Dental Implants – Naperville, IL

Initial Dental Implant Consultation

Meeting with our periodontist will allow you to better understand the entire dental implant process. After taking diagnostic images of your smile and performing a visual examination, we’ll craft a personalized treatment plan that includes whether you need preliminary care in the form of bone grafting, periodontal therapy, tooth extraction, or a sinus lift. We’ll also discuss the potential cost of your new implants so that you are better prepared moving forward.

Dental Implant Surgery

Whether you require preliminary care before your implant surgery, you can expect that your mouth will be in the best possible shape come the day of your procedure. We’ll administer local anesthesia to help keep you comfortable and pain-free before placing making small incisions along the gums and placing each dental implant into the appropriate sockets. After aligning and positioning each implant, we will close the tissue and place a healing cap over the areas to aid in recovery.

Dental Implant Osseointegration/Abutment

The recovery phase will require that you follow specific instructions to ensure proper healing, but osseointegration must occur during this time, which can take 3-6 months. This involves the implants fusing with the bone. Once this is completed, you will return to our office to receive your metal abutments, which are used to secure the restoration to the implant.

Delivery of Dental Implant Restorations

The final step you can expect when receiving your new smile is to have your customized restoration put into place. Whether it is a dental crown, bridge, or denture, we will ensure that it not only looks natural and blends with your existing smile but that it also feels comfortable once put into place. You can expect that once you have your new dental implants, you’ll be able to embrace all the many benefits they offer.

Day-to-Day Benefits

• Eating foods of all types – Instead of worrying about prosthetic teeth slipping or falling out, those with dental implants can eat a wider variety of foods that are rich in nutrients and better for the mouth and body.
• More youthful appearance – Tooth loss is commonly linked to facial sagging and collapse, but dental implants reduce the risk of these aesthetic problems by stimulating the jawbone and keeping facial features in place.
• Improved confidence – Many denture-wearers admit they hide their teeth from others and do not feel confident in their smiles. Those with dental implants in Naperville, though, tend to exude greater confidence when eating, speaking, and smiling.

Health Benefits

• Healthy teeth left alone – Dental bridges require that a dentist remove much of the existing tooth structure for adequate placement of the restoration. Dental implants do not need to alter nearby abutment teeth. Instead, they fit into the vacated sockets and allow patients to maintain a more natural, healthy structure.
• No dental drift – When teeth go missing, the remaining teeth may try to shift to close the gap. With dental implants, they keep natural teeth firmly in place, preventing any need for future orthodontic treatment.
• Jawbone stimulation – By placing dental implants into the jawbone, it allows for continuous stimulation of the bone, creating a more stable and durable foundation for a person’s artificial teeth.

Long-Term Benefits

• Long-lasting solution – If the idea of undergoing frequent replacements is not what a person desires, dental implants are the right choice. Not only are they durable, but they have the ability to last 30 years or more with regular maintenance.
• Cost-effective – Initially, patients can expect to make a heavy investment in dental implants, but over time, it will pay off. Instead of paying for denture adhesives, regular adjustments and replacements, or specialized cleaning products, patients with dental implants can enjoy a longer-lasting smile without the added cost of traditional dentures and dental bridges.
• Success rate – It is believed that when placed by a trusted implant dentist in Naperville, the success rate for dental implants is around 95%.

Who is a Good Candidate for Dental Implants?

To determine whether you are a good candidate for dental implants, you’ll be required to meet with one of our esteemed dentists for a scheduled consultation. This visit requires that we examine your oral and overall health as well as determine the density of your jawbone.

If you are in good general health, you will be cleared to undergo dental implant surgery. If your teeth and gums are without cavities, tooth decay, and gum disease, you’ll be cleared to move forward with the dental implant process. If your jawbone is proven to be dense enough to adequately support your new teeth, you’ll find that a newer, permanent smile is what awaits you in the end.

However, if we discover any issues related to your oral or overall health or your jawbone, we may suggest additional treatment in the form of gum disease therapy, tooth extraction, bone grafting, and more.

Missing One Tooth

Even with a single missing tooth, eating and speaking can be hard. If it’s located toward the front of the mouth, you may even feel embarrassed by your appearance. However, with one implant post placed into the gap, we can top it with a realistic dental crown. It prevents the adjacent teeth from drifting into the gap and causing problems down the road. It also restores your appearance and confidence.

Missing Multiple Teeth

Rather than removing healthy tooth structures to place a dental bridge, we can anchor a bridge onto two implants that are placed at either end of the space in your smile. This creates extra stability and preserves more of your enamel so that you can enjoy a more complete appearance that makes it easier to eat and speak.

Missing All Teeth

To replace an entire arch of missing teeth, you don’t have to settle for traditional dentures that can slip when attempting to eat a meal or speak in front of others. Instead, we can secure a full denture on top of four to eight implants throughout your jawbone. Implant dentures eliminate embarrassing slippage and the need for messy denture adhesive.

Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery

If a person requires any preliminary treatments before undergoing dental implant surgery, these procedures will be included in the overall cost. Examples of preliminary dental care include bone grafting, periodontal therapy, and tooth extraction.

In addition, dental implant surgery is a separate fee; however, because we can perform the entire start-to-finish procedure in-house, individuals do not need to worry about paying an outside specialist. This keeps the complete cost in one place, making it easier and more convenient for patients.

The Parts of Your Dental Implant

A dental implant has many parts, each of which is included in the overall cost estimate.

• How many dental implants are required – If only one tooth is missing, only one dental implant post is required. This is much cheaper than if a patient needs four to six posts for an implant denture.
• The materials used – Titanium and zirconia are the two most common materials used.
• The type of restoration needed – Dental crowns, bridges, and dentures can be created to sit on top of dental implants. The number of teeth missing will determine the type of restoration needed, but a crown is less expensive to create than a bridge or denture.
• The brand – Dental implants are made by different manufacturers, but our team will discuss the reasons for choosing a particular brand, as higher quality materials often lead to better results.

How Dental Implants Can Save You Money

Dental implants are unlike traditional prosthetics, and they are considered a cost-effective solution for patients looking for an option that will last decades, not just years. Instead of relying on denture adhesives and costly cleaning supplies, individuals can enjoy prosthetics that are stable within the jawbone and do not require any additional products to help hold them in place. Also, non-abrasive toothpaste is the only slightly different oral hygiene product needed to keep these teeth clean.

Patients can also expect to have a lower risk of systemic conditions and diseases that are commonly linked to tooth loss. By opting for dental implants, individuals can potentially avoid costly treatments for diabetes, osteoporosis, and even heart disease.

Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?

Although some dental insurance companies now provide coverage for dental implants in Naperville, most still consider them an elective procedure. However, even if a person’s insurance carrier will not cover the cost of surgery, it is possible to receive coverage for other aspects of treatment, including the restoration, preliminary treatments, and possibly, the consultation.

Making Dental Implants Affordable

Our implant dentist in Naperville understands receiving these prosthetics can be quite a costly investment, which is why we are pleased to provide patients with alternative payment options, including:

• Grand Advantage Plan – By paying a standard yearly fee, patients receive access to general dental care as well as discounts on other available treatments.
• Flexible Financing Through CareCredit – Enrolling in a low or no-interest payment plan makes it possible for patients to stay within budget while completing their smiles.

Making Oral Hygiene a Priority

Brushing, flossing, and rinsing daily are essential to the health and longevity of your new smile. Although dental implants cannot decay like natural teeth, they can become subject to peri-implantitis if you do not properly care for your gums. Keeping harmful bacteria at bay is important to ensuring these artificial teeth do not fail, so you’ll need to brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, floss at least once, and rinse accordingly.

Eating a Healthy Diet

A balanced diet full of healthy nutrients is one of the best ways to keep your smile healthy, strong, and long-lasting. Combining those that are high in calcium, protein, and essential vitamins can ensure better gum health and stronger bones. However, those with lots of sugar and carbohydrates can lead to cavities and gum disease. Your dental implants need an environment that thrives on foods that benefit the body as a whole, so if you need help to make changes to your diet, talk to your dentist or local physician.

Breaking Bad Habits

Dental implants may be strong, but they can become damaged if you bite down on something hard or practice unhealthy habits. Smoking, eating ice, biting your fingernails, chewing on pens and pencils, and using your teeth as tools are all different ways to chip, crack, or break one of your artificial teeth. This can require a trip to the emergency dentist’s office and costly treatment to replace the custom restoration and/or the dental implant. It’s best to stay away and give up these habits if you want your smile to last a long time.

Protecting Your Dental Implants

If you enjoy playing sports or engaging in physical activities, don’t dismiss the importance of wearing a protective mouthguard. Your dentist can have one customized to fit your mouth comfortably so that you can wear it confidently knowing that your real and artificial teeth will remain better protected throughout the game.

If you don’t play sports but instead grind your teeth at night, we can also create a custom nightguard to keep your pearly whites from touching. This will alleviate any possibility of enamel erosion, dental implant damage, and jaw pain over time.

Scheduling Regular Dental Checkups

Your dentist in Naperville will want to see you every six months for a dental checkup and cleaning, so you’ll need to keep these appointments if you want your dental implants to last. Using professional instruments and innovative technologies, we can easily check your prosthetics to make sure they are healthy and firmly in place while also looking for any signs of dental decay or gum disease.

Will people be able to tell that I have dental implants?

Dental implants are designed to look and feel completely natural, so it is unlikely anyone will be able to tell the difference between a person’s real and artificial teeth. Because of the placement of the implant posts, they will blend in seamlessly with remaining, healthy teeth, and people can avoid holding their jaw awkwardly to ensure the implants remain in place.

Can I get dental implants if I have Rheumatoid Arthritis?

It is dependent upon the person’s bone density and gum health as to whether they can move forward with treatment. When meeting with our dentist, we will evaluate a person’s oral and overall health.

If an individual has Rheumatoid Arthritis, they may be required to take immunosuppressant medication, which can pose a potential problem during the healing portion of dental implant treatment. It also increases the risk of possible infection. We may recommend the individual speak with their doctor about avoiding medications in the weeks before and after oral surgery.

Interested patients need to be mindful of their oral health by brushing and flossing daily, as this will determine the success of long-term implant placement.

How can I tell if my dental implant is failing?

A person may not immediately realize their implant is failing unless they recognize the symptoms. These can include:

• Intense and increasing pain surrounding the implant
• Swollen/inflamed gum tissue
• Feeling as if the implant is loose

Should any of these signs be evident, it’s imperative that the individual get to our dental office immediately. If possible, our implant dentist in Naperville may be able to treat the problem and save the implant.

Do I need a bone graft before getting dental implants?

When meeting with our dental team to discuss the density of a person’s jawbone, it may be necessary for that individual to undergo a bone graft. This process is only required if there is not enough structure to support the dental implants.

Jawbones can experience atrophy once a person is suffering from tooth loss, as the roots are no longer available to stimulate the bone through biting and chewing.

The process of bone grafting involves incorporating bone tissue from the patient or another animal or human donor and placing it in with the existing jawbone. Over time, it will begin to integrate and strengthen to better accommodate dental implants in Naperville.