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Dental Implants Castle Rock

A Top Option for Replacing Missing Teeth

Senior dental patient admiring his smile in mirror after getting dental implants in Castle Rock

In recent years, more and more patients have started turning to dental implants in order to fill in the gaps in their smiles. Compared to traditional tooth replacement options, dental implants offer better stability, make it easier to enjoy all kinds of foods, and can even help prevent bone loss in the jaw. Dr. Jay Lopez comes into our office to place dental implants, meaning the entire process can be handled right here at Sweet Smiles Dental Design. Call us today to schedule your initial consultation for dental implants in Castle Rock.

Why Choose Sweet Smiles Dental Design for Dental Implants?

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What Are Dental Implants?

Dentist pointing to a model of a dental implant

Dental implants are the only type of tooth replacement that can be used to replace the root structure of a missing tooth. They are designed to be placed in specific areas of your jawbone via surgery. The right number of dental implants can be used to support a crown, bridge, or denture depending on how many teeth need to be replaced. Thanks to the dental implant posts, your new smile will be very sturdy and will be able to handle all kinds of foods without issue.

The 4-Step Dental Implant Process

Illustrated dental implant being placed in the lower jaw

  • Initial Consultation: We’ll confirm whether you’re able to have dental implants placed and determine whether any preliminary treatments (such as bone grafting) might be required.
  • Dental Implant Surgery: You can have your dental implants placed right here at our office, and you can count on us to put your comfort first during the procedure.
  • Osseointegration and Abutment: Osseointegration is when the dental implant posts join with the jawbone. This normally takes a matter of months, and at the end of the process, we can attach abutments to your dental implant posts.
  • Delivery of the Final Restoration: Once your mouth is finished healing, all that’s left is to create a personalized restoration and attach it to your dental implant posts, thus completing your new smile.

Benefits of Dental Implants

Patient in Castle Rock smiling with dental implants with family

There’s a reason so many patients are turning to dental implants as their choice for replacing missing teeth. They’re durable, dependable, and all-around fantastic for your oral health, providing many benefits you may not even know about! At Sweet Smiles Dental Design, we strive to ensure all our patients know exactly what they stand to gain from their treatment. So, if you’re curious how dental implants could change your life for the better, read more below!

 Patient in Castle Rock with dental implants talking to friends

Day-to-Day Benefits

Once your implants have fully integrated into your jawbone, you’ll start to see improvements right away! Some of these include:

  • More Enjoyable Mealtimes: With dental implants, all your favorite foods are on the table from steak to snacks.
  • Better Speech: Missing teeth can make holding conversations more difficult. Dental implants can help you speak clearly and confidently without worrying about slipping like dentures.
  • Improved Aesthetics: Your new implants will look completely natural, blending seamlessly with your other pearly whites. This means you’ll always have a selfie-ready smile!
Patient in Castle Rock with dental implants working out

Health Benefits

Dental implants aren’t just about looks—they also provide lasting health advantages that protect your smile and other aspects of your well-being. With your implants, you’ll begin to see:

  • Enhanced Oral Hygiene: Dental implants don’t need any special tools or cleaning routines. This ease of care means you’ll enjoy better oral health with less effort.
  • Improved Digestion: Missing teeth can make chewing difficult, which in turn can make the digestive process more intense. Dental implants fill the gaps and improve your ability to process food.
  • A Stronger Jawbone: Without the stimulation from your tooth roots, your jawbone will begin to deteriorate over time. Dental implants replace these roots and are the only treatment that can prevent jawbone loss.
  • Better Bite Alignment: When teeth are missing, adjacent ones will shift over time to try to fill the gaps left behind, causing discomfort. Dental implants can shore up these gaps, preventing the shift.
Older patient in Castle Rock smiling with dental implants

Long-Term Benefits

Dental implants boast an impressive 95 percent success rate, making them one of the longest-lived treatments in dentistry. This means you’ll be enjoying the benefits of your enhancements for many years as long as you take care of them. With longevity comes another set of benefits:

  • A More Youthful Appearance: Since dental implants keep your jawbone stimulated, your jawline will hold its shape longer, offering you a more youthful appearance as you age.
  • Return on Investment: Other tooth replacement options like bridges and dentures often require adjustments and replacements, costing you money over time. Dental implants, on the other hand, can last a lifetime, providing more value the longer you keep them!
  • Improved Confidence: Your implants will keep your smile looking bright and healthy for decades, offering you peace of mind and a boost of confidence!

Who Dental Implants Can Help

Older woman smiling with straight white teeth

Many adults with missing teeth can potentially qualify for dental implants. Whether or not you’re a good candidate for the treatment depends on factors like your overall oral health and the amount of bone in your jaw. We can discuss these variables and how they affect your ability to get dental implants during your initial consultation. Additionally, we can give you an overview of what your treatment plan will look like based on the number of teeth you’ve lost.

Illustrated single dental implant with dental crown

Missing One Tooth

Regardless of which tooth is missing, we can fill the gap where it used to be with a dental implant post and a crown. Note that we will only place the crown once the implant post has finished fusing with the bone around it. On top of that, the crown will be carefully personalized to blend in with the rest of your smile.

Illustrated dental bridge being placed onto two dental implants

Missing Multiple Teeth

Two well-placed dental implants can be used to support a dental bridge in order to replace three or more consecutive teeth in your upper or lower arch. Choosing an implant bridge over a traditional bridge means that our team won’t have to remove any enamel from your remaining natural teeth.

Illustrated full denture being placed onto four dental implants

Missing All of Your Teeth

Four to eight dental implant posts can be used to support a full denture, thus allowing us to replace all of the teeth in your upper and lower jaw. Implant dentures always stay firmly in place, and you don’t have to worry about them losing their fit over time; you can also brush them as if they were your real teeth.

Understanding the Cost of Dental Implants

Dentist holding a model of a dental implant

The cost of getting dental implants won’t be exactly the same for every patient. After examining your mouth, our team can give you an estimate of what you will likely need to pay for the dental implant process. Before we can give you a reliable number, we will need to consider a number of factors, such as how many dental implants you’ll require as well as what kinds of preliminary treatments might be needed (if any).

Dental Implant FAQs

 

Answer

Dental implants are the longest-lasting restoration option and will hold strong for 30 years or more with proper maintenance! To help your restoration meet the 30-year mark, it’s essential to keep a consistent oral hygiene routine and avoid bad dental habits. Here’s what we recommend:

  • Brush your teeth twice per day
  • Floss at least once per day
  • Visit our office biannually for a checkup and cleaning
  • Use the proper tools for opening packages, not your teeth!
  • Try not to bite your nails
  • Avoid tobacco products
Answer

While some implant dentures can be removed for cleaning, an individual dental implant is attached to your jawbone, much like a natural tooth. In other words, it’s not meant to be removed. Don’t worry, though. You’ll be able to brush and floss your implant like you would normally, and if it does need to be removed for repairs or a replacement, we’ll be able to take it out safely with our professional equipment.

Answer

We’ll ensure your comfort with a local anesthetic before proceeding with your dental implant placement. The anesthetic is quite effective, so you can trust that the treatment area will be completely numb. We also offer sedation dentistry; if you are anxious or feel uncomfortable after sitting still for prolonged periods, we can still help you feel relaxed and at ease.

When you return home and the pain-numbing effects fade, you’re likely to experience some soreness. This is normal, though. Take prescription or over the counter pain medication as directed and be sure to get plenty of rest. If your discomfort worsens or lingers for several days, don’t hesitate to contact us so we can restore your comfort as soon as possible.

Answer

Dental implants have a 90% success rate that doesn’t drop even after 10 years from their initial placement. Basically, you should know that implant failure is rare! However, there are two reasons a failure might occur: advanced gum disease or complications with jawbone integration.

Your gums are an essential supporting structure for your teeth – and your dental implants. If gum disease wears them down, your pearly whites will become loose, potentially falling out entirely. That’s why we strongly recommend keeping up with your oral hygiene, and it’s also why we’re careful to scan for signs of gum disease before starting your treatment.

Similarly, your jawbone provides a crucial anchor for your dental implants (and teeth) to hold onto. Titanium is biocompatible, so normally bone is happy to merge with prosthetics like dental implants. There could be many reasons why this process might become interrupted, one of them being low jawbone density. To avoid this as much as possible, we also evaluate the state of our patients’ jawbone and provide additional treatment when necessary.