Dental Implants – Lansing, MI

Initial Dental Implant Consultation

During your consultation, one of our experts will carefully review your medical history and examine your mouth. If necessary, we will recommend preliminary treatments like gum disease therapy, bone grafting, or tooth extractions to ensure the success of your dental implants. It’s important to address issues before starting dental implants because infection and lack of jawbone strength can lead to implant failure. From there, we will create a custom treatment plan that includes important information like the estimated timeline and cost of your implants. 

Dental Implant Surgery

One of the advantages of visiting Healthy Smiles Dental Care of Lansing is that we don’t have to refer out to a specialist for implant surgery. This gives you more convenience, compact fees, and a consistent treatment. Plus, it’s always nice to see the same dentist and staff to give yourself peace of mind. For your surgery, we will numb the affected area and potentially use sedation. By making an incision on the gums, we can access the bone a create a tiny hole for the placement of your implant. Next, we’ll close up of the gums and place a protective cap on top of the implant.

Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment Placement

Once your implant is placed, you will begin a healing process called osseointegration. Implants are made of biocompatible materials that allow them to fuse to the jawbone, becoming a permanent part of the body. This osseointegration process usually takes between 3 to 4 months. Toward the end of this healing period, you’ll have a minor procedure where we will place abutments on top of the implant. These are small connectors that allow for the placement of your final restoration. Once abutments are in place, we’ll take impressions to create your custom crown, bridge, or denture.

Delivery of Dental Implant Restorations

Lastly, you’ll return to our office for one final visit. We will place your permanent restoration, which is made of high-quality materials and designed to fit seamlessly into your mouth. Your restoration will directly depend on the number of teeth that you’re missing. Once placed, we will ensure that you have a natural, comfortable bite. Next, all that’s left to do is to walk out of our office with a strong, healthy, beautiful, and complete set of teeth!

Day-to-Day Benefits

• Eat whatever you want – Traditional dentures only renew about 25% of the biting force you had before tooth loss. In contrast, dental implants restore 70% or more, enabling you to eat all of your favorite chewy, crunchy, and hearty foods with ease.
• Enjoy easy maintenance – You won’t have to learn a whole new oral hygiene routine or purchase new cleaning products. Keeping your implants in good shape is often as simple as regular brushing, flossing, and checkups with your implant dentist in Lansing.
• Avoid messy adhesives – Implant restorations are secured onto posts in your jaw, letting you skip the adhesives. Instead, you can rest easy knowing your replacement teeth will never feel loose, slip around, or fall out.

Health Benefits

• Preservation of remaining teeth – Bridges traditionally require the adjacent teeth to be filed down to hold the prosthetic in place, which can cause sensitivity in those teeth. Dental implants in Lansing are completely self-supporting, so you can retain more of your natural tooth structure.
• Stimulate the jawbone – After you lose a tooth, the area of the jawbone that it used to support begins to lose density. Eventually, this may cause your face to take on a wrinkled, sunken appearance that ages you prematurely. Dental implants stimulate the jawbone like real teeth, keeping it strong enough to preserve your youthful glow.
• Stabilize adjacent teeth – When a gap is created by a missing tooth, the neighboring teeth naturally shift in an attempt to fill the space. This may lead to problems like crooked teeth, TMJ disorder, chronic pain, and difficulty chewing. Dental implants prevent these issues by perfectly filling in the gap.

Long-Term Benefits

• High-success rate – When choosing a skilled implant dentist in Lansing, you can expect your initial placement success rate to be around 95%. This can remain between 90-95% after 10 years if you successfully maintain your new teeth.
• Last for several decades – Once dental implants are placed, they begin the process of fusing to the surrounding jawbone (osseointegration). Essentially, they become a part of your anatomy. This allows them to potentially last a lifetime with the right care.
• Cost-effective solution – While bridges cost less than implants, they have a typical lifespan of five to ten years. Over time, you’d end up having to pay more to replace your bridge than you would have initially by investing in dental implants.

Who Is a Good Candidate for Dental Implants?

Most healthy adults with missing teeth can benefit from dental implants. Usually, you’ll need to have these three things to be considered a good candidate:

• Good overall health: The dental implant placement involves a minor surgery, so you’ll need to be well enough to undergo a small procedure.
• Great oral health: Common problems like decay and gum disease can contribute to implant failure, which is why they will need to be addressed prior to treatment.
• Adequate jawbone density: It’s vital that your jawbone is strong enough to support dental implants so you can enjoy your replacements for decades to come.

Even if it doesn’t seem like dental implants are right for you, there is no need to worry. Preliminary treatments like gum disease therapy, bone grafting, and tooth extractions are common ways we can prepare patients for dental implants. Once we get your smile back on track, we can create a custom treatment plan based on your needs.

Missing One Tooth

No matter which tooth has been lost, we can replace it with a dental implant and a crown. This is generally a good alternative to using a traditional bridge, which would require us to remove small amounts of enamel from your teeth; using an implant instead lets you preserve the natural dental structures. Plus, a dental implant allows the single crown to mimic the way your natural teeth emerge from your gums.

Missing Multiple Teeth

Of course, bridges don’t necessarily have to be anchored to real teeth. If you’ve lost multiple teeth in a row, you can replace them all at once with an implant bridge. The two crowns that help make up the bridge will sit on the posts and hold the rest of the prosthetic teeth between them. This means your surrounding teeth won’t have to be altered, and your replacement teeth will fit into your smile seamlessly.

Missing All of Your Teeth

We won’t need to place a separate implant post for every tooth in the arch; usually about 4 to 8 is enough to support full dentures and keep the jaw healthy. Some implant dentures are removable, but generally speaking they’ll be fixed in place. This makes taking care of them much simpler since you can just brush like you normally would. Implant dentures give you the most natural looking, feeling, and functioning full smile replacement available. Plus, they can be cared for like natural teeth instead of nightly removal for cleaning.

Learn More About All-On-4

Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery

Before getting dental implants, we must first address any preexisting oral health issues to ensure the success of your treatment. Bone grafting, gum disease therapy, and tooth extractions are often necessary to prepare patients for implants. These treatments add to your cost, but they are an integral part of the process. Next, we offer in-house implant surgery, which allows for more simple and compact fees.

The Parts of Your Dental Implant

There are many parts of the dental implant that will impact your total price. The more implants you need, the higher your cost will be. However, an implant denture will be more cost-effective than replacing each tooth with an implant. Additionally, the type of restoration will influence your cost (whether you need a crown, bridge, or denture). The size and material are also something to consider – implants are made of various materials like titanium and zirconia. If you have any questions about the types of implants we use, please don’t hesitate to contact us!

How Dental Implants Can Save You Money

While dental implants in Lansing tend to cost more than traditional bridges and dentures, their benefits are nothing short of life changing. In fact, dental implants can pay for themselves because they last so long. You can enjoy them for the rest of your life with proper care, which helps you avoid extra replacements and the price that comes with it. Also, dental implants stimulate the jawbone to prevent bone loss and keep your remaining healthy teeth in place.

Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?

Typically, dental insurance does not cover dental implants, however there are some exceptions. Our friendly team will review your plan and maximize any benefits that we can. In some cases, your provider will offer coverage for parts of the process like the preliminary treatments and a percentage of your restoration. We are always happy to communicate with your insurance directly to lower your out-of-pocket spending. 

Making Dental Implants Affordable

At Healthy Smiles Dental Care of Lansing, we are committed to making our quality services as affordable as possible. No insurance? No problem! We offer flexible payment options, including alternative financing from CareCredit. With this option, you’ll choose a monthly payment plan that fits your budget. The best part is that it comes with low to no interest. We also have our own dental savings plan to help you enjoy cost-effective dentistry without the headaches of insurance. Call today to learn more!

3D CT Cone Beam Scanner

Nowadays, digital X-rays are clearer than ever, helping us monitor your oral health beneath your gumline. However, the 3D CT cone beam scanner provides even more information that is crucial to the successful placement of your dental implant. To use it, you’ll sit in front of the machine, and then part of it will spin 360 degrees around your head. In just a matter of moments, it will take hundreds of images and send them to our specialized software.

These images are then compiled to create a detailed 3D virtual model of your mouth. This includes information that can’t be picked up by digital X-rays, such as blood vessels and nerve pathways. We’ll use this model of your mouth to precisely plan out your treatment and avoid any potential complications.

Antibacterial Coating

While dental implant failure is very rare, we go above and beyond to minimize your risk of it. Alongside giving you detailed instructions on how to care for your dental implant after placement surgery, we’ll help keep dangerous infections at bay by coating your dental implant with a specialized antibacterial substance. This coating will reduce the risk of bacteria disturbing the surgical site as the dental implant fuses with the jawbone. Of course, you’ll still need to brush, floss, and rinse with mouthwash regularly to maximize your chances of long-term dental implant success!

Digital Impression System

Dental implants can be used to support a wide variety of custom restorations. This could include dental crowns, bridges, partial dentures, and full dentures! All of our restorations are carefully crafted out of high-quality dental porcelain, which is renown for how much it looks like natural tooth enamel. In order to create a restoration that fits perfectly and blends in seamlessly with the rest of your smile, we’ll need to take impressions of the area. In the past, this could only be done with a sticky dental putty that many patients found uncomfortable. That’s now a thing of the past thanks to our digital impression system! In just a few minutes, we can scan your mouth with a small appliance and gather all the detailed information we need to design a restoration that looks just like a natural tooth.

What to Do Directly After Dental Implant Surgery

You may not necessarily be looking forward to the procedure itself, but by taking all of the necessary steps, you can make the healing process quick and more pleasant. Your biggest priority should be to leave the forming blood clot untouched so the healing happens smoothly. Be sure that you:

• Don’t spit! Instead, use tissues or swallow saliva.
• Don’t use drinking straws.
• Keep your tongue away from the surgical site.

Common Side-Effects When Recovering from Dental Implant Placement

It’s normal to experience some side-effects in the first few days of getting your dental implants, but they are usually pretty mild. Here are some common one’s patients experience:

• Bleeding: Intermittent bleeding is normal after surgery. This can be lessened with gauze and light pressure. This will subside after a few days.
• Inflammation: Swelling is often persistent for the first 72 hours after surgery, but sometimes it can last over a week. Cold compresses can help in the meantime.
• Soreness: It’s normal for the area to feel sore for a few days, but this can be managed by taking pain relievers as directed.

These side effects should be temporary, but if they become extreme or persistent, let us know.

Your Diet After Dental Implant Surgery

You should be mindful of what you’re eating following your procedure. Here are some foods that you should stock up on ahead of time:

• Mashed potatoes 
• Yogurt
• Ice cream
• Pudding
• Soup
• Scrambled eggs
• Pasta

Once your discomfort subsides, you can switch back to your normal diet. Just remember that you should avoid chewing directly on the implant site. You want to give your implant the best possible chance of success.

Post-Op Health & Oral Hygiene

It’s crucial that you keep your smile clean after surgery. This way, the implants will be better able to integrate with your jawbone. Here are some helpful tips:

• Brush your teeth the day after your surgery but be especially careful near the surgical site.
• Rinse your mouth with saltwater. Use prescription mouth rinse if you were provided with one.
• Stay away from mouthwashes with high levels of alcohol.

What to Do After Your New Teeth Are Attached

Once your smile has healed and your implants have fused to your jaw, you have finished the difficult part. When your dental crown, bridge, or denture is attached to the implant(s), you may experience sensitivity, but this is easy to control with over-the-counter pain relievers, and it is temporary. You shouldn’t have any bleeding, swelling, or extensive recovery.

How Long Do Dental Implants Last?

When placed by a specialist, dental implants boast an incredible success rate of over 95%, even 10 years after placement! Dental implants are designed to last at least 30 years, but most patients can easily expect to enjoy their newly rebuilt smile for a lifetime. Of course, how long your dental implants last will depend on how well you take care of them, so make sure to practice good oral hygiene and break bad habits like smoking and chewing on hard objects.

Does Getting Dental Implants Hurt?

At first, hearing that you need minor surgery to have dental implants placplacedement may sound a little daunting. However, we want to assure you that you have nothing to fear! Our team of highly experienced dentists is dedicated to your comfort. We’ll use safe and reliable numbing medication in your mouth and are happy to provide sedation options as well. Most patients are pleased to find that the dental implant surgery itself isn’t painful at all! It’s natural to experience some soreness as you heal afterwards, but that should fade away on its own in a week or so.

Can Dental Implants Fail?

While they boast an amazing success rate, dental implants can fail. They can be broken or knocked loose by an accident, blow to the face, or by biting down on something hard. Additionally, poor oral hygiene can interfere with the initial healing process or loosen it via an infection called peri-implantitis. If your dental implant ever feels sore or loose, call us immediately. We’ll take a close look at it to learn more about your situation and what to do next to protect your smile.

Am I Too Old or Young to Get Dental Implants?

Dental implants are not a good choice for children and teens since their jawbones are still growing. Typically, you’ll need to be at least 18 years old to be a good candidate for dental implants. On the other side of the spectrum however, there is no upper age limit! Patients who are 90 years old and older have successfully replaced their missing teeth with dental implants. As long as you are healthy and have a strong jawbone, you will likely be able to get dental implants.

Prioritize Your Oral Hygiene

You won’t need to worry about your implants getting cavities, but they could still fall victim to gum disease and other infections in your mouth. Without proper oral hygiene, bacteria could accumulate and attack the bone and gum tissues that hold your implants in place, ultimately causing them to fail. Preventing this is simple if you practice daily dental implant care in Lansing, which is almost exactly the same as it is with natural teeth: every day, you should brush your teeth twice and floss at least once.

Stick to a Balanced Diet

Dental implants enable you to eat practically anything you want. That being said, the foods that are harmful for your overall wellness could also spell disaster for your implants. For instance, eating too much processed sugar increases the risk of gum disease or decay in any remaining teeth you may have. Try swapping out sugary and starchy snacks for fresh fruits and vegetables. Getting plenty of nutrients, such as calcium and vitamin C, will create a healthy environment for your implants to thrive.

Quit Harmful Habits

Many bad habits that can damage your tooth enamel, including biting your fingernails, chewing on ice, and using your teeth to open bottles or packaging, can also harm your implants. They could break your restoration or even damage the implant post itself. Smoking could also jeopardize your new pearly whites; people who smoke are two to three times more likely than nonsmokers to develop gum disease, which can easily lead to dental implant failure. Feel free to talk to your implant dentist in Lansing about tips and resources for kicking these dangerous habits.

Protect Your Dental Implants

If you tend to grind your teeth at night, ask our team about a customized mouthguard to protect your smile. Chronic clenching and grinding can strain your implants and wear down your natural teeth. In the same vein, you should inquire about an athletic mouthguard if you play sports. Even activities that aren’t considered “contact” sports could end up breaking or knocking out a tooth or implant. In both cases, a personalized mouthguard from our office is more comfortable and effective than the cheaply produced mouthguards found in stores.

Attend Regular Dental Checkups

When it comes to making your dental implants last, one of the most important things to remember is to schedule at least two dental checkups per year. At these regular visits, our team can closely examine your prosthetics, as well as your gums and natural teeth, to ensure there are no issues. If there are, we can plan to address them right away, before they have the chance to cause permanent damage.