Dental Implants — Juno Beach, FL

Initial Dental Implant Consultation

When you first visit us to talk about dental implants in Juno Beach, we will thoroughly examine your mouth, answer your questions, and begin to put together your unique treatment plan. We may also use imaging technology to gain a fuller understanding of your oral anatomy. Then, we will be able to walk you through the steps that lie ahead.

Many patients need some preliminary treatment, such as a bone graft or tooth extractions, before they can receive dental implants. If that is true in your case, we will be upfront with you about what you can expect from each of your procedures.

Dental Implant Surgery

While many dentists offer dental implants as a tooth replacement option, not all of them are equipped with the experience, training, and technology required to perform the entire dental implant procedure from beginning to end. They can place crowns to replace a missing tooth, but not until another implant dentist in Juno Beach has surgically implanted the titanium posts that will serve as your new roots. At our practice, we are proud to say that we conveniently place implants right here in-office.

During your placement appointment, we will numb your mouth, create incisions in the gums, and carefully insert the implants are precise, pre-planned positions. Then we will close the incisions and allow you to begin the healing process. Most patients are feeling well enough to return to work within a day or two of their surgery.

Dental Implant Osseointegration/Abutment

After your surgery, a remarkable process known as osseointegration will take place. Essentially, this means that your dental implants will fuse with the surrounding tissue so they can provide the strongest base possible for your restorations.

Following osseointegration, you may need to undergo a second minor surgery. We will expose the dental implants and attach healing caps to them. Later, you will receive abutments, which are small connector pieces that serve to keep restorations in place.

Delivery of Dental Implant Restorations

The last stage of your treatment process is the design and placement of your custom-made crown, bridge, or denture. Using impressions and images of your mouth, we will design your new teeth so they are a perfect complement for your facial aesthetics and your oral anatomy. Once we attach your restoration to your implants, you can go off and begin to enjoy the many benefits of your restored smile!

Day-to-Day Benefits

Your daily life with dental implants will have you eating with ease, speaking clearly, and enjoying a better quality of life.

• Eating is no longer a problem – Denture-wearers often find it difficult to eat their favorite foods because of potential slippage and an uneven bite. However, with dental implants in Juno Beach, you’ll enjoy a stronger bite force and chewing power, allowing you to consume a nutritious diet much easier than before. Instead of fearing that your prosthetic will slip or fall out, you can truly enjoy all your favorite food options without worrying.
• Better oral health – There is no need to soak your implants or take them out to clean. Instead, your dental implants act just like regular teeth, so you can brush, floss, and rinse much easier, allowing you to enjoy better oral health in the long run and reduce your risk for gum disease and tooth decay, both of which can be harmful to your prosthetics.
• Improved quality of life – No one wants to be stuck at home feeling embarrassed by their smile. This is why dental implants are a better solution than dentures or dental bridges. It is believed that 20% of denture-wearers are afraid to smile, 10% tend to avoid social situations, and 63% keep their prosthetics a secret from friends and family. With dental implants, you can be free to smile, speak, eat, and enjoy life without feeling self-conscious about your teeth.

Health Benefits

If the daily benefits you’ll receive with dental implants are not enough, wait until you discover how they can positively impact your oral and overall health!

• More teeth = Longer lifespan – According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is estimated that 26% of adults aged 65 and older have 8 or fewer teeth. Because tooth loss is closely tied to lifespan, you can take charge of your overall health by replacing your missing teeth with dental implants. These permanent prosthetics can help reduce your risk for many of the most common health problems, such as osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. By restoring your smile in its entirety, you can minimize the time spent treating these problems and instead, enjoy a longer, happier life.
• Less risk for irritation – Unlike dentures that can cause oral sores to develop inside your mouth, dental implants are comfortable and feel natural. Their ability to replace a single tooth structure and fuse with the bone and surrounding tissue makes it less likely for any irritation to occur should your facial shape change over time.
• Improved jawbone density – Tooth loss is one of the main culprits for jawbone deterioration. By having dental implants put into place, you can continue to stimulate the bone, creating a stronger, more solid foundation for your smile and reduce your risk for facial collapse over time.

Long-Term Benefits

Dental implants don’t just improve your oral health and make daily life more enjoyable. They also prove beneficial as a long-term solution. Here’s how:

• High success rate – When placed by a skilled implant dentist in Juno Beach, you can expect the success rate of your implants to be around 98%. After 10 years, the rate only drops to 90-95%. This is a clear indicator that dental implants are designed to last as long as possible and are a trusted, long-term option for tooth replacement.
• Save money – Yes, dental implants are a costly investment in the beginning, but if you consider the alternative (i.e., dentures or dental bridges), you’ll discover that by paying more upfront, you’ll save later on. With dental implants, you will not need to purchase dental adhesives to keep them held in place, you won’t need specialized cleaning solutions, and you won’t be required to have your prosthetics replaced every 5-7 years.
• Longevity – As long as you commit to maintaining good oral hygiene and taking proper care of your dental implants, it is possible for them to last 30 years or more!

Who is a Good Candidate for Dental Implants?

Certain criteria need to be met in order to qualify for dental implants. For instance, your jawbone should be strong and substantial enough to integrate with and support dental implants. If it isn’t, we may be able to do a bone graft to get it up to par. Also, you need to have good oral health, including your gums. If your gums are too far receded, they may not provide sufficient support for implants. Additionally, if you have gum disease, that will need to be addressed before we can move forward with your treatment. You will also need to be in good general health and cleared to undergo minor oral surgery.

The best way to know whether dental implants are a viable tooth replacement option for you is to schedule a consultation with one of our dentists. After reviewing your specific case, they can design a treatment plan around how many teeth you’re missing.

Missing 1 Tooth

If you have lost just one tooth, a single dental implant can help to replace it without affecting the surrounding natural teeth. Surprisingly, more than 120 million people are currently living with at least one missing tooth, which can cause difficulty speaking and eating. To eliminate this problem and offer greater functionality, a supportive implant post will be placed in the area where the root structure once existed. After osseointegration has taken place, a metal abutment will be secured to the top of the implant before a customized dental crown is affixed on top.

Missing Multiple Teeth

When several teeth have been lost, dental implants in Juno Beach can prevent those that remain from drifting out of place and keep the jawbone healthy and whole. A fixed or removable bridge or partial denture can be added using a single or several dental implants. Instead of relying on your healthy adjacent teeth to serve as anchors (much like you would if you were receiving a traditional bridge), an implant prosthetic can restore your smile and fill in the gaps without altering your natural teeth. The same is true if your missing teeth are scattered throughout an arch, as a partial implant denture can act as a puzzle piece and create a completed smile.

Missing All Teeth

Even if you have lost all your teeth, dental implants can offer the utmost stability for a complete denture. Forget the slippage and discomfort that are common with a traditional denture. An implant denture fits perfectly and can last for decades or even a lifetime. Using between 4 and 8 dental implants, your implant dentist in Juno Beach will carefully place each one in its designated spot before attaching a custom-made denture to replicate your smile. Not only will you be able to enjoy eating your favorite foods once again, but you’ll also speak with greater clarity and exude more confidence.

Learn More About Implant Dentures

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Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery

The dental implant process takes place over the course of several months and across several different stages of treatment. Each step in your journey to a new smile comes with its own price tag. For example, preliminary treatments (i.e., tooth extractions, periodontal therapy, bone grafts, sinus lift), your dental implant placement surgery, and the final restoration each have separate prices. When you add all the costs together, the total can amount to quite a bit.

Keep in mind, though, that you don’t have to pay for the entirety of your new smile upfront. You only have to pay for each part of the treatment as you undergo it. You’ll have time between each phase to adjust your budget to make room for your new smile. This is especially helpful since you will not need to worry about paying a separate fee to an outside implant dentist in Juno Beach for your dental implant surgery.

The Parts of Your Dental Implant

What you may not realize is that much of your cost consists of the various parts of your dental implant. Some of the financial components that are considered include:

• How many implants you will need – Replacing a single tooth requires only one titanium post, whereas a full denture requires between 4-8. The more implants you need, the higher the cost.
• The materials used – When choosing the type of dental implant you need, you can expect it to be made out of titanium or zirconia, as these two tend to fuse with bone best.
• The type of restoration – Implant crowns, bridges, and dentures are all possible solutions when restoring your smile. It costs much less to produce a single crown; however, should you need an implant denture, it will be more cost-effective than if you were to opt for traditional dentures.
• The brand – At Juno Beach Smiles, we choose the brand and manufacturer for our dental implants. During your initial consultation, you can expect our team to go over this information with you and explain why higher quality implants will prove much more beneficial than if you were to choose a cheaper, less reliable brand.

How Dental Implants Can Save You Money

The vast majority of patients who receive dental implants in Juno Beach have no regrets about their decision. That’s because dental implants offer truly comprehensive tooth replacement. Not only do they provide a stable bite and amazing aesthetics, but they also support bone health. Plus, since dental implants have the potential to last a lifetime, they may actually be a better long-term financial value than other treatments. For example, traditional dentures are relatively affordable, but they need to be replaced every 5 – 10 years. They also require buying denture adhesive and special cleaning supplies to keep them free of bacteria. Over the decades, they could end up costing you much more money than you originally thought they would.

Not to mention, dentures and dental bridges will be unable to prevent many of the systemic issues that often come with tooth loss (i.e., osteoporosis, heart disease, diabetes). As a result, you could be left paying much more for treatment of these problems. However, with dental implants, you can reduce your risk for developing these health-related conditions and instead, enjoy greater oral and overall health.

Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?

While some dental insurance companies offer some level of coverage for dental implants, many still view them as a “want,” not a “medical necessity.” As a result, there may only be certain aspects of your treatment that your insurer will agree to cover. Our team at Juno Beach Smiles is happy to work with most insurance policies. We’ll help you figure out if your plan covers dental implants, your restoration, or any of your preliminary work. We’ll also file claims for you and suggest strategies to help you maximize your benefits. It may also be beneficial to see if your medical insurance policy might cover dental implant placement surgery if the procedure is deemed necessary for your overall wellbeing.

Making Dental Implants Affordable

To help keep your out-of-pocket expenses low and your treatment more affordable, we are pleased to work closely with CareCredit and Lending Club. We can help you apply for an affordable payment plan that offers low or zero interest, making it possible for your to better manage your budget while receiving a new and improved smile. You may also find it beneficial to use your Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA) to pay your remaining costs.

Make Oral Hygiene a Priority

Infection is the greatest threat to your dental implants. If bacteria sneak into the tissue around them, the bone could begin to deteriorate. Therefore, the implants might end up losing their base of support. Fortunately, the vast majority of infections are avoidable via proper oral hygiene. You should always:

• Brush your teeth twice a day. Make sure to clean the area around the gum line.
• Floss daily. If you have an implant-supported bridge, use a floss threader to clean the area beneath the artificial teeth that are between the crowns.
• Use an antibacterial mouth rinse. Your implant dentist in Juno Beach may recommend a specific mouthwash that is effective at preventing infections.
• Sip plenty of water. Water helps to rinse away harmful bacteria.

Protect Your Dental Implants

Physical trauma can also shorten the lifespan of your dental implants. For example, a hard blow to your mouth during a sports game may break an implant restoration or damage the bone around an implant. Or, if you grind your teeth at night, the constant pressure can damage the implant restoration and place excessive stress on the implants themselves.

The best way to prevent such issues is with a custom protective oral device. Our team can provide you with a sportsguard or nightguard that will shield your smile from trauma and help it to maintain its beauty and function. If you habitually grind your teeth due to a stressful lifestyle, it would also be wise for you to find stress management techniques that help you relax.

Schedule Regular Dental Checkups

Even if all of your teeth have been replaced with dental implants in Juno Beach, that doesn’t make you exempt from the need for regular dental visits. At these visits, our team will inspect your restorations and give your mouth a thorough cleaning. We may also temporarily remove your restorations so we can thoroughly clean the implant abutments.

It’s important to keep an eye on your implants between your regularly scheduled checkups. If you notice any signs of trouble — for example, if an implant feels loose or is causing you pain — come to see us as soon as you can. We’ll perform a visual examination and perhaps take some X-rays to determine what the problem is before we decide on the proper treatment.