Dental Implants – Hillsboro, OR

What Are Dental Implants?

Unlike dentures and dental bridges that rest on top of the gums and replace only the visible crowns, dental implants go below the surface. Restoring the root as well as the crown, these titanium posts are positioned within the jawbone to create a solid base for your new smile.

Depending on the number of teeth you are missing, we can use one or multiple posts to support a custom crown, bridge, or denture. And with proper maintenance that includes regular dental appointments, good oral hygiene, and appropriate mouth protection, these prosthetics can last decades.

The 4-Step Dental Implant Process

Receiving dental implants involves a unique, multi-step process. Patients have to wait several months or more for all steps to be completed but rest assured that implants’ long-term benefits are worth this time and effort! The Dentists at Orenco Station partner with local dental implant surgeons to ensure your new teeth look and work great. However, if you’d like to know more about the implant process, our office is happy to explain. Just keep reading to learn more or call us for the details.

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Initial Dental Implant Consultation

The first step to getting implants is to schedule an initial consultation. In other words, you’ll start by talking with Drs. Brandon and Malinda Kearbey about your medical history, smile goals, and such.

Crucially, this appointment lets us see if you’re a good implant candidate. We may find prior dental issues that would risk implant failure. Should that happen, you’d need preliminary procedures – gum disease therapy, tooth extraction, bone grafting, etc. – before implant surgery could begin.

The consultation also helps you to know what you can expect from treatment. If we determine you qualify for implants, we’ll refer you to a local implant surgewho can share step-by-step details about your surgery.

Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment

When the dentist finishes surgery, your implants will slowly begin to fuse with your jawbone. They must do so, as the process known as osseointegration ensures your new teeth remain steady and secure. That said, you’ll need to be careful – the fusion takes 3-6 months. During that period, you should avoid anything that could risk implant failure.

You’ll then return to our office for either a digital scan or an impression so that we can work on the creation of your brand-new, lifelike restoration.

 

Delivery of Dental Implant Restoration(s)

The last step of the dental implant process is receiving the final restoration. For most posterior teeth, we will have a custom dental implant crown made and delivered when the implant is ready to be restored. For anterior teeth, we start with a trial crown that helps us shape the gums around the teeth so that we can predictably and comfortably create the ideal final crown. We want to ensure the best esthetics possible for our patients!

Benefits of Dental Implants

With over half a million placed each year, dental implants are quickly becoming the gold standard for replacing missing teeth. Thanks to their unique surgical placement inside the jawbone, implants can offer several incredible benefits that you simply don’t have access to through traditional tooth-replacement options such as dentures or bridges. Keep reading to learn a little more about some of these benefits and how dental implants in Hillsboro can ultimately restore your smile and dramatically improve your quality of life!

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Day-to-Day Benefits

Here are some of the ways dental implants can vastly improve your daily life:

• Eating is made easier – Dental implants replace the entire structure of missing teeth, meaning that they’re much more stable than other restoration options. Therefore, they’re able to withstand virtually any type of food, as they restore a significant amount of your natural chewing power.
• Boosted self-confidence – Since implants are carefully customized for your unique smile, the restorations will resemble your natural teeth while also complimenting your facial structure. This will work wonders for your confidence; you won’t want to stop smiling throughout the day!
• Improved speech – It’s common for patients with dentures to experience difficulty speaking due to their prosthetic sliding around their mouth. But since dental implants are undeniably secure, you’ll be able to converse clearly and with confidence.
• No special maintenance – Dental implants don’t need to be taken out or soaked in a special solution like dentures; you simply need to care for them as you would your natural teeth by brushing and flossing daily, in addition to keeping up with routine preventive care.

Health Benefits

In addition to improving your day-to-day, implants can also provide you with many noteworthy health benefits including:

• Improved oral health – Research shows a connection between tooth loss and a heightened risk of several diseases. But since implants are the next best thing to your natural teeth, it’s reasonable to assume that they help to lower these risks.
• Protection for surrounding teeth – Dental implants can also serve as placeholders to ensure that your remaining natural teeth stay safe and in place. It’s worth noting that traditional restoration options can sometimes place excess strain on the surrounding teeth and gums due to how they’re stabilized, but since implants support themselves, this isn’t an issue.
• Jawbone preservation – Implants provide the jawbone with an immense level of healthy support, which in turn helps to prevent the bone loss that commonly follows tooth loss.

Long-Term Benefits

Since dental implants are designed to be a permanent solution for missing teeth, they’re also accompanied by several long-term benefits such as:

• High success rate – Roughly 95% to 98% of dental implants are successful and effective; this even holds true after 10 years!
• Impressive lifespan – Implants are designed as a permanent solution, meaning that they’re built to last. Unlike dentures or bridges, implants can easily persevere for several decades if they’re properly maintained. This also means they’re cost-effective as time goes on since they won’t need to be replaced.
• Youthful appearance – Since they provide healthy stimulation to your jawbone, dental implants prevent your jaw from deteriorating and causing your face to appear sunken and gaunt. This means that they’ll actually help you retain a more youthful look!

Who Dental Implants Can Help

How many teeth have you lost? No matter the answer, dental implants can provide the solution. During your consultation with one of our dentists, they’ll go over your implant and restoration options. Here’s what you should know.

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Who Is a Good Candidate for Dental Implants?

Most healthy adults can get dental implants! Here are the most important factors we take into consideration when determining if someone makes a good candidate for the procedure:

• 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 infections and gum disease will need to be addressed ahead of time.
• Adequate jawbone density: Your jawbone must be dense enough to support dental implants for your treatment to be successful. Otherwise, you could experience dental implant failure.

If you don’t make a good candidate for the procedure right away, don’t fret! Many patients need to complete preliminary procedures and treatments before they qualify for dental implants. This includes tooth extractions, gum disease therapy, or bone grafting. We can help schedule these preparatory procedures to get you on track for your new smile. Once you make a good candidate, we will create your dental implant treatment plan!

Missing One Tooth

For a single gap in your grin, the traditional choice is to file down the teeth on either end to support a dental bridge, sacrificing healthy enamel and placing undue stress on two natural teeth. Instead, a single implant post can be placed in the gap and restored with a lifelike dental crown.

Missing Multiple Teeth

If you have several missing teeth in a row, just two implants can be inserted at the ends of the space. Then, a dental bridge can be anchored onto these posts, supporting up to three consecutive prosthetic teeth. This provides a healthier and more cost-effective alternative to traditional bridges.

Missing All of Your Teeth

You can still receive dental implants even if you’re missing most or all of your original teeth. Instead of replacing each individual tooth with an implant, four to six posts are placed at certain angles to maximize your available jawbone density. These implants can provide enough support for a full denture, without the embarrassing slippage that often comes with traditional prosthetics.

Understanding the Cost of Dental Implants

Because no two dental implant journeys are exactly alike, neither are any two costs of dental implant treatment. They’re each personalized to meet a patient’s unique needs, which is why the prices can vary significantly on a case-by-case basis. At your consultation, our team will go over all the pricing information so you can have an idea of what you’ll be expected to pay for your new teeth.

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Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery

If you have existing oral health issues, you may need to undergo certain preliminary treatments like gum disease therapy, tooth extractions, and bone grafting before getting dental implants in Hillsboro. While these will add to the overall cost of your treatment, they’re essential for the long-term success of your results. Luckily, most of these services are partially covered by dental insurance.

It’s important to note that dental implant surgery has its own cost. Since you will be referred to an outside specialist, you should expect there to be a separate bill for the surgical portion of your treatment.

The Parts of Your Dental Implant

The overall cost of dental implants in Hillsboro varies based on multiple factors. Some of those include:

• The number of dental implants you need. Replacing a single missing tooth with one dental implant will cost less than 4-6 for an implant denture. However, an implant denture is more cost-effective than replacing each tooth separately.
• Type of restoration you choose. Crowns, bridges, and dentures each cost different amounts.

How Dental Implants Can Save You Money

Keep in mind that while dental implants may have a higher initial cost, they can actually save you money in the long term. They can easily last decades with proper maintenance. Other options, like bridges and dentures, must be replaced every decade or so. Over the years, the cost of these retreatments can exceed the amount you initially paid for implants. Not to mention, implants offer the most oral health benefits and look and feel more lifelike than any other solution available.

Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?

Our team can help you determine what benefits you may have with your insurance. A percentage of the final restoration or certain preliminary treatments might be covered. Of course, you should contact your insurance provider to confirm the details of your coverage, especially before committing to anything. If needed, our team is more than happy to help with this process.

Making Dental Implants Affordable

We understand that not everyone has dental insurance. Fortunately, our practice offers third-party financing through CareCredit to help make your treatment as affordable as possible! It allows you to split up the total cost of your care into smaller monthly installments. Best of all, these payment options often come with little-to-no interest attached, helping you save even more money. To apply, you can visit our website or contact our team for assistance.

Maintaining & Caring for Your Dental Implants

Once you’ve replaced your missing teeth with dental implants, you’ll be free to enjoy eating all your favorite foods, speaking clearly with others, and smiling with confidence. While your brand-new pearly whites will offer numerous benefits, you’ll want to make sure that they last as long as possible. Though they can’t develop cavities, it doesn’t mean they won’t be vulnerable to other complications, such as gum disease and accidental damage. To make the most of your renewed smile, here are several important ways to care for your dental implants.

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Make Oral Hygiene a Priority

Any remaining natural teeth around your dental implants can still be susceptible to decay, which can increase the risk of bacteria and infection in your smile and gums. For this reason, you should practice good oral hygiene to prevent any issues from affecting your new teeth. This should include brushing twice a day and flossing after every meal.

Eat a Healthy Diet

Dental implants can restore your smile as well as 80% or more of your natural biting force. This means you’ll be free to enjoy an expanded diet and chew effectively. That said, make sure to include nutritious foods in your everyday meals, especially those that are rich in vitamin C and calcium. This can help ensure that your jawbone is strong and healthy, which will directly benefit your dental implants and smile in the long run.

Break Bad Habits

Although dental implants are incredibly durable and lifelike, they aren’t unbreakable. To prevent ruining your newly rebuilt smile, you’ll want to actively avoid and/or break certain oral habits, such as:

• Smoking or using tobacco products, as this can risk implant failure
• Using your teeth for opening packages or holding heavy items
• Chewing on hard objects like ice cubes, fingernails, or pens

Protect Your Dental Implants

Are you active in sports? Do you sometimes grind or clench your teeth while sleeping? If so, our team can provide you with custom-made mouthguards or nightguards for bruxism. These dental appliances can help protect your tooth enamel from wearing down as well as your dental implants from becoming damaged over time.

Schedule Regular Dental Checkups

Even if you practice strict oral hygiene and eat a healthy diet, you can only do so much at home to protect your mouth and dental implants. You’ll want to visit your dentist every six months for checkups and cleanings, as they’ll be able to detect oral health problems that aren’t visible to you. They can also clean areas in your mouth that you can’t reach, allowing them to effectively remove plaque and tartar that your toothbrush can’t. Our team will be sure to check for any underlying problems and address them before they worsen.

Dental Implant FAQs

Want to know more about dental implants in Hillsboro before scheduling a consultation? Our talented team has collected some of the most common questions we get from patients about implant treatment and answered them below. We hope you find these FAQs informative! If you have additional questions that are not addressed here, don’t hesitate to contact our office.