Dental Implants Richardson

What Are Dental Implants?

Unlike traditional dentures and bridges that just sit atop the gums, dental implants take it a step further by recreating the entire structure of one or more missing teeth. The implant itself is a titanium post that we surgically insert into your jaw, replicating the root of your tooth. After placement, the post becomes one with your jawbone in a process called osseointegration. Then, a metal attachment called an abutment is placed, allowing us to secure your replacement tooth or teeth into place.

Dental implants are the only tooth replacement solution that can do this, and it’s what helps them to feel, function, and look just as natural as your original pearly whites. For these reasons and many more, our dentists tend to recommend dental implants for all qualified patients.

Who Dental Implants Can Help

You only need three things to be a candidate for implants: good dental health, stable overall health, and a healthy jawbone to safely support the new roots. Our team will carefully examine your smile during your consultation and confirm these things. Once you have been approved for the treatment, the kind of restoration we place on top of your implant(s) will be based on your particular situation:

• Missing One Tooth
  Instead of altering two healthy teeth to support a bridge, like we would have in the past, we can now position a single implant root and crown in the gap between two teeth without disturbing them at all.
• Missing Multiple Teeth
  Multiple dental implant crowns and even an implant partial denture can replace nonconsecutive missing teeth throughout the mouth, but for patients with more than one missing tooth in a row, just two implants can be used to support a bridge.
• Missing All Teeth
  Four to six strategically-placed implants can be used to bring back an entire row of teeth at the same time. Because implant prosthetics are secured directly to the jawbone, they don’t slip and slide around the mouth like traditional removable dentures, plus they bring back much of a patient’s original bite force.

Benefits of Dental Implants

• One-of-a-Kind Solution:
  Dental implants bring back the whole tooth, both above and below the gumline. A small titanium post is placed directly into the jawbone to support a new tooth. Thanks to this new root, patients can trust their implant to always stay in place and never shift around unexpectedly.
• Natural-Looking:
  Dental implants are always topped with custom-made porcelain restorations designed to look, feel, and function like your original teeth, and they also don’t have any extra attachments needed to keep them stable.
• Better for the Entire Smile:
  Implants not only replace the teeth, but they also help preserve the jawbone. They stimulate renewed blood flow to the area to keep it strong, maintaining the foundation for the remaining teeth while also protecting the overall shape of a patient’s face.
• Built to Last:
  With just regular oral hygiene and routine dental visits, an implant can be trusted to last for multiple decades or even a lifetime.

Understanding the Cost of Dental Implants

As the gold standard of tooth replacement, dental implants can have a sizable price tag. You'll naturally want to learn the latter before you fully commit to treatment. With that said, the cost of dental implants in Richardson varies; you'll have to consult our team to get a precise estimate. Only then can we outline your care's pricing factors, the role of dental insurance, etc. For further details, please keep reading or call us in the coming days!

Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery

There’s a chance you’ll need “preliminary care” before you can get dental implants. If so, the required periodontal therapy, tooth extraction, etc., will add to your final treatment price. You needn't worry about the increased cost, though; the added procedures would ensure your implants' success. Most dental plans also cover such services to some extent.

Implant surgery also incurs its own expense, with its cost dependent on implant location, your need for sedation, and even the dentist’s skill. However, rest assured that the surgery is worthwhile; the local specialists we partner with have immense expertise.

The Parts of Your Dental Implant

The treatment cost is also shaped by the parts of your dental implant, which include:

• Implant Number – Naturally, it costs more to place several implants than to just place one.
• Implant Size/Material – Your implant’s price will partly depend on its size and material. A long post will cost more than a short one, and Zirconia posts are pricier than titanium posts.
• Implant Brand – Since different companies make dental implants differently, your implant’s brand (or manufacturer) will also affect its cost.
• Final Restoration Type – The final restoration for your implant will strongly influence whether it has a high or low price. Indeed, devices like dental bridges, dental crowns, and implant dentures have distinct costs.

How Dental Implants Can Save You Money

Even with their high upfront price, dental implants make for great long-term investments. Getting them would save you plenty of money over time.

It comes down to implants’ natural longevity. Since the posts can work for 15-20 years (or 30 years if well-maintained), they hardly ever need follow-up repairs or replacements. That means your implants would save you money otherwise spent on fixing dentures, dental bridges, etc.

Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?

Dental insurance doesn’t usually cover dental implants, as it often sees the posts as medically unnecessary. Still, there are always exceptions; you should still confirm your plan’s details beforehand. If you want to contact your insurance provider, our team can even help you do so.

Making Dental Implants Affordable

As it happens, you don’t need dental insurance to make dental implants affordable. Plaisance & Bostick Family Dentistry offers several excellent payment options, which would make your care much more affordable.

Chief among these options is our office’s Dental Savings Plan. By paying a flat fee of $289, a patient can get – among other things – a 20% discount on dental implant treatment. This price reduction can potentially make an otherwise unaffordable procedure fit your budget.

Dental implants don’t need to “break the bank,” so please visit us soon. We’ll work with you to provide a treatment that meets your financial needs!

Dental Implant FAQs