floss at least once a day, and visit us for a routine checkup and cleaning twice a year.

Who Is a Good Candidate for Dental Implants?

The majority of healthy adults are good candidates for dental implants. Here are the main factors that we consider when determining if dental implants are ideal for a given patient:

• Good overall health: Placing dental implants is a surgical procedure, so you’ll need to be well enough to undergo 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 successful. 

If you don’t immediately make a good candidate for dental implants, this doesn’t always mean that they are out of the question in the future. You may require preliminary treatments to prepare your mouth for implants. These treatments can include tooth extractions, gum disease therapy, and bone grafting. We can help you to schedule the procedures that you need to get you on track. Then, we can discuss your dental implant treatment plan.

Missing One Tooth

If you are only missing one tooth, one dental implant and a dental crown should do the trick! In this case, a single dental implant will be strategically surgically placed into your jawbone in the appropriate location. Then, a restoration is fitted specifically for an abutment, which acts as a connector for the implant and crown.

Missing Multiple Teeth

Multiple teeth can be replaced with a dental bridge, but instead of buffing down neighboring teeth for the restoration to fit on top of them, the teeth replaced are simply fitted with dental implants. After the bridge restoration is created, an implant is fitted on either side, effectively bridging the gap in your smile.

Missing All Teeth

If you’re used to wearing a denture, you’ll be happy to learn that replacing an entire arch of teeth only requires four to six implants to complete. By either customizing your current denture to fit with implants or creating a new one altogether, your dentist in Downtown Crossing can make your dental device fit far more comfortably and stabilize your bite, making basic tasks like chewing and speaking easier.

Learn More About Implant Dentures

Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery

Some patients require one or more preparatory treatments before they’re eligible for dental implants. One of the more common procedures is a bone graft, which is necessary for those who are lacking in jawbone density due to previous tooth loss. This will increase the overall cost of the procedure.

The surgery itself, along with any anesthetics used, will add unique costs as well. Your implant dentist in Boston will discuss the factors that can impact how much you’ll pay. You might also be billed from separate practices if you require treatment elsewhere.

The Parts of Your Dental Implant

Here are several things that can influence the overall cost of your dental implants:

• The number of implants: Needing four or more metal posts will cost you more compared to only requiring one implant.
• The kind of restoration: Each type of restoration (crowns, bridges, dentures) will have different costs; the smaller ones are less expensive.
• Material: Your implants can cost more depending on the material they’re made out of, such as titanium or zirconia.
• Manufacturers: There are several different brands of implants with their unique costs and benefits.

How Dental Implants Pay For Themselves

While dental implants may have a higher initial cost, they can save you more money in the long run. Other restorations like bridges or dentures may be more convenient, but the need for replacements every 5 to 10 years can increase the price over time. Not only can implants last a lifetime with proper care, but they can also help avoid issues like gum disease or tooth decay that can lead to needing restorations in the future.

Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?

Many insurance providers don’t cover the dental implants themselves. However, they might help pay for certain parts of the procedure like restorations or extractions. Be sure to speak with your insurance company to understand the details of your plan. You can also reach out to our knowledgeable staff to help you with this process!

What to Do Directly After Dental Implant Surgery

In the days after surgery, your biggest priority is to leave the forming blood clot alone. Doing so will let your gums heal properly from the prior incisions. Given that fact, then, follow these rules for the next few weeks:

• Rather than spit your saliva, use tissues or swallow it.
• Don’t use drinking straws, as the suction could dislodge your blood clot.
• For the first day post-surgery, try not to smoke tobacco.
• Keep your fingers and tongue away from the surgical site(s).

Common Side Effects When Recovering from Dental Implant Placement

For the first week after implant placement, you’ll likely experience some side-effects. Normal ones you might face include:

• General Discomfort –  Your surgical site might ache once the surgical anesthetic wears off. To manage it, take over-the-counter pain relievers.
• Intermittent Bleeding – The treated area may bleed, sometimes for multiple days. Should that happen, lessen the blood flow with gauze and light pressure.
• Gum or Facial Swelling – The treated site may swell over the first 72 hours. If it does, use a cold or warm compress to relieve the effect.

Remember, the effects above are temporary and fade with time. If you notice they persist, though, do let us know.

Your Diet After Dental Implant Surgery

For a few days after placement, you should only eat softer, non-abrasive foods. You could disrupt the healing and fusion processes otherwise.

As for examples of these items, some good ones are:

• Mashed potatoes 
• Yogurt
• Ice cream
• Pudding
• (Non-hot) Soup 
• Scrambled eggs
• Pasta

Once you feel up to it, you can return to a normal diet. Even then, though, we recommend limiting overly crunchy and tough foods. You should also not chew directly on the implant site(s).

Post-Op Health & Oral Hygiene

Naturally, you’ll need to clean your mouth even as it heals. You should thus practice good oral hygiene — just make some slight adjustments as you do.

Consider tooth-brushing, for example. While it’s okay to brush teeth as usual, be very careful near surgical sites.

You’d also do well to change your mouth rinse approach. Rather than use mouthwash with high alcohol content, rinse your mouth twice or thrice daily with salt water. The latter method will reduce post-surgery inflammation.

What to Do After Your New Teeth Are Attached

You’ll be done with treatment when your implants have fully fused and received their restorations. That said, watch for minor, temporary sensitivity in your gum tissue. If you suffer from this effect, it’s best to control it with pain medication.

You shouldn’t face any swelling, bleeding, or extensive recovery from here. You’ll be ready to smile that same day!