Dental Implants San Jose
Rebuild Your Smile with the Ultimate Solution
Dental implants are considered the gold standard when it comes to replacing missing teeth due to their unparalleled stability and numerous other benefits. Here at the Center for Advanced Dentistry, we’re excited to be able to offer this service entirely in-house. Dr. Lim has spent years honing and perfecting the art of dental implant placement, and he’s more than happy to help you rebuild your smile with the ultimate tooth restoration solution. If you’re ready to set up a consultation for dental implants in San Jose, don’t wait to contact our dental office today.
Why Choose Center for Advanced Dentistry for Dental Implants?
- Prosthodontist with 25+ Years of Experience
- Next-Level Treatment Planning with CT/Cone Beam Scanner
- Start-to-Finish Process Under One Roof
What Are Dental Implants?
Dental implants are small posts made from biocompatible materials such as titanium that can be surgically embedded into a patient’s jawbone. These posts can mimic the root structure of natural teeth, which is something that no other tooth restoration can accomplish. Once they’ve been placed, they’ll begin to fuse with the patient’s jawbone through a process called osseointegration. After this fusion has occurred, a custom dental restoration can be attached to the top of the implant post, providing the patient with stable, lifelike replacement teeth.
The 4-Step Dental Implant Process
- Initial Dental Implant Consultation – During your consultation, Dr. Lim will closely evaluate your jawbone to see if dental implants are a viable option for you. This usually involves taking X-rays to determine the density of the jawbone and assessing your gum health and general oral wellness.
- Dental Implant Surgery – We can complete the entire dental implant placement process in-house, meaning you don’t have to worry about coordinating with other offices or teams.
- Dental Implant Osseointegration/Abutment – Following the procedure, you’ll need to let your mouth heal for the next three to six months. This part of the process, known as osseointegration, is crucial since it sets your implants up for future stability. When your mouth is ready, we can call you back to attach abutment pieces to your implant posts. These will connect your future restoration(s).
- Delivery of Dental Implant Restoration(s) – Once it’s ready, your customized restoration can be attached to your implants. These replacement teeth will look, feel, and function just like your natural ones.
Benefits of Dental Implants
Not only do implant restorations look and operate just like natural teeth, but they’re fully stabilized thanks to the posts, meaning there’s no slippage or unwanted movement. These replacement teeth can also restore up to 80% of a patient’s original bite force, and under ideal circumstances, are capable of lasting for decades.
Understanding the Cost of Dental Implants
Dental implants are the best tooth replacement option out there. Since they replace the roots of the missing teeth, you can achieve unique benefits that you can only otherwise find with natural teeth. This includes additional stability, comfort, and longevity. During your consultation, we will go over the estimated cost of your treatment in detail so that you don’t run into any surprises. Until then, here are some things to take into consideration.
Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery
In some cases, patients need to undergo preliminary treatments before they can get dental implants. This includes things like gum disease treatment, tooth extractions, bone grafting, sinus lift, and other services. You should consider the costs of these procedures if they apply to you. The good news is that the cost of preliminary procedures often receives partial coverage by dental insurance. Just keep in mind that every plan is slightly different, so it is best to contact your provider ahead of time to confirm your coverage.
The Parts of Your Dental Implant
There are many factors that contribute to the cost of dental implant treatment. Here are the ones that play the most significant role:
- Number of Implants: The number of teeth that you are missing and where they are in the mouth will determine the number of dental implants you require. The more dental implants that you receive, the higher the cost.
- Types of Restorations: Dental crowns, bridges, and dentures all have different costs. Generally speaking, the smaller the restoration, the lower the cost.
- Materials Used: Dental implants are usually made from surgical titanium. However, they can also be made from zirconia in some circumstances.
- Brand of Implant: Just like other products, dental implants come from many manufacturers. This influences the cost.
How Dental Implants Can Save You Money
It is tempting to try to save some money by choosing a more affordable option, like dentures. Dentures are an excellent option for some, but they don’t provide the same long-lasting benefits that dental implants do. Dental implants can actually end up saving you money long-term. This is because you don’t need to worry about spending money on frequent repairs and replacements. You also don’t need to purchase adhesives or soaking solutions. Since dental implants help to prevent serious oral health issues, you could even avoid costly restorative treatments in the future.
Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?
The cost of dental implants isn’t usually covered by dental insurance. However, there are some exceptions. Many times, insurance providers will partially cover preliminary procedures and parts of the final restoration. At Center for Advanced Dentistry, we welcome most dental insurance and can help you understand your plan and exactly what it covers. If you have any questions or concerns, give us a call.
Making Dental Implants Affordable
If you don’t have dental insurance or it isn’t covering the cost of your treatment, this doesn’t mean that you are completely on your own. We are happy to accept payments throughout Cherry Financing. This way, you can get the treatment you need and pay for it over time. If you need help signing up and choosing a plan, don’t hesitate to talk to one of our friendly team members.
Dental Implant FAQs
How Long Do Dental Implants Last?
When properly taken care of, dental implants can last for 30 years or more! To “properly” maintain them, we recommend brushing your teeth twice daily, flossing at least once per day, and scheduling a checkup and cleaning every six months.
The greatest risk to dental implants is actually gum disease caused by bacteria accumulation. Gum disease can weaken your gums as it progresses, causing your dental implants to fall out. So it’s important to have a good oral hygiene routine to help them stand the test of time!
Are Dental Implants Safe?
Dental implants have a 95% success rate and are considered safe for most patients. Certain oral conditions (like gum disease) can cause complications during treatment, however, so your restoration team will carefully review your health history and examine your mouth during your initial consultation.
Some patients wonder whether it’s a good idea to anchor metal posts to their jawbone. You can rest assured that because of the biocompatible materials, your jawbone can safely integrate with the implant posts. Actually, this design mirrors how natural teeth connect to your jaw with dental roots!
Will People Be Able to Tell That I Have Dental Implants?
Part of the reason so many patients love their dental implants is that they’re nearly identical to natural teeth. To help ensure they seamlessly blend into your smile, we’ll take impressions of your mouth and work with you to carefully select the best shade for your implant crowns. The impressions allow us to calculate the ideal placement for each implant, and with precise color-matching, we can custom-craft the details for a stunning restoration.
How Long Have Dental Implants Been Around?
The earliest archeological evidence of dental implant attempts dates back to 600 A.D. However, dental implants as we know them today didn’t come into prominence until the 1970’s. It took some time for professionals to feel comfortable enough with Dr. Per-Ingvar Brånemark’s discovery.
“What discovery?” you might ask.
All the way back in 1952, Dr. Brånemark found that bones will completely fuse with titanium. The implications for prosthetics were huge, and the good doctor got to work developing what we now know as dental implants. His ingenious invention has been successfully restoring patient’s smiles since his very first triumphant human placement in 1965. That means there’s plenty of documented cases attesting to the effectiveness of dental implants!