Dental Implants – Dudley, MA
A Truly Lifelike Tooth Replacement
Has tooth loss made it hard for you to eat or smile like you used to? If so, you may be interested in dental implants – the only tooth replacement that looks and feels as if you’ve gotten your natural teeth back. Not only does this solution let you speak, chew, and smile with confidence, but it can potentially last for 30 years or longer! If you’re ready to get your complete smile back, contact our team at Dudley Family Dental today to schedule a consultation to discuss tooth replacement with dental implants in Dudley, MA.
Why Choose Dudley Family Dental for Dental Implants?
- Partnered with the Best Oral Surgeons in the Area
- Expert Periodontist Ensures Healthy Gums & High Success Rate
- Low- to No-Interest Dental Financing Available
What Are Dental Implants?
Dental implants are tiny titanium posts that are positioned in the jawbone, where they act as substitutes for the roots of missing teeth. The jawbone actually grows around the implants, creating a foundation strong enough to support any number of artificial teeth – whether that be with a dental crown, a bridge, or a denture. This bond also ensures the implants feel just as secure and natural as the pearly whites you were born with, allowing you to enjoy replacement teeth that stay in place for years or even decades to come.
The 4-Step Dental Implant Process
Generally, you can expect to go through four phases of dental implant treatment:
- Initial consultation – You’ll meet with one of our dentists, who will ask you about your smile goals, answer your questions, and examine your mouth to determine your candidacy for dental implants.
- Dental implant surgery – We’ll refer you to a trusted oral surgeon in the Dudley area, who will expertly position the implants into your jawbone.
- Osseointegration & abutment – Over the next several months, your implants merge with your jawbone in a process called osseointegration. Once this is done, small metal connectors called abutments are placed atop your implants.
- Delivery of the final restoration – We’ll place your tailor-made dental crown, bridge, or denture onto your abutments to complete your smile.
Benefits of Dental Implants
As the only form of tooth replacement that recreates the entire structure of a missing tooth, dental implants provide numerous benefits that other options cannot. For example, dental implants:
- Always remain firmly in place
- Restore most of the chewing power you had before tooth loss
- Look and feel exactly like your old pearly whites
- Keep the jawbone strong and healthy
- Have an average lifespan of 30+ years
- Require the same basic maintenance as natural teeth – regular brushing, flossing, and dental checkups
Who Dental Implants Can Help
Dental implants are an incredibly versatile treatment – they can give you a full and complete smile no matter how many teeth you’ve lost. For most adults who are in generally good health, dental implants can replace any number of missing teeth:
Missing One Tooth
A single dental implant post can be vertically placed in the jaw and then restored with a customized dental crown. Because this solution doesn’t require any of your existing teeth to be modified, it’s more conservative than a traditional dental bridge.
Missing Multiple Teeth
For patients missing three or more teeth in a row, one implant can be placed at either end of the gap to support a dental bridge that doesn’t rely on existing teeth. We can also secure a partial denture onto a small number of implants if you’re missing multiple teeth at various locations along an arch.
Missing All Teeth
Even an entire arch of lost teeth can be replicated with dental implants. It takes as little as four to six strategically positioned implants to provide ample support for a full denture that restores your biting strength and never slips out of place.
Understanding the Cost of Dental Implants
Since no two smiles are exactly the same, the cost of dental implant treatment varies based on each patient’s specific needs. Multiple factors must be considered, such as the number of implants you need and where in your mouth they’ll be placed. At Dudley Family Dental, we’ll be more than happy to walk you through your financing options. We’ll also explain how, because of their impressively long lifespan, dental implants might actually be more cost-effective overall than traditional prosthetics.
Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery
In some cases, we can start a patient’s treatment with the dental implant procedure itself. In other cases, we need to conduct preliminary procedures first. For example, if you are one of the 50% of American adults who have gum disease, we’ll begin your treatment plan with periodontal therapy. Similarly, if a tooth (or multiple teeth) needs to be removed due to extensive decay or damage, then conducting a tooth extraction is the first step. All that to say, any preparatory treatments that are needed will accrue an additional cost. Then, there’s the cost of oral surgery to consider. Since we partner with the top oral surgeons in the area, we can work to make this entire payment process as streamlined as possible.
The Parts of Your Dental Implant
Although “dental implant” is often used as an all-encompassing term, that’s not really the case. In reality, we need to consider unique factors for each patient, including:
- The number of dental implants you need.
- The type of restoration (i.e., dental crown, dental bridge, denture).
- The material that’s used to make your dental implant.
- The manufacturer that makes your dental implant.
How Dental Implants Can Save You Money
It’s common for patients to be a bit concerned when they see the upfront cost of dental implants. It’s important to remember, however, that this is the longest-lasting tooth-replacement solution (with proper care, of course). In fact, dental implants have been known to last for more than three decades. Plus, they are unique in a multitude of other ways, including that they prevent bone loss, preserve your youthful face shape, and are custom-made for each patient. With all of that said, although they aren’t the cheapest, they still very well may be the best choice for your oral health, overall health, and wallet.
Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?
It’s not common for dental insurance providers to cover the cost of dental implants. However, we still recommend reviewing the fine print on your plan or calling your insurance company directly. In the process, you may find that there are other benefits that can be used, such as coverage for any preliminary treatments you need or for the restoration itself. We know that sometimes understanding your plan can be confusing, so you’re welcome to ask our team for help too!
Making Dental Implants Affordable
In addition to dental insurance, our patients in Dudley can take advantage of flexible financing with CareCredit! Since they offer several payment plans, all you need to do is determine what your monthly budget is and select the one that works best. This is extremely helpful for patients who are looking to make dental implants more affordable since you don’t have to pay for the entire cost upfront. There are also plans with low-to-no interest, which is even more helpful.