Dental Implants — Park Slope, NY

Initial Dental Implant Consultation

The dental implant process begins with an initial consultation, during which Dr. Sapienza will evaluate your oral health to ensure you’re a candidate for dental implants. This will also involve reviewing a CT scan to look for any potential complications. Based on the results, you might need additional procedures before moving forward, like tooth extractions or periodontal therapy, to increase the chances that your treatment will be successful. At this consultation, Dr. Sapienza will go over an estimated timeline for your treatment. You’ll also have an opportunity to ask him any questions you may have.

Dental Implant Surgery

Once your mouth is ready to support dental implants, we’ll help you schedule your placement surgery. Dr. Sapienza works closely with local specialists to ensure that you’re receiving the highest quality care possible.

Your implant dentist in Park Slope will help you feel comfortable by numbing your mouth and administering sedation before making small incisions in your gums. Then, your implants are inserted into the jawbone at precise locations and angles. Protective caps are placed atop the implants, and you are sent home to begin the healing process.

Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment

Over the next four to six months, your implant posts will actually fuse to the surrounding bone and tissue through a process called osseointegration. Although osseointegration takes a while to complete, the end result is a sturdy, lasting foundation for your new teeth. During this time, you will most likely receive a “temporary” restoration so that you won’t have to go without teeth any longer.

After osseointegration, the oral surgeon will attach metal fixtures called abutments on top of your implants. These connectors are what will allow Dr. Sapienza to secure your new teeth in place.

Delivery of Dental Implant Restoration(s)

Once you have finished healing from your abutment placement, your dental implants in Park Slope should be ready to support your restoration. You’ll return to our office to have your custom dental crown, bridge, or denture attached to your implants. Thanks to the materials we use, your new pearly whites should look extremely lifelike. In fact, other people shouldn’t even be able to tell that they’re not your “real” teeth!

Day-to-Day Benefits

• Confidence: It can be difficult to smile, speak, and feel good about yourself if you have an ill-fitting denture or missing teeth. Dental implants allow you to show off your grin in any social or professional setting while speaking with ease with a boost in confidence and self-esteem.
• Appearance: Dental implants placed by an implant dentist in Park Slope look, feel, and function just like natural teeth, giving you a replacement that is the next best thing to a natural smile. In fact, the implants allow your restorations to mimic the way that your teeth emerge from the gums because they are rooted in the jawbone.
• Diet: Do you avoid certain foods because they are hard to eat? Whether it’s missing teeth, or an unstable denture, it’s difficult to enjoy your meals. However, implants allow you to eat anything, giving you a more delicious and nutritious diet daily.

Health Benefits

• Dental health: Unlike dental bridges, dental implants don’t require the removal of healthy tooth enamel, keeping your smile as preserved and natural as possible. Plus, dental implants can be cared for like your original teeth, making dental care at home much easier than dentures.
• Bone health: Your jawbone requires stimulation from teeth to stay healthy and strong. When you lose teeth, it loses some of the stimulation that it was getting, eventually leading to deterioration and even additional tooth loss. Dental implants are the only replacement that stimulates the bone to keep it strong and full!
• Overall health: Research shows that dental implants decrease risk of common issues like gum disease, which helps with overall health and the costs associated with it.

Long-Term Benefits

• Predictability: One of the most impressive stats about dental implants is that they have a success rate of 95% even after 10 years, making them incredibly predictable even though they require a minor surgery.
• Longevity: Dental implants in Park Slope can last for decades and even the rest of your life with proper care. This is much longer than other options like dental implants or bridges, which will require replacement every 5 to 10 years.
• Cost: While implants come at a higher cost initially, they can end up saving you money in the long run. That’s because they help you avoid necessary replacements in the future, saving you money on restorations and the dental visits that come with them.

Who Is a Good Candidate for Dental Implants?

The only way to definitively know if dental implants are right for you is to see us for a consultation, where Dr. Sapienza will examine your mouth before making any recommendations. However, good dental implant candidates usually:

• Are committed to diligent at-home oral hygiene
• Are missing at least one tooth
• Have a strong enough jawbone to accommodate implants (or be willing to undergo a bone graft first)
• Do not use tobacco products

Missing One Tooth

A titanium implant post is inserted into your jawbone to act as a new root. An abutment is placed on the post to connect your custom-made crown.

Missing Multiple Teeth

Two or more missing teeth in a row can be replaced with an implant bridge. A dental implant at either end anchors the bridge to your jawbone instead of relying on your adjacent teeth for support.

Missing All Teeth

Your denture can be secured to your jawbone using 4 to 6 dental implants. This permanently eliminates slipping and irritation, a common problem with traditional dentures.

Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery

In some cases, a patient needs other services before dental implant surgery. These “extras” can range from gum disease treatment and tooth extractions to actual bone grafts. When necessary, they’ll add to your expenses and ensure your implants’ success. On the bright side, dental insurance often partly covers these options.

 

You should also note that implant surgery involves its own cost. Depending on the implant location, sedation options, and more, its price can run low or high. Still, the fact that we work with local implant specialists ensures you get your money’s worth. Just know they’ll discuss with you separately what to pay for the surgery.   

 

The Parts of Your Dental Implant

Your dental implants’ parts and features also affect the treatment cost. In particular, these factors include:

 

• Number of Implants – Dental implant treatment gets more expensive when it involves more implant posts.
• Implant Material – Compared to the usual titanium, some dental implants use pricier materials like zirconia.
• Implant Brand – Different manufacturers make dental implants differently, so an implant’s brand impacts its price.
• Type of Restoration – The truth is that crowns, bridges, and dentures have different costs.

 

How Dental Implants Can Save You Money

It’s true that dentures and dental bridges have lower upfront prices than dental implants. Even so, getting implant posts will save you more money in the long run.

 

Dental implants have long lifespans, with many lasting 30 years or more (given good care). That means they don’t need costly repair or replacement work every few years. Instead, you can care for them like natural teeth and save money otherwise spent on follow-up visits. The result would be that your new teeth “pay off” more than dentures or dental bridges ever would.

 

Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?

Dental insurance rarely covers dental insurance, but there are exceptions. There’s a chance your plan offers benefits for a percentage of the restoration, a preliminary service, etc. In that case, you could get a meaningful discount on your treatment.

 

Given these facts, please consult your insurance provider before committing to anything. Our practice will gladly help you contact them.

 

Making Dental Implants Affordable

Even without dental insurance, dental implants can still be affordable. Just rely on our office for helpful payment options! Here at The Dental Spa, we offer flexible financing through CareCredit – a reputable 3^rd party financier. They’d let you pay for dental implants in small monthly installments with little or no interest.

 

Dental implants may be the best tooth replacements, but they don’t have to “break the bank.” Visit us soon to finance these wonderful restorations!

Make Oral Hygiene Priority

Dental implants cannot get cavities, but you should still practice excellent oral hygiene. In addition to keeping your surrounding teeth in good shape, sticking to an excellent oral hygiene routine can prevent other dental problems, like gum disease, that can cause your implants to fail. Remember to brush, floss, and rinse with mouthwash every day.

Eat a Healthy Diet

One of the many benefits of getting dental implants is the fact that you don’t need to worry about any eating restrictions. You can easily enjoy nutritious meals without struggling to chew. Just remember that enjoying too many foods that are hard, sticky, or sugary can be problematic for your oral health, so it pays to be cautious.

Break Bad Habits

Refrain from smoking or using other tobacco products immediately after your dental implant placement. This can slow down healing and increase your risk of developing an infection. Don’t use your teeth as tools either. You could end up accidentally damaging your dental implants or surrounding teeth. Instead, try to find some scissors, pliers, a bottle opener, or another tool that can help you complete your task safely.

Protect Your Dental Implants

Your dental implants may be strong, but they aren’t indestructible. You should always wear a mouthguard to protect your dental implants and natural teeth when participating in sports. If you grind your teeth at night, ask about a nightguard to protect your implants from additional wear and tear.

Schedule Regular Dental Checkups

You should always attend regular cleanings and checkups twice a year. This way, we can monitor your dental implants and spot any issues as easily as possible. By catching potential problems now, you can keep them from becoming more serious and leading to great consequences.