Dental Implants – Staten Island, NY
The Foundation of a Long-Lasting Smile
While dentures and dental bridges are both capable of filling the gaps in your smile after tooth loss, they don’t address the missing roots of the teeth. In the long run, this can cause serious complications. Your jawbone will weaken, causing your facial muscles to collapse and increasing your risk for additional tooth loss. Not to mention, traditional prosthetics rarely last for more than a decade. With dental implants, our NU Dental Staten Island team can replace the tooth roots and create the foundation of a long-lasting smile. Dr. G can even handle the entire process start-to-finish right here in our office. If you’re ready to learn more about dental implants in Staten Island, NY, call us today and schedule your consultation!
Why Choose NU Dental Staten Island for Dental Implants?
- Implants Conveniently Placed & Restored Under One Roof
- 3D Cone Beam Scanner Leads to Precise Treatment Plans
- In-House Dental Financing Available
What Are Dental Implants?
If you’ve heard dental implants referred to as the modern gold standard for tooth replacement, you heard correctly. These prosthetic tooth replacements are composed of a small cylindrical post made from titanium – a material that is designed to integrate with organic bone and tissue. Once inserted into the jaw via oral surgery, it will become part of your jawbone through a process called osseointegration. Once it’s placed, implants are strong enough to hold dental restorations entirely on their own, much like natural tooth roots hold natural teeth.
The 4-Step Dental Implant Process
To receive dental implants, multiple phases must be completed. At some dental offices, you’re often sent to another specialist so they can place the implant into your jaw. However, at NU Dental Staten Island, we can place the implants directly into your mouth without sending you to a different dental office that you’re unfamiliar with. That way, you can feel as comfortable as possible receiving care in the dental office you already know and love.
The four basic steps of the process include:
- Consultation – examining your mouth to ensure implants are right for you.
- Surgery – positioning the implants within your jaw.
- Osseointegration – waiting several months for the implants to fuse with your jawbone.
- Restoration – placing your crown, bridge, or denture onto your implants.
Benefits of Dental Implants
- Stronger biting force – Dental implants offer a level of chewing power that cannot be compared to bridges or dentures thanks to their increased support and stability.
- Stays in place – There’s no need to worry about your replacement teeth falling out of your mouth or out of place thanks to their titanium anchors.
- Easy maintenance – To keep implants clean, simply brush and floss them as normal. There’s no need to remove them like dentures.
- Long-term solution – With a tooth replacement designed to last 30 years and even longer, you can expect your smile to keep up with your lifestyle.
Who Dental Implants Can Help
Dental implants are incredibly versatile. Whether you want to replace single teeth or all the teeth in your smile, they can be considered a viable solution! Before you begin treatment, it’s important that we take the time to ensure there is enough available bone tissue to support implants. To confirm this, we’ll measure your jawbone density, treat any gum disease that could cause them to fail, and confirm that no decay is present. After your mouth is ready, we’ll begin the planning process, which starts by determining the teeth that need replacement.
Missing One Tooth
To replace a tooth that both fills the gap in your smile, all without having to modify your existing enamel, we can use a single dental implant instead of a dental bridge. After the implant has fused with the bone and the gum tissue has healed, the post can be covered with a crown that matches the rest of your smile.
Missing Multiple Teeth
If you want to replace multiple individual teeth throughout your mouth, you can do so with dental implants. However, if you have multiple consecutive teeth that are missing, we can combine a pair of dental implants with a dental bridge that’s designed to attach to them, offering a more cost-effective and conservative solution.
Missing All Teeth
For years, traditional dentures have been the go-to solution for replacing teeth. By attaching a denture to a set of dental implants, we can make them much stronger and more stable. This means when you go to chew tough foods or practice at-home oral care, you have a much easier time doing so.
Advanced Dental Implant Procedures
If you are not a suitable candidate dental implants right now, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they will stay out of you reach forever. Thanks to advanced dental implant procedures in Staten Island, our dentists and team may be able to help you qualify for the best form of tooth replacement. Although these services may lengthen your overall treatment timeline, they are worthwhile because they can set your new smile up for success.
Bone Grafting
After the loss of natural teeth, the jawbone begins to be resorbed. That is to say, the body recycles its raw materials for other purposes. This happens because the tooth roots are no longer there to stimulate the bone. Over time, the resorption can reach the point where the jaw is no longer strong enough or large enough to support dental implants.
Fortunately, bone grafting in Staten Island can address this issue. During the surgery, we expose the jawbone and add bone material to it, whether it is from a donor, an artificial source, or another part of your body. Over time, the jaw will integrate the new bone, resulting in a structure that is ready to support your new prosthetic tooth roots. In some cases, dental implants can even be placed at the same time that a bone graft is performed.
Sinus Lifts
When the upper jaw is too thin, placing dental implants is risky because they can penetrate the sinus membrane above. A thin upper jaw may be due to natural bone deterioration, genetics, or simply the passage of time (older individuals tend to have larger sinuses).
A sinus lift in Staten Island is a special type of bone graft that is designed to address this issue. During the surgery, we access the sinus membrane through the upper jaw and gently push it upward. Then, we keep it in its new position by placing extra bone material beneath it.
After a healing period of 4 – 9 months, most sinus lift patients are able to receive dental implants in Staten Island.
Ridge Expansion
Dental implants are placed in a special part of the jawbone called the alveolar ridge. The ridge must not only be deep enough to support implants, but it must also be wide enough. If yours is not adequately sized, we may suggest that you undergo ridge expansion.
Ridge expansion is a surgery wherein the ridge bone is divided into two, then wedged apart. The space between the inner and outer sections can then be filled with a bone graft. In some cases, dental implants can be placed at the same time as ridge expansion. In other instances, a healing period is necessary after the surgery before a patient can move onto the next phase of their treatment.
Are you ready to learn more about the advanced dental implant procedures that could get you on the road to a stronger, healthier smile? Contact Nu Dental Staten Island today to schedule an appointment. We look forward to serving you!
Understanding the Cost of Dental Implants
Before dental implant treatment begins, we want to break down the costs of your treatment and the most notable factors that influence your final price tag. Keep in mind that you likely won’t pay the same price as another patient. After your initial consultation, we’ll estimate your current price for treatment and do everything we can to help you lower your out-of-pocket costs.
Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery
While some may only need to place a single implant, others may need multiple implants to restore their entire smile. With more dental implants comes longer surgery and more appointments needed before treatment is complete.
Additionally, those who need bone grafts or gum therapy will also see a higher cost. If you have insufficient bone volume or periodontal disease that requires treatment, you’ll need to pay more ahead of your implant procedure. This could also mean using dental insurance benefits to cover phases like the restoration or preparatory treatments. Thankfully, Dr. G can place implants in-house, making your fees more compact and easier to understand.
The Parts of Your Dental Implant
On top of the number of implants received, the type of material used to create the implant (i.e., titanium vs. zirconia) can also influence your final cost. In some ways, dental implants could be compared to different makes and models of cars. Some may last longer or function better than others depending on the materials used to create them. With that said, Dr. G is always very clear about why he uses the implants he does, so feel free to ask him during your consultation.
Final Dental Implant Restoration
If you need a single implant placed, you only need a dedicated crown to cover it and make your smile complete. However, multiple dental implants need more complex restorations, such as dental bridges and dentures designed to attach to dental implants, to complete your smile. Regardless of the type of restoration you need, we’ll make sure that it’s made from natural-looking, lifelike materials that blend in with neighboring teeth.
Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?
Most dental insurance plans don’t offer coverage for dental implants mainly because they are not considered a medically necessary treatment. However, there are some exceptions that allow for partial coverage on specific aspects of treatment. During your consultation, we’ll be glad to go over your insurance benefits and help you determine which phases of care could be covered, such as the restoration itself or any preliminary treatment needed before implants can be placed.
Making Dental Implants Affordable
While our office is in-network with many major dental insurance providers, we understand that not everyone uses a dental plan to pay for their oral healthcare. In this instance, you can take advantage of other financing solutions to make your care more affordable.
For example, you can apply for CareCredit, a third-party financing option that allows for monthly installments on dental care. If you join our in-house dental membership, you can save anywhere between 10% and 20% on your dental implant treatment! Those considering All-on-4 treatment are welcome to learn more about our special offer on this incredibly comprehensive procedure.
Dental Implant FAQs
Still not quite sure whether dental implants are the right solution for you? It’s perfectly normal to feel this way; after all, replacing your missing teeth is not a decision to be made lightly. During your consultation, Dr. G and our other team members will be happy to go over what you can expect at every step during the dental implant process. In the meantime, we’ve provided the answers to some common dental implant questions below for your convenience.
Can I Take Dental Implants Out?
No, you cannot take dental implants out yourself. They are designed to merge with the jawbone and essentially become a part of your own anatomy. Once this fusion process is complete, only an implant dentist in Staten Island can remove a dental implant. That being said, if you’re getting an implant denture, you can choose to have your prosthetic be fixed in place or removable for cleaning purposes.
Do Dental Implants Feel Natural?
Yes! Once your implants have begun the osseointegration process, they will feel exactly like the roots of your real teeth. This allows them to feel much more natural than bridges and dentures that only bring back the crowns of your teeth. In fact, after the treatment process is complete, you might even forget that you have dental implants at all!
Are Dental Implants Safe?
Decades of clinical research have proven dental implants to be an effective and safe tooth replacement, provided they are placed by a trained professional. Even after more than 10 years after placement, more than 95% of dental implant patients are still enjoying their new pearly whites to the fullest.
The only thing to keep in mind is that patients with certain health conditions, such as low jawbone density, gum disease, diabetes, or cancer, may have an increased risk of complications after dental implant surgery. That’s why Dr. G will be sure to discuss your medical history and how you can reduce your risks beforehand.
Can Dental Implants Get Cavities?
Unlike real tooth enamel, the materials that dental implants are made from do not break down when exposed to acids produced by harmful oral bacteria. As a result, dental implants cannot get cavities. However, you’ll still need to brush and floss them; poor oral hygiene can lead to gum disease, which may cause your implants to fail. Not to mention, any remaining natural teeth you have can still get cavities.
Are Dental Implants an Eligible FSA Expense?
Because dental implants are usually considered a restorative solution that improves your oral health, they are often eligible for FSA reimbursement. However, most FSAs place a limit on the amount of money that you can use each year. Our team can look over the details of your FSA and help you find ways to make dental implants in Staten Island affordable for you.
Dental Implants Post-Op Instructions
Once your dental implants are attached, you’ll need to take it easy over the next several days. This is the case regardless of the type of oral surgery you need, whether it’s dental implants, root canal therapy, or a similar service. Below, you’ll find the best tips for ensuring a speedy recovery. If you notice any severe or abnormal discomfort or strange side effects we didn’t discuss, please don’t wait to give our office a call.
What to Do Directly After Dental Implant Surgery
Keeping the blood clot that’s formed over your socket intact is crucial to a smooth recovery. For that reason, you’ll need to make sure you avoid the following at all costs:
- Spitting, especially with force
- Drinking out of straws (especially the first two to three days after surgery)
- Smoking or using tobacco
- Touching the implant site with your fingers or tongue
Common Side Effects
Mild side effects are typical following oral surgery, and there’s no exception when it comes to dental implant treatment. For example, it’s normal to experience the following:
- Intermittent bleeding over the next few days (which can be easily mitigated with a gauze pad and light pressure)
- Facial swelling over the next 72 hours or so (this can last for over a week but can be managed with cold compresses)
- General discomfort (take over-the-counter painkillers or prescription meds provided by our office)
If your side effects do not get better, please let us know as soon as possible.
Diet
You’ll need to avoid any foods that are very hard, tough, or crunchy in order to prevent disturbing the implant site. Opt for the foods mentioned below instead, especially during the first several days after treatment:
- Applesauce
- Mashed potatoes
- Pudding
- Cold/room temperature soups
- Ice cream or sherbet
- Yogurt
- Soft-cooked pasta
- Scrambled eggs
Once you’re feeling more comfortable, you should be able to move back to a regular diet. However, we advise speaking with our team ahead of time so we can examine your mouth.
Health & Oral Hygiene
You may brush your teeth as normal the day after your surgery, but you’ll need to be very careful to not disturb the extraction site. Use caution as you clean your teeth and gums and don’t floss around the treated area until it has had a chance to heal more. We recommend rinsing your mouth out with salt water two to three times a day or use a prescription mouthwash if available. Do not use any mouthwashes that contain alcohol as these can negatively impact your healing.
What to Do After Your New Teeth Are Attached
After your dental implants are restored, you may notice some minor sensitivity around your replacement tooth. This is a normal side effect that is likely stemming from the gum tissue and can be easily managed with painkillers if needed. You should not experience any swelling or bleeding after the crown is placed, nor need an extensive recovery period.
Maintaining & Caring for Your Dental Implants
Once you’ve completed the dental implant process, Dr. G and Dr. S will go over the steps you need to follow to ensure your new teeth stand the test of time. You’ll find that, for the most part, dental implant care in Staten Island is remarkably similar to the care that natural teeth require. As long as you follow the five basic steps below, your dental implants are likely to last for decades to come.
Prioritize Your Oral Hygiene
After getting dental implants, brushing and flossing become just as important as they were when you still had all of your original teeth. While your implants themselves cannot decay, the gum and bone tissue supporting them could become compromised by gum disease. When bacteria attack these tissues, your implant could lose support and ultimately fail. Daily oral hygiene is essential in preventing this. Luckily, cleaning dental implants doesn’t require a time-consuming routine like it does with dentures. Instead, you can simply brush and floss just as you did with your natural pearly whites.
Stick to a Healthy Diet
The same foods that are bad for your teeth and gums can also put your dental implants at risk. Sugary sweets and starchy snacks are alright every once in a while, but indulging in them too often can make it easier for the bacteria in your mouth to produce plaque acids that erode your tooth enamel and inflame your gums. Make sure you get plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, white dairy products, and lean meats in your diet, all of which contain valuable nutrients that benefit your gums and jawbone.
Break Harmful Habits
Many of us have bad habits that seem harmless at first, but could easily lead to dental damage. Biting your fingernails, crunching on ice cubes, and chewing the end of your pencil or pen are all examples of harmful habits that weaken your teeth and implant restorations. This means they’re more likely to cause breakage over time. Smoking is another habit that could put your dental implants in jeopardy. Tobacco increases your risk of gum disease and hinders your body’s ability to fight off such infections, so our team would be more than happy to get you the help you need to kick the habit.
Protect Your Pearly Whites
Both your implants and any natural teeth you have left are susceptible to injury if you play contact sports without wearing a mouthguard. That’s why Dr. G or Dr. S offer custom-fit mouthguards that not only feel more comfortable than the generic ones you find in stores, but also provide greater protection. In the same vein, your natural and implant-supported teeth can both sustain serious damage from long-term teeth grinding and jaw clenching. To prevent your pearly whites from becoming worn-down, we can provide custom nightguards as well, which shield your smile from any grinding that occurs while you sleep.
Schedule Regular Dental Checkups
No matter how many of your teeth are real and how many have been replaced with implants, attending at least two dental checkups a year is essential in maintaining a healthy smile. Problems with your implants (as well as with your gums and remaining teeth) often start out barely noticeable, but during a routine exam, our dentists can detect them and stop them in their tracks with conservative, cost-effective treatment.