Dental Implants — Juno Beach, FL

Initial Dental Implant Consultation

To begin the journey toward restoring your smile, the first step involves scheduling a consultation with us. During this appointment, we will carefully assess your smile and the surrounding facial structures. This will help us determine if dental implants are the best solution for you and how they should be positioned in your mouth.

For some patients, certain preliminary procedures may be necessary. These may include bone grafting, gum disease treatment, or tooth extractions. Once these steps are completed, we can proceed with the remainder of your treatment. During the initial appointment, we will gladly walk you through the entire process, providing clear expectations regarding the timeline and associated costs.

Dental Implant Surgery

Following the consultation, the next step is your dental implant placement procedure. Once your mouth is numbed with a local anesthetic, a small incision is made in the gum tissue to access the jawbone. Carefully, the implants will be positioned at exact locations and angles. Finally, your gums will be sealed, and protective caps will be fitted over the dental implant posts to protect them during the healing period.

Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment Placement

In the next 3 to 6 months, the fusion process, known as "osseointegration," will occur between the implant(s) and the jawbone. This crucial step establishes a solid foundation for your implant, ensuring that your replacement teeth remain securely in position. Once this integration process is complete, we can proceed to attach a metal abutment to the end of your implant.

Delivery of Dental Implant Restorations

After a few weeks of having the abutment in place, your restoration will be prepared. When you return to our office, we will fit you with your new crown, bridge, or denture, depending on the number of teeth being replaced. We'll ensure that your bite feels comfortable before sending you off to enjoy the full benefits of your restored smile!

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.

3D Cone Beam Imaging/3D CT Scanning

A cone beam scanner, also called a CBCT scanner or 3D CT machine, is basically a super-powered X-Ray. Whereas a regular X-Ray captures basic, two-dimensional images, a CBCT machine uses a cone-shaped beam of radiation to produce highly detailed, three-dimensional images of a patient’s oral structures.

Why Is the CBCT Machine Important for Dental Implants?

Placing dental implants in Juno Beach requires a high degree of precision. Inserting an implant at the wrong place, angle, or depth could contribute to complications, a slower healing time, and perhaps even dental implant failure. We can minimize such errors with the help of our CBCT machine. It allows us to view a patient’s jaw, nerves, connective tissues, and remaining natural teeth.

The CBCT machine is also helpful after the implants have been placed. We can take scans to monitor osseointegration (how well the implant is bonding with the bone). Additionally, we may use it to diagnose any problems that might come up after a patient’s surgery. Such problems are rare, but having our CBCT machine makes them easier to analyze than they would be otherwise.

What to Expect During the Scanning Process

Some dentists must refer patients to another practice for CBCT scans. Fortunately, since we have a machine right here in our office, you can enjoy convenient and stress-free imaging. Once your implant dentist in Juno Beach determines that you need a scan, we might ask you to remove any jewelry or other accessories that have the potential to interfere with your results. Then, we will position you in the machine and let it do its work.

The scanning process is completely painless, and it usually takes less than one minute (the exact length of tie depends on which areas of your mouth we are scanning). Once the scan is finished, we will have immediate access to the images.

A CBCT machine uses more radiation than a normal digital X-Ray, so we only use it when absolutely necessary. However, it still uses much less radiation than a normal CT scanner that you would see in a hospital. It is quite safe for the vast majority of patients.

Would you like to learn more about our CBCT scanner or the other instruments that contribute to successful dental implant treatment? Get in touch with Juno Beach Smiles today — we will be happy to answer your questions!