Dental Implants — Marietta, OH

Initial Dental Implant Consultation

Before we can begin on your dental implant treatment plan, we need to understand your health history and oral anatomy. During an initial dental implant consultation, you and Dr. Lee will discuss your oral and overall health as it relates to dental implants. Smokers or patients who have been missing teeth for a long time may need to have certain precautions taken to increase the chances of success. Special scans taken with a unique type of CT scanner help Dr. Lee to plan out the treatment — ensuring proper implant placement when the time comes.

If you need to have a bone graft, sinus lift, or other preparatory procedure to make the jawbone stronger before dental implants can be placed, Dr. Lee will recommend this after the initial consultation. If not, you can skip straight to the dental implant surgery.

Dental Implant Surgery

Once the jawbone is strong and able to support dental implants, it is time to place them. Dr. Lee will open up the gums and place the dental implant(s) into your jawbone according to the treatment plan. You will be comfortably sedated throughout this process to ensure you remain at-ease.

Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment Placement

After the dental implants have been placed, the important healing phase begins. This is when the magic happens — the titanium implant posts promote bone growth, which helps the jaw actually fuse together with the dental implants (a process called osseointegration). The end result is dental implants that are united with your bone, just like real teeth roots.

It takes around four to six months for osseointegration to occur. Once it has, you will return to our office for your abutments. These are hook-like coverings that go on top of the dental implant posts. They help to secure the crown, bridge, or denture that will complete the process.

Delivery of Dental Implant Restorations

After the abutments have been placed, the fun begins! Dr. Lee can now place your dental implant restorations — or the visible teeth that will help you speak, smile, and eat just like you were used to doing before tooth loss.

The type of restoration you receive depends on how many teeth you have lost. An individual crown is appropriate for single tooth loss or several teeth lost from different areas of the mouth. For more significant tooth loss, you may receive an implant-supported bridge or denture. No matter what the right solution is for you, one thing is for sure — you can now look forward to a sturdy, viable tooth replacement that will last for years to come with proper care.

Day-to-Day Benefits

• Eat steak, apples, nuts, and more: Your jawbone fuses to the dental implant post through a process called osseointegration. This stable foundation gives your restoration as much as 80% of your natural biting force, oftentimes more! You can enjoy your favorite foods without worrying about any slipping or irritation. They will stay firmly and comfortably in place no matter what is on your plate.
• Look younger: Preserving your jawbone and replacing your missing teeth provides your facial tissues with support. This stops premature wrinkling and sagging skin to help maintain a youthful appearance. Plus, dental implants are the only tooth replacement option that prevents the jawbone loss that occurs after tooth loss.
• Say goodbye to slipping, irritation, and sensitivity: Thanks to their unique placement, you will never have to worry about your dental implants slipping or popping out of place at embarrassing times. And since they don’t rely on your gums or natural teeth, they won’t cause any gum irritation or tooth sensitivity either.

Health Benefits

• Keep your smile healthy: The implant post stimulates your bone to encourage new growth. This stops dental drift and keeps your jawbone strong around your remaining teeth, which will help prevent future tooth loss. You’ll lower your risk of cavities, gum disease, and other serious oral health issues while also lowering your long-term dental care expenses.
• No need to alter healthy teeth: Dental implants don’t rely on healthy teeth for support. You won’t need to permanently alter any teeth, so they can stay strong for a lifetime.

Long-Term Benefits

• Enjoy a long-term solution: Dental implants are proven to last for several decades with the right aftercare. In fact, with good oral hygiene and routine dental checkups, most patients enjoy their dental implants for a lifetime.
• Cost-effective treatment. Traditional restorations like dentures and dental bridges need to be replaced every five to seven years, which is both inconvenient and costly. On the other hand, the one-time cost of dental implants gives you a new smile that has the potential to last for decades to come without any problems. This can save you thousands of dollars on replacements alone!
• Dental implants are more affordable than you might believe. While dental insurance companies typically don’t fully cover dental implants, they will often pay for parts or percentages of it. Your treatment is also spaced out over several steps, each of which incurs its own fee, so you can break up the cost of your treatment over time. Our office also accepts a variety of payment options for any remaining balance, like third-party financing with CareCredit.

Who Is a Good Candidate for Dental Implants?

If you have missing teeth, good oral health, and minimal risks for complications, you are often a candidate for dental implants. Dr. Lee reviews several factors to determine if dental implants are right for you, such as:

• General health
• Oral health
• Jawbone’s density
• Patient compliance
• Lifestyle habits, like smoking

If any of these conditions are not met, there are workable solutions our team may recommend, including bone grafting. Once you mee the requirements of being a good candidate for dental implants, we can begin planning your treatment around how many teeth you’re missing.

Missing 1 Tooth

A single missing tooth is replaced with an implant-retained crown. A biocompatible implant posts is surgically placed into your jawbone. This mimics your tooth’s root while also providing a secure foundation for your new tooth. After your jawbone has healed, an abutment is attached to the post. This is a connector piece between the post and the crown. Your crown is carefully crafted to look like your remaining teeth, so no one will know it is not your own.

Missing Multiple Teeth

Several missing teeth in a row can be replaced using an implant-supported bridge. An impression of your mouth is taken to carefully craft prosthetic teeth to fill the empty space. Instead of placing dental crowns on the adjacent teeth to hold the bridge in place, an average of 1 or 2 implant posts anchors it to your jawbone. This gives your remaining natural teeth the support they need to stay in place without permanently altering them.

Missing All Teeth

A traditional denture relies on suction or an adhesive to hold the arch to your gum tissue. No matter how well it is crafted, there will always be some limitations to your biting force. Not to mention, slipping and irritation over time are common occurrences.

You can avoid the slipping and irritation of a traditional denture by anchoring it to your jawbone with dental implants. Conventional dentures rely on suction or an adhesive; however, implant dentures use an average of 4 to 6 implant posts to stabilize it. This allows you to regain as much as 70% of your biting force to enjoy a solution that closely looks and feels like your real teeth.

Learn More About Implant Dentures

Learn More About All-On-4 Dental Implants

How Dental Implants Can Save You Money

Dental implants cost more upfront than traditional treatments, but they are more cost-effective long-term. They have the potential to last for several decades, so you will never need to worry about having them replaced. This allows them to pay for themselves over time. Not to mention, they lower your overall dental costs by preventing common issues associated with missing teeth, like a heightened risk of tooth decay, gum disease, and additional tooth loss.

Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?

Now, many insurance carriers cover a portion of the cost of dental implants. The amount they pay varies depending on your specific policy. Although it will not pay the entire balance, it can help lower the amount of certain aspects of your treatment, like the restorations. We work on your behalf with the insurance company to reduce your out-of-pocket balance. We accept several payment options to make paying the remaining balance affordable, such as using third-party financing with CareCredit.

Bone Grafting

Whenever you’ve lost one or more teeth, a serious consequence of tooth loss is the gradual reabsorption of the jawbone. Since that area is no longer being used, it starts to break down. Other reasons for bone loss include physical injuries or the presence of gum disease. A weakened jawbone threatens the success of dental implants, so Dr. Lee will need to perform a bone graft before moving forward.

Bone grafting is a procedure where bone tissue is added to areas where it’s lacking. The tissue can be taken from another one of your bones, but it may also come from a cadaver or an animal. There are even examples of synthetic material being used for bone grafting. In any case, once the graft is in place, the jaw will start to create new bone tissue of its own. Eventually, there’ll be enough bone to support the dental implant posts.

Keep in mind that it can take several months for a major bone graft to fully take effect; you’ll have to wait until you’ve fully recovered before you can move on with the process. On the other hand, if you only need a minor bone graft, you might be able to have the grafting procedure and the implant placement performed during the same visit.

Sinus Lifts

Your sinuses are located above your upper teeth and behind your cheeks, where some of the roots extend. If some or all these teeth have to be removed, patients often find that there’s only a very thin area of bone that separates the sinuses from the mouth; this can lead to complications during implant placement. For this reason, a sinus lift procedure is usually recommended when teeth are missing in a certain area in the upper jaw.

During a sinus lift, Dr. Lee will make an incision in the gums to expose the membrane of the sinuses. After the membrane is lifted upwards, new bone tissue (or synthetic grafting material) can be placed in the now empty space. Just as with a regular bone graft, the material will eventually become a natural part of the jaw.

Just like bone grafting, it’s usually necessary to wait several months after a sinus lift to try and place dental implants. That said, the surgery can sometimes be performed during the same visit if you already have plenty of existing bone in this area.

What to Do Directly After Dental Implant Surgery

Blood clots will form at your surgical sites. Protecting those clots is important in order to facilitate proper healing. Here are some dental implant post-op instructions in Marietta to help you do that:

• Do no spit. Instead, swallow excess saliva or use tissues to absorb it.
• Do no use drinking straws or smoke. The suction action could dislodge the blood clots.
• Do not touch your surgical sites. It might be tempting to feel your surgical sites with your tongue or fingers, but doing so is unwise.

Common Side Effects While Recovering from Dental Implant Placement

During the initial part of your recovery period, you might experience:

• Intermittent bleeding. This can be managed with gauze and light pressure. It may continue for several days.
• Swelling. This may worsen over the first 72 hours and stick around for a week or longer. Cold compresses can help to minimize it.
• General discomfort. You may need to take pain medications and get plenty of rest.

If you notice any severe or unusual side effects, call our team right away.

Your Diet After Dental Implant Surgery

At first, you should stick to a no-chew diet, which can include things like mashed potatoes, yogurt, ice cream, and brothy soups. After you have been recovering for a bit, you can move on to fork-tender foods, like meatloaf, scrambled eggs, and pasta (anything that is easy to cut with the side of a fork). Once you feel up to it, you can resume a fairly normal diet. Just be sure to exercise caution around your surgical sites until your new teeth are in place.

Post-Op Oral Hygiene

You can brush your teeth the day after surgery, but be very cautious around your surgical sites. You should also rinse your mouth a few times each day with salt water in order to minimize inflammation. If you have a prescription mouthwash, use it as directed. If you choose to use a nonprescription mouthwash, choose one that is alcohol-free.

What to Do After Your New Teeth Are Attached

Once your new denture, bridge, or crown is attached to your dental implants, you might experience a bit of soreness or sensitivity in your gums. However, that should be mild. You can expect to be able to use your restored smile right away! There should not be any bleeding, swelling, or required downtime.

Make Oral Hygiene a Priority

While dental implants cannot develop cavities like your other teeth, you will still need to practice excellent oral hygiene. This includes:

• Brushing for two minutes twice a day
• Flossing daily
• Rinsing with mouthwash regularly
• Using fluoridated toothpaste
• Using a soft-bristled toothbrush

Good oral hygiene habits like these will keep your gums healthy and stave off issues like gum disease, which can potentially cause your dental implant to fail.

Eat a Healthy Diet

While dentures only bring back about 25-30% of your biting force, dental implants can restore 80% or more of your natural chewing ability! This means you should have no trouble eating all your favorite foods once again, such as steak, nuts, and apples. However, you should still strive to eat a healthy, balanced diet. Sugary snacks increase your risk of serious oral health issues like gum disease, and particularly hard foods can damage your restoration. Instead, make sure to eat plenty of foods with calcium, protein, and vitamin C to keep your smile sparkling and strong.

Break Bad Habits

A few healthy practices can help your dental implants last a lifetime, but by the same token, a few bad habits can dramatically shorten the lifespan of your new smile. Once you’ve replaced your missing teeth with dental implants, it’s important that you take the time to break bad habits like:

• Smoking or chewing tobacco products: Tobacco leaves your mouth vulnerable to infection and can interfere with the healing process after dental implant surgery. Dental implants are far less successful in patients that smoke or chew tobacco.
• Chewing on hard objects: Chewing on things like pens, ice, pencils, fingernails, or other hard objects will weaken your restoration and can potentially damage it.
• Using your teeth as tools: Now is the time to stop using your teeth to open packages, bottles, containers, and other items, as these actions can loosen and harm your implant.

Protect Your Dental Implants

Do you play sports? If so, you should be wearing a custom-made mouthguard. Not only will this little appliance help protect your remaining natural teeth as well as your dental implant, but studies suggest that they may be able to help lower your risk of concussion as well.

Do you grind your teeth in your sleep? This is a condition called bruxism, and it can weaken and loosen your dental implant over time. Thankfully, with a custom nightguard for bruxism, we can help protect your smile while you sleep and promote relaxation in your jaw.

Schedule Regular Dental Checkups

Whether you’ve replaced one, several, or all your teeth with dental implants, it’s important that you still come see us for regular checkups and cleanings every six months. We’ll help you clean all the nooks and crannies that are difficult to reach at home, which will dramatically lower your risk of developing issues like gum disease or oral infections. Plus, we will monitor your dental implant above and below your gumline, which will allow us to catch any potentially problems as early as possible.

3D Cone Beam Imaging/3D CT Scanning

Before we can move forward with dental implant placement, we need to take a closer look at your jaw. You may think that this means taking a traditional dental X-ray, but this alone would not be enough to gather all the information needed for the surgery. Instead, we will use a cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scanner to create a comprehensive 3D model of your oral cavity and the underlying jawbone.

A CBCT scanner allows us to see where nerve paths and other hidden oral structures are located. This lets us know what obstacles we need to watch out for during your surgery so that we can avoid any unnecessary damage while ensuring that the implant posts are placed exactly where they need to be. The scope of information captured by a CBCT scan makes it an indispensable part of the dental implant process.

There’s no need to be nervous about having a CBCT scan performed. The process is completely painless, and a single scan can be completed in less than a minute. There also won’t be any radiation left in your body once the scan is complete, making it a safe choice for a variety of patients.

Guided Dental Implant Surgery

The dental implant process varies from patient to patient. If you only have a single gap that needs to be filled, it’s typically easy to figure out where the implant post needs to be inserted. But what if all of your teeth are missing? Without any landmarks to rely on, how can we ensure that your implants are placed in the right spots? The answer is actually quite simple: we can use a 3D-printed surgical guide.

To create a surgical guide, we will first need to take a CBCT scan of your mouth and narrow down the best locations for the dental implant posts. Once the guide has been made, we can use it during the surgery to show us where each post should go.  

The most important benefit of guided dental implant surgery is enhanced precision. Not only does this make things more comfortable for our patients, but it can also lead to less swelling and bruising at the end of the treatment. On top of that, a surgical guide can potentially shorten the amount of time that your mouth needs to heal by allowing us to make smaller incisions.

Can I take dental implants out?

No, only a trained dental professional can remove them, such as in situations of failure. A titanium post is surgically placed into your jaw to replicate the root. Your bone will fuse to it through a process called osseointegration. Therefore, the implant can remain in place forever potentially. While you can’t remove any posts, some implant dentures can be taken out for easier cleaning.

Does it hurt to get dental implants?

You’ll require oral surgery to place the posts, but you don’t need to be worried about any pain because your jaw doesn’t have any nerve endings. Not to mention, your implant dentist in Marietta will use a local numbing agent and sedative for a pain-free experience. Although you won’t feel any discomfort during the procedure, it’s normal for your mouth to be sore for a few days. You can manage it with an OTC pain reliever. Applying a cold compress to the outside of the face can numb the area temporarily while reducing swelling and bruising.

Am I too old for dental implants?

There isn’t an age limit for dental implants; however, older patients can have a slightly higher risk of complications. Certain underlying health conditions and medications can affect the body’s ability to heal and fight infections. If you have pre-existing conditions, like diabetes, or use specific medications, you can still be a candidate for dental implants; however, your dentist will take precautions to ensure the success of your procedure. It’s not unusual for older patients to require a little prep-work before their placement surgery, such as tooth extractions, periodontal therapy, or bone grafting.

What’s the lifespan of a dental implant?

A dental implant can last for 30 years or more with the right care. Various factors influence the lifespan, such as your oral and lifestyle habits. Committing to your oral hygiene at home and visiting your dentist regularly will protect your investment. Your implant dentist will recommend avoiding anything that can compromise your new smile, like using your teeth as tools or smoking. Besides keeping your smile clean and healthy, the location of the implant can affect how long it will last. Molars undergo more pressure and strain than the front teeth, so they have slightly shorter lifespans. Skipping hard and sticking foods will put less wear and tear on your dental implants.

What should I do if my dental implant feels loose?

After your bone has integrated with the post, your dental implant should never feel loose. If it feels unstable, you need to contact a dentist right away. It can be a sign of early dental implant failure. The quicker the problem is addressed, the more likely they can save your smile.

Are Dental Implants Safe?

Yes, dental implants are generally safe for most patients with good health! When performed by a qualified professional, success rates for this treatment are high. Issues like low jawbone density or gum disease can be addressed to enhance safety and success.

If you have preexisting conditions such as diabetes or cancer, which may pose surgery-related risks, these can be discussed during your consultation. Personalized care and addressing specific health concerns contribute to the overall safety and success of dental implant surgery.

What Can Cause Dental Implants to Fail?

Dental implant failure, though rare, is usually due to peri-implantitis or failed osseointegration. Peri-implantitis, which is typically from inadequate oral hygiene, can harm the supporting bone and gums. Failed osseointegration, where the implant doesn't fuse properly with the jawbone, is more likely with low jawbone density.

Chronic teeth grinding, tobacco use, poor oral hygiene, certain medications, and health conditions like diabetes or cancer can also contribute to implant failure. Dr. Lee will offer guidelines to minimize the risk of implant failure, emphasizing the importance of good oral care and addressing oral health concerns.

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

Recovery from dental implant surgery is generally quick, allowing you to return to normal activities the day after the procedure. While you can resume light activities, it's recommended to avoid strenuous exercise for the first week to promote healing. Bleeding typically stops within the first few days, and swelling should diminish after three to four days.

Be sure to follow Dr. Lee’s guidance on prescribed or over-the-counter pain relievers to manage any discomfort. The full integration of implants with the jawbone may take up to six months. Adhering to post-surgery instructions and attending follow-up appointments can contribute to a successful and smooth recovery process.

Will I Have to Take Off Work for Dental Implant Surgery?

In most cases, patients typically only need to take one or perhaps two days off work for dental implant surgery. However, the specific recommendation may vary based on each case, and Dr. Lee can provide personalized guidance.

If your job involves physical demands, it's recommended to take at least three or four days off to ensure proper healing. Particularly for physically demanding roles, heavy exercise should be avoided during the initial recovery period. You can optimize your recovery by scheduling the procedure on a Thursday or Friday to allow for a more seamless return to work after the weekend. Of course, you should always consult with Dr. Lee to determine the best approach for your unique situation.