What is a Dental Implant?

Implants provide a patient with a variety of different overall health improvements that many people feel removable dentures don't cure. The following are some of those benefits and how patients have their lives improved by getting permanent implants:

• Speaking will become more comfortable as your enunciation improves.
• It will be easier to bite and chew foods that you love.
• You will have a symmetrical, natural smile that gives you additional confidence especially in social situations.
• You will have an implant that fills the space in your jaw where the bone was missing which helps give your face its natural structure.

Additional benefits of implants beyond just improved function includes the following:

• Implants can replace any number of teeth that you have lost in the past.
• Implants are permanent as they become part of your jaw.
• Having implants placed is a simple procedure that can get done in one day.
• Most patients are candidates for dental implants (with few exceptions).
• Anesthetic makes the implant process painless for patients.

Your recovery time will vary depending upon the procedure that you had done. However, you can expect the complete recovery to take anywhere from a few days for a simple implant procedure to begin to heal to a few weeks or even several months if procedures like a bone graft are needed.

Many factors will play roles in your recovery including the following:

• If you need a bone graft as part of your implant procedure (grafts take 4-6 months to heal before anything else can get done).
• You are previously having any other oral health issues to contend with while getting your implants.
• How many implants you are getting done.

Factors such as these could complicate or make the healing process longer than if procedures such as bone grafts are not required. Depending on other oral health conditions you have, your recovery time may vary. Discuss your specific recovery with your dentist and ask which ways you can make your recovery. Listening to your dentist will help you get back to your regular routine as quickly as possible.

It's worth noting that most insurance companies, as well as Medicare and Medicaid, do not cover dental implants. Prices can be a concern for many patients. The average dental implant runs between $1,000 and $3,000, and multiple implants can run at much higher costs. While the prices may seem daunting, you can always talk to your Marie Simon Dentistry dentist about setting up a payment plan to cover your dental needs.

We want to make your dental implants as affordable as possible to you and are happy to work with you to find a payment plan that you can afford.