Dental Implants – Bakersfield, CA
Replace the Entire Structure of Missing Teeth
Over the last several decades, dental implants have emerged as one of the most popular and effective methods of replacing missing teeth. When paired with dental implants, traditional restorations can feel, look, and function more naturally, because they’ll be restoring the entire structure of your missing teeth, not just the visible biting surface. To learn whether you’re a good candidate for this procedure, don’t hesitate to contact our dental office and schedule a consultation with Dr. Carlson to discuss tooth replacement with dental implants in Bakersfield, CA.
Why Choose Dominic Carlson, DDS for Dental Implants?
- We Accept Dental Insurance
- Dentist Born & Raised in Bakersfield
- Friendly & Highly Experienced Dental Staff
What are Dental Implants?
Dental implants themselves are small titanium posts that are surgically placed below the gumline to replace the missing root structure of a tooth. Due to their biocompatible nature, they’re able to naturally fuse with the jawbone through a process called osseointegration. This provides the bone with necessary stimulation and blood flow to keep it from deteriorating. Then, we’re able to attach the restorations, which will anchor to a small, metal connector piece called an abutment. Since the prosthetic is anchored to the strong and sturdy implant, you won’t have to worry about shifting or failing restorations.
The 4-Step Dental Implant Process
Dental implants replace the entirety of the missing teeth – not just the chewing surfaces. This allows for a multitude of benefits that one can’t experience from traditional tooth replacement options. To achieve this, getting dental implants requires a multi-step process that spans over the course of several months. Everyone’s treatment looks a little bit different, but here are the four main steps everyone can expect.
Initial Dental Implant Consultation
The first step when getting dental implants is to attend a consultation. During this appointment, Dr. Carlson and our team will examine your mouth and take X-rays to determine if you’re a good candidate for dental implants. Some patients need preliminary treatments before they are able to qualify for dental implants. This could include gum disease treatment, bone grafting, or a sinus lift. If any of these apply to you, we will help you to get them scheduled. Once your gums and jaw are in good shape, we can move on to planning the rest of your treatment. We will also go over the timeline and cost of your treatment in detail.
Dental Implant Surgery
To guarantee that our patients are getting the best possible quality of care, we refer all of our dental implant patients out to our trusted oral surgeon located right down the street from us. We’ll work closely with them to plan the procedure. After numbing the area with a local anesthetic, a small incision is made into the gum tissue so the implants can be precisely placed into the jawbone. The gums are then closed, and protective caps are placed on the ends of the dental implants to keep them safe as the healing process commences.
Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment
After your implants are placed, they undergo a process called osseointegration, where they fuse with the jawbone. This process takes about three to six months. Once complete, you will need to undergo another small procedure. During this time, we’ll place small connector pieces called abutments onto them. Impressions are also taken of your mouth so your restoration can be customized at the dental lab.
Delivery of Dental Implant Restoration(s)
As soon as your permanent, final prosthetic arrives at our dental office, we’ll call you in to secure it to the abutments. If everything looks and feels great, you will be free to show off your new and complete smile to the world!
Benefits of Dental Implants
It would be amazing if our teeth would last a lifetime, but for many of us, this hasn’t been the case. Some people end up losing one or more of their teeth for a variety of different reasons. This can include decay, injury, gum disease, and more. Fortunately, dental implants can restore the roots and crowns of the teeth. Because of this, there are all sorts of benefits you can experience. Read on to learn more about the advantages of choosing dental implants.
Day-to-Day Benefits
Dental implants feel identical to natural teeth once they have completely healed. You may even forget that they are there! Ultimately, you should be able to enjoy all of the same things you did before you experienced tooth loss. Here are a few benefits that you can experience every day:
- Restore Bite Force: Your bite force can be restored by 80% or even more! This is much more than you can experience with dental bridges and dentures.
- Easy Maintenance: You care for dental implants the same way as you care for natural teeth. Brush, floss, rinse, and see your dentist for regular checkups.
- Increased Confidence: You don’t need to worry about visible gaps in your smile or ill-fitting restorations.
Health Benefits
By getting dental implants, your health will be positively influenced. Here are just some of the benefits that you will experience:
- Improved Oral Health: This means a lower risk of cavities, gum disease, infection, and additional tooth loss. None of your natural teeth need to be altered for this restoration either.
- Better Overall Health: Having excellent dental health has a positive influence on your overall health. It even lowers your risk of serious medical problems, like diabetes and heart disease.
- Prevents Bone Loss: When you’re missing teeth, jawbone deterioration will follow. Dental implants stimulate the jawbone just like natural tooth roots to keep it strong.
Long-Term Benefits
With dental implants, you are making a long-term investment in your smile. Here are some of the benefits that will affect you many years down the road:
- Implant Success: Dental implants are very successful with a success rate of over 95%. Your chances of experiencing an implant failure are very low.
- Permanent: Dental implants can last upwards of three decades with proper maintenance.
- Save Money: You no longer need to worry about stocking up on adhesives or soaking solutions. There won’t be frequent repairs or replacements either. Dental implants also reduce your risk of many oral health issues, so you are less likely to need costly treatments that will add up over time.
Who Can Dental Implants Help?
It’s important to recognize that every dental implant treatment differs, because no two tooth-loss situations are identical. From the initial consultation all the way to the placement of your final prosthetic, Dr. Carlson will custom-tailor your dental implant treatment to meet your unique needs. Depending on whether you’re missing one or all of your teeth, we may suggest a version of any of the treatment suggestions listed below.
Missing One Tooth
For a single missing tooth, we can place a dental implant below the gumline to replace the missing root structure. Once it has fused to the jawbone, we can attach the abutment, followed by a customized dental crown that will fill the gap between your teeth.
Missing Multiple Teeth
Instead of needing to alter your healthy existing teeth by getting a traditional bridge, we can place two dental implants on either side of the gap in your smile. These will hold the restoration in place instead of your healthy existing teeth.
Missing All Teeth
If you’ve had dentures for a while and noticed that they move in your mouth when you eat or speak, dental implants may be a perfect solution to your problem. Instead of relying on natural suction, your dentures can be secured to anywhere from four to eight dental implants placed along your arch.
Understanding the Cost of Dental Implants
When comparing the costs of dental implants over other restoration options, many patients are hesitant to commit to treatment due to the price. However, when it comes to overall value, these permanent prosthetics simply can’t be beat! At Carlson Dentistry, we pledge to do our best to ensure that your treatment is as affordable as possible. We understand that up front, dental implants are often more expensive than temporary fixes like dental bridges and dentures, but because they pay for themselves over time, most patients agree they’re well worth the investment. To learn more about how we determine the cost of dental implants in Bakersfield, keep reading. Then, when you’re ready to schedule your consultation with Dr. Carlson, contact us to get started!
Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery
In many cases, dental implant treatment may require some preliminary care to get your mouth healthy enough to ensure your prosthetics last a lifetime. These include things like gum disease therapy, tooth extractions, and bone grafting. Each of these procedures will add to the total cost of your dental implant procedure but are extremely important for its long-term success. The great news is that many of them are at least partially covered by most dental insurance plans.
Dental implant surgery itself is a separate cost which can vary depending on where in the arch your implant(s) will be placed, as well as which type of anesthesia and/or dental sedation you require.
Because Dr. Carlson proudly provides the entire dental implant treatment right here in the office, you needn’t worry about traveling from practice to practice, getting to know a new dental team, filing multiple claims, or paying multiple doctors. We are pleased to handle all the details for you in-house!
The Parts of Your Dental Implant
Another set of factors which will influence your treatment cost are the physical parts of the dental implant itself. These will vary depending on how many teeth you need to replace, and where in the jaw they’ll be going. Here’s a closer look at how we determine the cost of your dental implants in Bakersfield:
- The number of dental implants you need: One dental implant for a single missing tooth will be less expensive than the four to six dental implants necessary to support an implant denture; however, an implant denture will be more affordable than replacing an entire arch of teeth individually.
- The type of restoration you choose: The teeth of your dental implant are available in dental crowns, bridges, or dentures, each of which cost a different amount - the smaller the prosthetic, the less expensive it will be.
- The size and material of your dental implant: Some implant posts are longer than others, depending on where they’ll be going in the jaw. They’re also available in a choice of materials (titanium or zirconia) depending on the patient’s preference.
- The brand of dental implant you select: Much like smartphone or automobile brands, there are many manufacturers that make dental implants to suit the individual needs of a wide range of patients.
How Dental Implants Can Save You Money
Often, when patients are seeking tooth replacement options, they are looking for a way to restore their smile as affordably as possible. Sometimes, this leads them to select temporary options like dentures or dental bridges because they are less expensive. However, what they don’t realize is that despite their higher upfront costs, dental implants are typically more cost effective in the long run, because they are easier and more affordable to care for and maintain. In fact, they may help you save even more money by avoiding future oral and overall health problems and their related treatment costs!
Will My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?
Although most dental insurance companies don’t cover the complete cost of dental implant treatment, there are always some exceptions to the rule. At Carlson Dentistry, our team prides itself on our ability to maximize dental insurance benefits and get our patients the most for their money. We will carefully review the details of your plan, file your paperwork, and find any way we can help restore your smile within your budget! In many cases, portions of your treatment might be at least partially covered, such as preliminary procedures or a percentage of the restoration itself.
How We Make Dental Implants Affordable
At Carlson Dentistry, we want to help you make the best choice possible when restoring your smile. In many cases, this is with dental implants. To make this treatment as cost-effective as possible, we are proud to introduce our own in-house membership plan, which grants a valuable 15% discount on treatments performed in-house. To learn more about this program, visit our website, or call our friendly office team today for details.
Dental Implant FAQs
Modern dental implants have been used to replace teeth for several decades and have only gotten more advanced since then. Of course, we understand if you have questions about the treatment process. Dr. Carlson will gladly go over the procedure step-by-step during your consultation. However, if you have a question, we encourage you to look over our FAQ section for dental implants below, where we’ve addressed a handful of concerns we’ve heard over the years.
Are Dental Implants Safe?
Most patients with positive oral and overall health can expect a safe and successful dental implant treatment when the procedure is performed by a trained professional, such as the trusted oral surgeon you are referred to by our office. In the event your jawbone density is low or you have a preexisting dental condition (i.e. gum disease), we can fix these issues ahead of time to ensure your treatment is safer. Keep in mind that having a condition that affects your body’s ability to heal, such as diabetes or cancer, can influence the success of your treatment. We’ll speak with you directly to discuss your current health status and your eligibility for dental implant treatment during your consultation.
Can I Get Dental Implants If I Smoke?
While it’s possible for smokers to receive dental implants, the risk for implant failure goes up significantly. It also doesn’t matter if you’re smoking, chewing, or vaping tobacco as all three can cause dry mouth, slow down the healing process, and interfere with the implant’s ability to fuse with bone. Smoking also increases the risk of dry socket, where the blood clot newly formed over the treatment site dislodges. If you smoke, you should quit the habit for at least two weeks ahead of your surgery, then wait another two to three months after treatment to use tobacco again. However, we strongly advise you to consider quitting entirely.
Will People Be Able to Tell That I Have Dental Implants?
In order to create the most natural-looking implant restorations possible, our office captures digital impressions of your mouth. Then, we use these scans to design a crown, bridge, or denture that attaches to your implants. Our restorations are color-matched to your neighboring teeth exactly. After they are fabricated and placed, no one should be able to tell that you received a tooth replacement.
Do Dental Implants Feel Natural?
Keep in mind that dental implants are designed to not only look lifelike, but feel this way as well. This is because they effectively replace the tooth roots and constantly stimulate the jawbone. However, dental implants also contain no nerve endings, which means any sensations you notice after they have healed are likely coming from the gum tissue surrounding the implant. These sensations are more commonly noticed when teeth are exposed to heat, cold, or pressure.