Dental Implants – Casper, WY
Tooth Replacement Made Simple
Tooth loss is a serious problem for millions of adults in the United States. After teeth go missing, simple daily activities like eating meals and speaking to friends suddenly become difficult – plus a lot of people simply feel embarrassed. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could simply turn back the clock and regain your complete, confident smile? Dr. Erin Prach can provide the next best thing to your natural pearly whites – dental implants. This revolutionary reconstructive solution creates amazing, truly seamless results for unmatched health, eating function, and self-esteem. When you’re ready to get started, call Dr. Prach’s dental office to schedule your tooth replacement consultation to discuss replacing missing teeth with dental implants in our Casper, WY dental office. We look forward to working with you to recreate your flawless smile!
Why Choose Dr. Erin M. Prach for Dental Implants?
- High Quality Dental Implant Restorations
- Dentist with Extensive Training in Oral Surgery
- Warm & Friendly Dental Office Atmosphere
What Are Dental Implants?
A dental implant is the only option that replaces the entire structure of a missing tooth. The implant itself is a small titanium post that a trusted specialist surgically places into your jawbone. Titanium is biocompatible, so it actually encourages the surrounding bone and tissue to grow around it. As a result, the implant post is able to function exactly like your natural tooth root, creating a sturdy foundation for a custom dental crown, bridge, or denture to be placed on top. Because dental implants recreate every single part of missing teeth, they are widely considered to be the most effective, reliable, and overall best method of replacing missing teeth.
4 Step Dental Implant Process
While dental bridges and traditional dentures can be placed relatively quickly, the dental implant process usually takes several months. This might seem like a long time to wait for a new smile, but the benefits that you enjoy with strong, sturdy dental implant posts will be worth the wait. We work alongside specialists to make sure that everything goes smoothly during your dental implant process. Keep reading to learn more about the four main steps of getting implants: consultation, surgery, osseointegration, and delivery of a final restoration.
Initial Dental Implant Consultation
Since not everyone is a good candidate for implant surgery, we’ll need to perform an initial consultation to make sure that you can undergo the procedure. We’ll need to review your oral health and go over your medical history to see if there are any conditions that might complicate implant placement. Also, bone grafts, tooth extractions, and other preparatory procedures may need to be performed before you can receive your dental implants. A personalized treatment plan that includes the estimated timeline and cost will be created by the end of the consultation.
Dental Implant Surgery
We will refer you to a separate specialist who can place your dental implants. First, they will numb your mouth so that you don’t feel any pain during the treatment. Then they will open up the gum tissue to expose the jawbone underneath and make holes for the implant posts to be inserted into. Once the implants have been carefully placed at the desired locations at carefully chosen angles, the gums will be sutured shut, and a protective cap will be attached to the implant posts.
Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment
Osseointegration is when the implant posts naturally merge with the jawbone. This is what makes them so sturdy and reliable compared to traditional forms of tooth replacement. It does not happen overnight, though; the usual timeframe is three to six months, although it should be noted that everybody’s mouth heals at a different rate. After osseointegration is complete, a second (albeit smaller) surgery is required so that a metal connector piece called an abutment can be placed on top of the implants; they will be what holds the final restoration in place once it has been made.
Delivery of Dental Restoration(s)
Your mouth will need to fully recover from the previous step before we can take the necessary impressions to design the final restoration. The impressions will be sent to a trusted dental lab where experienced ceramists will create a crown, bridge, or denture out of materials that closely resemble your natural teeth. The final result will be sent to our dental office, and we will personally handle the process of attaching the final restoration to your implants via the abutments. Your new teeth should be almost completely indistinguishable from the rest of your natural smile once we’re done.
Benefits of Dental Implants
In recent years, dental implants have become the most popular solution for missing teeth. Because of their unique placement inside the jawbone, they’re able to provide a wide range of benefits that you simply can’t get with more traditional options like dentures and dental bridges. To learn more about the benefits of dental implants in Casper, contact our office and schedule a consultation today. We’ll gladly review your treatment options and help you find the tooth-replacement choice that will best suit your needs.
Day-to-Day Benefits
We use our teeth every day to speak, eat, and smile. For that reason, it only makes sense that you’d want a tooth-replacement solution that’ll allow you to live your day-to-day life with ease. Fortunately, dental implants can help you do just that by giving the following benefits:
- More biting strength. Since implants replace the entire structure of a missing tooth, they’re able to withstand the chewing of virtually any food.
- Easier oral hygiene. With dental implants, you don’t have to worry about incorporating complex steps into your oral hygiene routine or purchasing special cleaning products. All you need to do is care for them as you would care for natural teeth!
- Increased confidence. Unlike dentures, your implants will stay firmly in place once they’ve successfully fused with the surrounding bone tissue. They’ll allow you to eat, speak, and smile with much more confidence.
Health Benefits
Aside from appearance, dental implants in Casper offer multiple health advantages as well. Some of those include:
- Jawbone preservation. Because dental implants stimulate the jawbone, they can keep it strong, healthy, and functional for a lifetime.
- Protection for natural teeth. It’s common for teeth to shift after tooth loss. Fortunately, dental implants can prevent that from happening by serving as a placeholder to ensure every tooth stays exactly where it belongs.
- Better overall health. Studies show there’s a correlation between tooth loss and an increased risk of multiple diseases. Because implants are so similar to natural teeth, it’s reasonable to believe they can help lower such risks.
Long-Term Benefits
By choosing to get dental implants now, they can help you for years to come with the following benefits:
- High success rate. Dental implants have an impressive success rate of about 95 percent even 20 years after they’ve been placed.
- Youthful appearance. Since implants stimulate blood flow in the jaw, they help prevent its deterioration and the sunken, aged look that often happens with tooth loss.
- Long-lasting results. Unlike dentures and dental bridges, your implants can last decades without needing replacement. Speaking of dentures, your implant dentist in Casper offers implant-supported dentures!
Who Dental Implants Can Help
Depending on the number and location of missing teeth, we can use one or more dental implants to support a dental crown, fixed bridge, or partial/full denture to recreate your beautiful smile. Before then, our team will need to evaluate your oral health so that we can detect and address any existing complications that could ruin your chances of success. Read on to learn how we determine a patient’s eligibility for dental implants and what to know about your various tooth-replacement solutions.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Dental Implants?
Virtually every grown, healthy adult can potentially undergo the dental implant process. Before moving forward, however, we’ll have to consider certain main factors that make a good candidate, such as:
- Good Overall Health: The dental implant treatment involves minor oral surgery, meaning you’ll need to be sufficiently healthy to undergo the procedure and to optimize your healing period.
- Great Oral Health: Of course, your gums and the rest of your smile will have to be free of any existing issues like decay or periodontal disease, which can increase the risk of implant failure if left untreated.
- Adequate Jawbone Mass: For your dental implants to work, they’ll need to fuse with your bone tissue via osseointegration. That’s why our team will place your metal posts in the thickest parts of your jawbone, which will ensure a higher success rate and longer lifespan for your restoration(s).
If we detect an underlying problem, we’ll do everything we can to get your mouth back into shape so that you’re ready for the dental implant process. This could involve preliminary procedures like gum disease treatment, bone grafting, or even tooth extractions. Once you’ve undergone the necessary services and we’ve properly prepared your oral health, we can resume the dental implant process.
Missing One Tooth
When replacing a single lost tooth, Dr. Prach will use an all-ceramic dental crown personalized to match your natural tooth supported by one dental implant post. The result should be an incredibly lifelike restoration that will fit seamlessly with the rest of your smile. Over time, you might even forget that you have it!
Missing Multiple Teeth
Our team also offers implant-supported fixed bridges and partials designed to fit over several strategically placed implants to replace several teeth in a row or both consecutive and nonconsecutive teeth. These appliances resemble traditional dentures or bridges, but by being securely attached to dental implants, they offer patients more security and confidence.
Missing All Teeth
An entire arch of missing teeth can be restored using an implant denture. Instead of relying on an adhesive or suction to hold your denture in place, you can secure it to your jawbone using strategically placed implant posts. This eliminates slipping and irritation while also giving you a solution that offers exceptional advantages. Dr. Prach will rebuild your smile using a treatment that can last for a lifetime.
Learn More About Implant-Retained Dentures
Understanding the Cost of Dental Implants
Like other dental treatments, the cost of your dental implant tooth replacement plan will vary based on your specific situation. During your tooth replacement consultation, we’ll review your current situation, and carefully explain every step of the dental implant-supported tooth replacement plan and the costs associated with each. Some of the factors to consider include:
- Need for preparatory treatments like gum or bone grafts
- Use of dental sedation to maintain comfort
- Material and manufacturer of your dental implants
- Number of teeth to replace
- Type of restoration (crown, bridge, or denture)
Types of Dental Implants
The cost of your dental implants will vary based on factors like the number of teeth that you’re missing. This will influence the type of materials and restoration that we need to use for your smile. We can use dental implants to treat one missing tooth, multiple teeth, and even your whole smile, but the cost will range.
- Single tooth: We will place a single implant in your jawbone and restore it with a custom-made dental crown.
- Multiple Teeth: Multiple consecutive missing teeth can be treated with an implant bridge that seamlessly fills in the gap of your smile.
- All teeth: Your denture will be anchored to some strategically placed dental implants.
What Are the Stages of Dental Implant Treatment?
Initially, you will visit our dental office for a consultation, where Dr. Prach will evaluate the condition of your oral health and how many teeth you’re missing. If you have any preexisting oral health issues or need a bone graft, these problems must be treated before beginning surgery.
Next, you’ll come in for surgery, where we will make small incisions in your gumline to access your jawbone. After, we will place your dental implants, allowing for three to six months for the titanium to fuse with your bone. Lastly, you will come into our dental office and Dr. Prach will place your permanent restoration onto your implants for a beautifully functional smile.
Are Dental Implants Worth the Investment?
While the price tag of dental implants tends to be higher, they are well worth the investment for their unique health and aesthetic advantages. Other tooth replacement solutions may cost less, but their lifetime is typically less than 10 years. With proper care, dental implants can last a lifetime, making them worth the investment for this reason alone. Plus, they preserve the health of your jawbone in addition to other health benefits, saving you potential time and money down the road. Instead of coming into our dental office more frequently for other replacements, you can enjoy the comfort and strength of affordable dental implants in Casper for the rest of your life.
Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?
Unfortunately, most insurance companies still see dental implants as an unnecessary treatment, which is why they won’t cover them. However, many plans now cover certain aspects of the process like the restoration, sedation, and any extractions that may need to be done. It will all depend on your plan when it comes to how much of the dental implant procedure your insurance can cover. Dr. Prach is proud to accept insurance and provide patients with quality dental care that is also affordable.
Dental Implant Failure & Salvage
Although dental implants often come with an incredibly high success rate of 95% or more, there’s always a very slight chance of failure. Whether this is due to accidental injury or growing underlying complications, you’ll want to know how to identify particular symptoms that will need to be addressed as soon as possible to preserve your results. That’s where implant salvage treatment comes into play. Our team can determine the root of the problem so that we can help you save your brand-new pearly whites.
Learn About Dental Implant Failure & Salvage
Dental Implant Frequently Asked Questions
Compared to the other methods of replacing missing teeth, dental implants in Casper offer the highest number of benefits by far. Due to their amazing longevity, sturdiness, and lifelike appearance, they have exploded in popularity in recent years. However, it’s important that you’re prepared with as much knowledge about the treatment as possible before you undergo the procedure. That’s why we’ve taken the time to answer some of the questions about dental implants that we get asked the most frequently here at our dental office.
What Is the Success Rate of Dental Implants?
It varies from patient to patient depending on their oral health and habits. For a generally healthy person with good oral hygiene, dental implants boast a success rate of 95-98%. Certain habits can decrease this percentage, such as smoking or uncontrolled diabetes. That’s why we recommend quitting your tobacco habit or getting your blood sugar levels under control before receiving implants.
How Do I Make Sure My Dental Implants Last?
With proper maintenance, your implants can easily last for several decades. This involves diligent at-home oral hygiene, including daily brushing and flossing. Although the implants themselves can’t get cavities, the gums supporting them can still become infected and contribute to implant failure if the infection is not treated in a timely manner. Additionally, you should attend regular checkups and cleanings with your dentist in Casper. At these visits, we can ensure your implants, as well as any of your remaining teeth and your gums, are still in good condition.
What Are Dental Implants Made Of?
These days, most dental implants are made of a titanium alloy, which is similar to what is used in hip implants, knee implants, and shoulder implants. The main reason that titanium is used is its incredible biocompatibility. Once the implant has been placed in your jawbone, it actually promotes growth and eventually becomes one with the bone. This allows it to form such a powerful and lasting bond. In addition, allergies to titanium are extremely rare, making it a perfect material for this form of tooth replacement.
Why Do I Need a Bone Graft Before I Can Get Dental Implants?
After you lose even one tooth, your jawbone begins to shrink due to the tooth’s root no longer being there to stimulate it. As a result, the bone is often not strong enough to accommodate dental implants. For this reason, many patients who have suffered through prolonged tooth loss require a bone graft before they can receive implants. During this procedure, artificial bone tissue is grafted onto your jawbone, strengthening it. This process takes a few months, so it will add some healing time to your overall implant journey. But it will be more than worth it to create a sturdy foundation for a new smile that can last a lifetime.
Maintaining & Caring for Your Dental Implants
As mentioned earlier, dental implants have the potential to last for decades upon decades. They might even let you enjoy the benefits of a full smile for the rest of your life! However, this is only the case if you take good care of them. On the bright side, dental implant care is pretty straightforward; just follow these five simple steps.
Make Oral Hygiene a Priority
Peri-implantitis, an infection of the tissue around an implant, is a leading cause of dental implant failure. Most cases of peri-implantitis can be prevented via thorough oral hygiene. Your teeth cleaning routine should include:
- Twice-daily brushing – Always be sure you brush the area along the gumline.
- Regular flossing – Floss gets into the tight spaces that your toothbrush cannot reach. You may not be able to floss between your artificial teeth if you have a bridge. However, you might be able to use a water flosser to clean beneath them.
- Lots of hydration – Water rinses away bacteria and food particles that may be lingering in your mouth.
Eat a Healthy Diet
Dental implants are durable enough to stand up to most foods, so you should feel free to eat all of your favorite treats. However, keep in mind that just like some foods are harmful for your natural teeth, some foods tough on dental implants. You should limit your consumption of hard, sticky, and sugary foods. Instead, focus on enjoying a balanced diet that is rich in nutrients that promote oral health, including calcium and vitamin C.
Break Bad Habits
Some of the worst habits for individuals with dental implants include:
- Smoking – Tobacco increases your risk of infections and contributes to dry mouth. Every effort you make to quit will be worth it!
- Using teeth as tools – It can be tempting to use your teeth to open packages or cut the tags off of new clothes, but doing so might damage your restorations.
- Chewing on hard objects – Ice, jawbreaker candies, and pen caps are just a few things that might harm your implants if you chew on them.
Protect Your Dental Implants
If you often wake up with a sore jaw, it is possible that you grind your teeth at night, which can harm your implants. You may need to wear a custom mouthguard from a qualified dentist while you sleep to protect both your natural and replacement teeth. Similarly, if you play sports, you should also wear a custom mouthguard.
Schedule Regular Dental Checkups
You should be in the habit of visiting Dr. Prach at least twice a year for a cleaning and checkup. She will examine both your teeth and your implants. If there are any signs of a problem, she may be able to address the issue before it becomes serious. Our team may remove your implant restorations in order to thoroughly clean your mouth.