I get it. You're likely there with a void in your smile, a partial denture that is failing you, and you want to know if there is something better. There is. But let's be real: getting dental implants is not a trip to the store for toothpaste. It is a commitment, it costs money, and you will want to know exactly what's happening.

I've watched a lot of people go through this over the years, and what I know is that most people do not want a lecture on osseointegration (though we will discuss that too).Most people want someone to state the facts. So, I will tell the facts.

What Happens When You Lose a Tooth?

Before we discuss solutions, let's talk about why this is so important. Your mouth does not just roll with tooth loss. Your jaw participates in a tantrum (your jaw, a long and silent tantrum that plays out over years).

Your jawbone stays healthy as strong as your jaw muscles work every time you chew. The roots of every tooth put pressure on the bone. Your body shows up by maintaining the bone as dense and strong. When you lose the tooth, your body has no reason to maintain the bone. Therefore it leaves. Your bone starts to shrink, get smaller, and the changes will start to happen increasingly, especially, in the first year of missing the tooth. However, the changes will never stop.

Have you noticed the appearance of older people who have sunken features, especially around the mouth? This appearance may not be due to their age, but rather, their bone density because they have missing teeth. Once the lower third of the face collapses inward, it leaves the lips unsupported and creates wrinkles around the mouth. This process can dramatically age an individual, and no cream that promises to reduce wrinkles can fix the issues occurring deep in the bone.

Obviously, aesthetics aside, your other teeth are inspired by nature to drift. When teeth are missing, they leave a gap because nature despises a vacuum. Eventually, the other teeth start to drift toward the empty gap, to tilt, and move in a way that results in an irregular bite. The tooth above (or below) the gap will begin to extrude, meaning it will grow longer due to the empty socket or gap. Now, you have problems with alignment, due to shifting teeth, that you never had in the first place.

And what about things more practical? Depending on the location of the gap will determine whether or not you have difficulty eating certain foods, or develop a lisp. You probably avoid smiling in a photograph because it may feel awkward for you if you have lost a tooth, or (at worst) a few teeth. You may have even stopped laughing with your mouth open because you are self-conscious. All of this adds up in a way that is not really quantifiable, but cannot be ignored.

So What Is a Dental Implant?

When you strip away all of the dental jargon, a dental implant is really nothing more than a titanium screw that goes in the jawbone where the root of a tooth used to be. I know it sounds medieval, but hang in there with me please. Just the screw component of the implant is located under your gum line. You won’t see it; and, after healing, you won’t be able to feel it.Over a period of months, you will experience something interesting happening: the bone will begin growing around the implant and attaching to it. This is different from, say, a hip replacement, which has always going to metal attached to the bone. Your bone will actually integrate the titanium to itself. Scientists have a term for this -it is called osseointegration; which is a fancy word for the bone and the metal become one unit. Once that is secured, your dentist inserts an abutment (think of this as sort of a connector post) which looks to attach to the top of the implant. The abutment will rise above your gum. Lastly, your dentist will place a crown (the tooth-shaped cap) which is attached to the abutment; which both is what you will see, and, is what will function like a tooth. The whole unit, implant-abutment-crown, replaces all three components of your tooth which were lost: the root, the structure, and the visible tooth. It is different than a bridge (which relies on neighboring teeth as anchors), or dentures (which simply sit above your gums); instead an implant is independent. Its is not dependent on neighboring teeth or soft boney tissue for support. It stands on its own by your bone.

Why Permanent is Not Just Sales Speak

When dentists say permanent dental implants, at least this one time, dentists are not exaggerating.We are talking about something that could potentially last a lifetime if it is well cared for.

Compare this to the other options. Dentures are going to last maybe five to eight years at most before they will need to be remade. Bridges may last about ten to fifteen years.Both denture and bridge are both temporary solutions and do not address the actual problem of bone loss. The bridges or dentures may be getting you through, but the bone in your jaw is still going to keep shrinking. This will eventually lead to needing additional solutions, which creates a neverending cycle of maintaining and replacing services.

Implants allow the issues of bone shrinkage to stop. Because they act like a tooth root, it preserves the bone to keep the jaw healthy. This will keep your face looking good. With an implant, the body of the implant is made from titanium, so it does not rot or decay like human tooth nerves, therefore is not subject to cavities and tooth rot. The crown will likely need to be replaced over time, as crowns can chip or wear down in twenty to thirty years, but the implant body will most likely stay in one piece, therefore you will most likely not need to replace the implant root over time.

I have met many people in their eighties who received their implants in their fifties, which is not uncommon. If you do the math and calculate the cost-per-year, the initial price starts to look reasonable.

But by sticking with permanence, there has to be a commitment. Unlike a denture, you cannot just pop out an implant. And in the rare case that you decide you dislike the implant (which just about nobody does), there would be surgical removal involved. So you need to know that when starting this process, you are okay with committing.

Denture vs. implant debate

Now, let's get to it and settle this debate which is probably the compare you are most interested about. Both work, and both have worked for millions of people. But they work in some very different ways, and which one is better deal to you will depend on your own mouth.

Traditional dentures are the old-school go to.They are prosthetic devices that rest on your gums, secured through either suction (for upper dentures), adhesive, or by a metal clasp attaching to other teeth (for partial dentures). They have improved how they look over time and may look incredibly realistic now. And they are affordable. If you are comparing cost of a couple of thousand dollars versus twenty, thirty thousand dollars for fixed !, that is not an insignificant difference.

But no one ever mentions until you have dentures that they move. It doesn't move all the time; not everyone, but enough that it lurks as a background low-grade anxiety. You can be sitting at dinner with buddies, laughing at some story, and then you feel a little shift. Or you bite into something and your denture slips. It is embarrassing and it is distracting to the degree you become acutely aware of your teeth in social situations.

Eating with dentures is difficult too. Sticky foods can displace your denture. Super hard foods can be hard or chewy because you only get about 25% of original bite force with dentures. Corn on the cob, a big hard apple, crusty bread (... anything, for that matter) becomes a judgement call rather than just something you would regularly eat. Some people cope better; others find it absolutely anxiety provoking.

And there is the matter of nightly care. Out they come for cleaning, into the glass they go (or whatever container you have). If you have not had to do this, it probably doesn't seem like a big deal. But a lot of people find it sad. Every night a reminder that you have not "natural" teeth.And forget about last-minute hitting the road for an overnight trip. You need your cleaning products, your container, the whole set-up.

Bone loss may be, overall, the biggest long-term issue with dentures. They sit on top of your gums, and therefore, they also increase bone loss. The pressure from the dentures pushes down into your gums and into the bone underneath them–which creates resorption. That is how and why dentures feel like they fit great at first and then, after a few years, begin to feel loose—the shape of your bone has changed underneath them. Now you're back to the dentist to adjust, reline, and eventually replace your dentures.

Dental implants take care of all of these issues for you—they won't move...ever. You can eat whatever you'd like, and they brush and floss just like a regular tooth. No one will know that you don't have your original (the way it was designed) tooth unless you told them. Also, they maintain your bone so that your face can maintain its structure.

But, and a big but at that, it involves surgery. More than one appointment that occurs over multiple months, and yes- price to pay (and up–we have danced around that price has been)–and medical qualifying. If you have health issues, bone deficiency, or just smoke, you may not qualify for implants.

The Middle, implant supported dentures...

Here's where it becomes fun! What if you could have that implant stability without replacing every tooth for both aesthetic and functional purposes? Implant supported dentures may honestly be the best solution for so many people.The idea is simple and functional. Instead of placing an implant for every single missing tooth, the dentist will place four to six implants per arch. These implants will act as an anchor for a denture that will either snap onto the implants (removable) or be held in place with screws (fixed). You will have the stability and preservation of bone that comes from implants, without the expense and complexity of restoring every missing tooth with a full mouth of individual implants.

The function is significantly different. With a traditional denture, you are using a bite force of around 25 percent of natural bite force. With an implant-supported denture, your bite force returns to level of 70-80 percent of your natural bite force. Continuing on with the "eating normally" theme, you will be able to eat steak, raw veggies, apples, and whatever else you desire to eat. Unlike traditional dentures, an implant-supported denture doesn't move, so there isn't any anxiety with the denture slipping when talking or eating.

The fixed variety (often referred to as All-on-4 or All-on-6, depending on the number of implants) is the most common. The denture is permanently attached--you can not remove it--and you can treat it like your existing natural teeth. This means regular brushing and flossing, and then most people forget it is even present. The removable version snaps onto your implants but can be removed for cleaning and care. Some people prefer the removable type because they like the ability to clean it outside their mouth more thoroughly, but most tend to want the fixed option because it feels more like their own existing teeth.

From a pricing perspective, you are looking at a range of pricing between traditional dentures and the cost to restore each tooth with individual implant restorations. This will likely cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $15,000 to $30,000 per arch, depending on the region and condition specifics.Although this is not insignificant, it is certainly more manageable compared to the cost of placing $80,000 worth of individual implants in your entire mouth.

Timing is quicker too. With All-on-4, some dentists will even provide temporary teeth on the same day as your implant placement in the office. You will leave the procedure with a functional smile and, after a healing period of 3-6 months you will then have dental appliances to wear as permanents.

Finding a Good Person Near You

So you are all in on having implants (or at least interested enough to take the next step), the next step is key: finding somebody that is actually good at doing it. And no, there is absolutely no price shopping on this step.

Start with credentials. Periodontists and oral maxillofacial surgeons receive multiple years of training, beyond dental school, specifically in surgical procedures and treating the supporting structures to teeth. Just to clarify, many general dentists are placing implants too, and some are very good at it, but they do not have that extensive and specialized key training just discussed.

Experience is more important than you think. There is definitely a learning curve with implant placement, and while every dentist has to start to do them, you would not want to be the tenth implant placed by a more inexperienced dentist, when there is a more experienced option (like the thousandth implant case). Just ask directly to your dentist. "How many implants have you placed in the past year"? A couple dozen certainly indicates dabbler, while a couple hundreds indicates somebody who is specialized and you want that person.

Technology has grown so much in just the last 10 years it honestly has an impact on outcomes.3D imaging through CBCT scans gives the surgeon insight into what they are working with—bone quality, sinus location, nerve pathways, etc. Computer guided surgery can place the implant within millimeters before the surgeon ever picks up the drill. Is all this technology necessary? Not always. Does it add more accuracy and less chance of complications? Most definitely. When you are visiting possible dentists, pay attention to the atmosphere. New equipment may indicate that they have invested in new modalities.

Speak to people who actually were patients, if possible. Online reviews can be helpful, but nothing legitimately replaces recommendations from trusted people you know. If your friend says Dr. So-and-So did a great job on implants, that means more than 12 5-star Google reviews (that may or may not be real).

The consultation itself will tell you a lot. Is the dentist listening to you? Do they use language that you understand to explain the procedure? Are they pushing the most expensive option, or are they explaining alternatives? Trust your instinct here. If something feels off, keep looking. Remember, you may be working closely with him/her for months, and you need to feel comfortable.

Location matters for practical reasons. Depending on what plan you choose, you may have several appointments: consultation, surgery, follow up appointments, crown placement. Select a practice that is convenient enough that you don’t consider the trips to be a burden. Convenience can’t be the only factor though; driving an extra 20 minutes to see someone who is much better than the local convenience is worth it.

One other thing to put out there sooner rather than later is the monetary process. Before committing to any one dentist, go ahead and ask for a detailed written estimate. What is included in the estimate you want to know?What should you be aware of that may incur an extra fee? When there is a complication, how will you be charged? Will you be responsible for any additional expenses, or will there be no charge? Are there payment plans available? Some dental offices offer their own financing plans, while other dental offices have financing available to them through third-party healthcare credit companies. You’ll want to have answers to all of these questions before you find yourself seated in a chair with someone awaiting to hand you a scalpel.

What Should You Expect: The whole timeline

In movies, surgery just happens fast, music plays, instruments spark... and boom, it’s over. Dental implant surgery is different: it unfolds over months and occurs in various steps. Knowing the steps allows you to plan and reduces the unknown.

All the processes start with that comprehensive exam I mentioned. Your dentist needs to have recent images (X-rays or CT Scans) of your bone in order to evaluate the health of your existing bone. They will also look to evaluate your overall oral health, which may contribute to the planning. If you have some gum disease, that will have to be treated before you can begin the process of placing the dental implant. If you don’t have enough bone in the location in which they are wanting to place the implant, it could mean needing to get a bone graft as well; which will also add length of time to the overall timeline because the bone needs to heal before the implant can be placed.

The process on the surgery day is pretty simple, assuming you are only getting the implant placed that day. Generally, the site will be numbed with local anesthesia and most dentists will provide some kind of sedation method if you are anxious, which let’s be honest, most people are!The procedure consists of making a small incision in your gum, creating a precise channel in the bone, and screwing in the implant, after which they will stitch your gum back up, sometimes over the implant or sometime around a healing cap that is at gum level.

The surgery itself is typically one to two hours for each implant. You are not in pain or anything during the procedure—you are numb—but you will hear some sounds that are a little unsettling. Drilling into bone sounds exactly like you would think it sounds. Headphones or music help.

After your surgery, you go home and heal. The next several days are the worst in terms of discomfort—your mouth will be swollen, maybe bruised, and a little sore. Most people get by with the over-the-counter pain relievers, but your oral surgeon will give you a prescription for something stronger if needed. You will be on soft foods for about a week. Scrambled eggs, yogurt, mashed potatoes, protein shakes, nothing hot for the first couple days (that increases bleeding) and definitely no straws (sucking can wash away any clots).

Then comes the waiting. It takes three to six months for the implant to fuse with your bone, which is called "osseointegration." This process is very important—it is what stabilizes the implant. During the time period, you are not in pain or anything. You are just... waiting. If you can see the missing tooth when you smile, your dentist can make you a temporary tooth (partial denture or temporary bridge) so that you do not have to walk around with a big gap in your smile.

After the osseointegration is complete, you will return to the office for a minor procedure. The procedure is to attach the abutment, which is also called the connector. If your gum was stitched over the implant, they will need to expose it first. The abutment is the piece that screws into the implant and sticks up through your gum. You will need to heal around the connector for about two weeks.

Finally—finally—you will be ready for the crown. Your dentist will take impressions and send them to a lab. In a few weeks you will come back to have your crown put on. Your dentist attaches it to the abutment and makes sure it fits well. They will then check your bite and make adjustments, if necessary.

From beginning to end you are looking for a straightforward case of six to nine months. If there was bone grafting needed, it may take longer. Of course, that sounds like a long time, but remember you are creating something that is meant to last for decades. So it's not fast food, it is a careful process that is controlled by biology, which takes time.

The Money Talk Nobody Wants to Have

Let's be real; dental implants are expensive. If you are replacing a single tooth (implant, abutment and crown) you will probably pay anywhere from $3,000 - $6,000. If you have multiple implants to place you will pay more. If we are talking full mouth restoration, you could easily reach $50,000 or more depending on how many implants you need and where you live. (But if you live in Manhattan, you can expect to pay a lot more than someone from a small town in rural Oklahoma - I also can't believe it.)

Before you shut the window and cry, allow me to put this into perspective. Yes, it is a lot of money out the gate. But, consider what traditional dentures would cost you - $2,000 dollars, and will be replaced after 5-8 years, or a bridge which will run you $3,000 - $5,000 and would typically last 15 years, and will involve drilling into your immediate teeth, leaving them capable of decay, which they eventually would need repair or replacement (when that happens). Play this game for 30 - 40 years - and the money piles up.

Now here is the kicker with implants - if they are cared for, they can last you comfortably twenty-five years, if not longer, and possibly - your whole life. You may need to replace the crown sometime, but the cost of the crown is negligible when compared to the joint surgery. If you look at the cost-per-year of treatment, you are often ahead in cost-per-year after thirty years (it gets better considering the health benefits of preserved bone and quality of living for hygienics).

Now here is were bonding gets tricky; nearly all dental insurance has dental implants seen as cosmetic or elective when they provide clear health benefits (not kidding). Near all traditional dental insurance plans will not cover anything, or nearly nothing. Certainly, that is changing some now at least, some plans at least say they are covering a fraction of the procedure (the crown, or a fraction of the implant). Just read your policy very carefully and don't hesitate to ask the front desk team at your dental to help you understand what at least should be covered.Medical insurance may provide assistance if a tooth was lost due to an accident, injury, or medical condition instead of decay or gum disease. Be sure to give it a shot but do not get overly excited about it. Many offices also have financing options, either internally or by using a company such as CareCredit that specializes in healthcare credit cards, which may include promotional rates of sometimes 12, 18, or 24 months if you pay the balance in full before those periods end. Be careful and read the fine print though because you'll be regretting it if you missed the deadline and are slapped with a mad interest rate.

If you happen to have a Health Savings Accounts (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA), you can probably use it for dental implants, too, which will give you a tax break! If this is an option through your employer, absolutely take advantage of it to pay with pre-tax dollars, so it effectively becomes cheaper with your tax rate taken into consideration. People have been known to take the route of dental tourism and travel to Mexico, Costa Rica, Thailand, and other locales with much lower dental costs. This can be successful, but definitely do your homework beforehand and check credentials and what their procedure is if something does happen after you return home. You should account for travel and time and be aware that it's not as easy to just get on a plane and save 70%, though it is a viable option for some, depending on the situation. You may also find that dental schools and residency programs offer procedures at a reduced rate, since the residents perform them under supervision. The downside here is that your appointment is likely going to take longer and you have less control over who exactly does your work, however, the savings are often pretty significant and you are getting procedures done by someone who is intentionally up-to-date with the latest procedures and practices.

Who is a good candidate for dental implants?Most people are candidates for dental implants. In general, candidates must meet three criteria: sufficient bone to support the implant, healthy gums, and good overall health. The availability and quality of bone is the most important. If you have been missing a tooth or teeth for any length of time, it is likely that bone has been lost in that area. Your dentist may recommend a dental bone graft. This will involve placing synthetic bone or bone taken from another area in your body to help heal and support the implant. A graft does add time and costs to the implant procedure, but it allows people who wouldn't otherwise qualify to have the dental procedure. The health of your gums cannot be compromised.

If you have active periodontal disease, your gum disease needs to be treated and stopped before placement of any implants. Treatment of the infection must occur before the implant is placed for optimal healing as the infection could impede healing and cause failure of the implant. Your gum health must be addressed and cleared - then you can proceed with implant placement. Only a few health conditions preclude individuals from considering dental implants. Most importantly, if you have uncontrolled diabetes, your blood sugar needs to be controlled and managed before any surgery. While active cancer, autoimmune disorders, and certain medications that affect bone (i.e., bisphosphonates prescribed for osteoporosis) should be discussed with your dentist and perhaps your medical doctor, they do not automatically disqualify people from dental implants. Smoking is a significant issue. Smoking dramatically reduces the blood flow to your gums, which slows healing times for implants and increases the likelihood an implant will fail. Most dentists will not place an implant unless their patient quits smoking or significantly reduces their smoking before they will proceed. If you cannot or will not give up smoking, then implants may not be a viable option for you. Age is a two-way street. There is no ceiling to age. People in the 70s, 80s, and even 90s are able to benefit from implants just as much as younger patients.When it comes to anything and everything, health is always better than something as subjective as the number on your driver's license. The lower limit is around bone maturity. Dentists usually want to wait until jaw growth is complete (about 18 to 21 years of age) before implanting the appliance—implants need a mature enough bone density to integrate into bone, and this usually happens around the time jaw growth is complete. Your oral hygiene commitment comes into play too. Implants will need cleaning, brushing, flossing, and dental professional cleanings like teeth—if you are not commited or able to engage in decent hygiene practices, then realizing you may have complications is more common than you think!

Below, during the consultation process, answer all the questions honestly and fully include in this is your medical conditions, medications are taking, social habits (smelling, drinking) and any concern. The dentist needs complete information to recommend the implant and/or beginning planning accordingly.

Recovery: The unfiltered experience.

So, letʻs talk about "the recovery phase" in an honest form, because I can tell you the pamphlets your dentist provided you typically uses the sanctified sanitized version. The rationale is literally the first few days post-surgery you will indeed be uncomfortable—I will not sugar coat this one. You may swell (most will, some more than others, and you usually will swell). Some will even bruise, especially those who bruise easily anyway. You will also be sore in the jaw area. Pain varies, some will describe it less painful than they imagined say tooth extraction, but others will say its a little rough for 2 to 3 days before thinking about stops taking their temperament pain ingredients. Most, however, will fall somewhere in the middle but definitely not enjoyable over then a level of pain that is excruciating. Your surgeon will give you pain medication and to the number of oral pain I would say thank you. The pain medication will assist to take care of anticipated pain that is localized to the jaw, and honestly taking pain medication may save a big moment for you since being on top of pain is more easier than getting from behind. Use ice packs for the 1st 24 hours, ice may assist with reducing the swelling effects (important in most situations) and some numbing effects.Following that, you may switch to heat because it will assist the bruise to resolve more quickly. You will look a little rough for a few days—not "I was in a bar fight" rough for most—but enough that you may want to work from home when possible. Eating is an adventure. You will be relegated to soft foods for at least a week. or even longer depending on how you are healing. You will tire of that quickly. Protein shakes, yogurt, eggs, mashed potatoes, soup, smoothies, etc.—that will be your repertoire for the week or more. Some people lose several pounds in these days of recovery, which is the one potential silver lining surrounding eating nothing. If you had planned to take on a diet, you got a jump-start to that. Avoid crunchy, chewy foods, or anything substantial that will require significant jaw action. You will also have to adjust oral hygiene because you will still brush your teeth, but you will need to do it gingerly and avoid the surgical site at first. Your surgeon will probably have you rinse your mouth with salt water several times a day. Do not neglect this! It is important you keep the area clean in order to avoid infection. You may not use any mouthwash for the first week or so (regular mouthwash because the alcohol stings and will burn any healing tissue). Most everyone will see a notable improvement within that week and will feel they are at an acceptable level of recovery at two weeks. There will be restrictions on your activity level and intensity for those two weeks (no heavy lifting, vigorous exercise or anything that could result in trauma to your face). (So maybe reconsider that pickup basketball game or mosh pit at the concert in the meantime). There are some red flags to watch for: fever, excessive pain that is unrecovered by pain medication, or excessive bleeding or pus, or simply a bad smell. If you note any of these issues, these are all indications you need to contact your surgeon's office immediately!The subsequent osseointegration phase is painless. You will wait for your bone to integrate with the implant, and this will happen over the course of several months. There are reports of strange sensations—not pain—but awareness of something happening. That's normal.

Caring for Your Investment

Once your implant is done (you have your crown), caring for it is easy: treat it like a tooth. Brush twice daily using a soft-bristled brush, and use an electric toothbrush if that's your preference. Pay special attention to the gap where the crown meets your gum, because that's where plaque loves to settle.

You must floss. Floss the implant like you would a real tooth. Some people prefer using interdental brushes, or water flossers to clean along the abutment—you can use whatever works for you.

Visiting your dentist every 6 months is important; your hygienist will clean around the implant for potential problem areas, while your dentist checks the implant and bone surrounding it. These maintenance visits are important to catch issues early so that they can be dealt with more easily.

Be certain that you avoid habits that would damage natural teeth—because they will or could damage the implant. Don't chew ice. Don't open beer bottles, or in general open packages with your teeth. If you grind your teeth, invest in the night guard your dentist recommends. Grinding can crack the crown and can lead to damaged implants.

If you are a smoker you should consider quitting. Besides the massive health benefits for everything else, smoking raises the risk of peri-implantitis (inflammation around the implant)—which can eventually lead to complete failure of the implant.Although your dental implant endured an initial healing period while you smoked, it doesn’t mean smoking will not cause problems in the future.

Be mindful of warning signs, including redness, swelling, and/or bleeding of the gum soft tissue surrounding the implant—any indication that the implant feels loose—pain and/or tenderness—or any discharge. These signs should be addressed with a dentist as soon as possible.

Eventually, the crown will require replacement provisions, as this is common. Crowns can crack, chip, and/or become misshapen after 15-20 years of use.However, replacing the crown will be an easier process, as the implant and abutment will remain in place forever.

Special Situations that Makes it Complicated

There are indeed certain situations that make the implant placement situation more complicated, but that does not necessarily mean that the complications will mean that implant placement cannot be done. Knowing what the situation is when you go into speak to your dentist will help to set realistic expectations, or informed conversation with your dental team.

Multiple teeth are missing in the same area: The addressing indication of teeth in the mouth would not suggest placing an implant for each tooth that is missing. It is typical to use the implants to support bridges instead. Two implants may support a three or four tooth bridge, instead of placing an implant for all the teeth that are missing. This will be better for your pocket book and will take up less surgical time with the same stability and function.

Complete restoration of the mouth or loss of all teeth: It is possible to put in an implant for each tooth that is missing; it would cost or be really expensive and use techniques that involve very drawn out surgical time. Most likely, the best course of treatment for patients who have lost all of their teeth would be their All-on-4 or All-on-6. Rather than putting implants in for each tooth, the All-on-4 or All-on-6 method puts four or six implants into each arch of the mouth to support fixed dentures. This will give the patient great function, it may cost up to one-third the cost of other treatments and it will have less trauma from surgery.

Implant placed immediately after extraction of failing tooth: Depending on what is going on with the dentition, sometimes, your dentist will put in an implant the same day they extract a failing tooth. This isn’t always feasible—bone quality, or infection status, and other parts of the overall health picture—but when it is, it also greatly mitigates the overall time for treatment. You are not waiting months for the extraction site to heal before moving forward with the implant process. Sinus lifts for upper back teeth—The roots of your upper back teeth are located very close to your sinus cavity. If you do not have enough bone height between the sinus floor and the area where your tooth used to be, a sinus lift will lift your sinus floor and add bone. It may sound alarming, but this is something that experienced implant surgeons do routinely. You end up with enough bone height there to allow for a properly-sized implant. Ridge augmentation when your jaw is too narrow—Because of the bone loss after tooth extraction, frequently the ridge is too narrow to accept a traditional implant. Bone grafting will widen it back out. This is common and expected in many cases—it does not mean something is wrong. Zygomatic implants for severe upper jaw bone loss—In severe cases where someone has lost huge amounts of upper jaw bone, implanting a traditional implant will not work as there are no traditional methods to place an implant. Zygomatic implants can be installed into the zygomatic arch (cheekbone) which will utilize the zygomatic arch as the base to create an upper jaw appliance. These zygomatic implants, other than not every dentist can do them, provide hope and status for individuals who would otherwise be stuck with traditional dentures.

The Emotional Side Nobody Talks About

We spend that much time talking about the technical side of things—surgery, healing, the costs.However, it's important to consider the emotional implications of losing teeth and then replacing them, as it may at some time even outweigh the function involved in effective quality of life pursuit.

Losing teeth impacts your head. It just does. You feel self-conscious, even embarrassed, although you may understand intellectually that tooth loss is a common experience for many people for many commonly accepted reasons. So it doesn't stop you from covering your mouth when you laugh, or from smiling with your lips closed in every picture or for not going out for dinner because you're anxious about eating in front of others.

The social withdrawal is real. People do not date, do not pursue promotions that would place them in front of the audience or even with enhanced client interaction and do not attend family gatherings. The worry about whether your denture is going to slip, if there is any food stuck or if someone may notice (because how could they not!) is laborious. It taints every interaction.

Patients after a successful implant restoration, will share, that they just feel like themselves again. Not better, not worse, just themselves again. They smile without thought, laugh without reservation and eat with confidence. It may seem trivial, but each of these things speak to living a full life.

I've heard from patients they didn't realize how much tooth loss affected them until they completed the implant replacementThe last thing anyone wants to be is the person who can only eat soup and mashed potatoes at family gatherings. The act itself, difficult as it is, almost always provides a sense of emotional release. You are finally doing something regarding an issue that has been weighing on you. You are reclaiming control over a part of your life, you are caring for your health, you are investing in yourself. That's a good feeling, even when you are still swollen and achy and only drinking protein shakes.

Making This Decision Work for You

So where does this leave you? Now you have some information-perhaps more than you ever wanted. So what's the next step? First, schedule a consultation. Consultations, plural. See at least two or three dentists who regularly do implants. Ask your questions, get their opinions on your unique situation, and compare their respective treatment plans and prices. You are not committing to anything. You are simply gathering facts.

Be frank about your concerns. If cost is your main issue, say it. In some cases, treatment may be phased, for example, tooth one now and tooth two later. Maybe implant-supported dentures will work better in your situation than individual implants for such a limited budget. If you have a fear of surgery, talk about sedation options and reality of experience during recovery.

Get everything in writing, treatment plan, cost estimates, hard deadlines and timelines, what is included in the care and what might incur an additional cost down the line. Don't sign anything the day of your consultation, you can take the information home and can reflect on it, or discuss together with family if it helpsEvaluate your concerns. What is most important to you? Is it appearance? Function? Used over the long-run? Cost? Ability to eat what you want? Avoiding surgery? There are no wrong answers; however, being clear on your concerns will help you make the best choice for you.

Think about 20 years or longer. Sure implants may cost more out of pocket, or at least they are probably the highest or most expensive option, than others, but what do their 20 year longevity and durability look like? What about 30 years? Which option could provide an adequate long-term solution for you, and would potentially serve you best for quality of life after years of use?

Trust your gut. If you feel anything is off with your dentist - doesn’t matter why: too aggressive, not supportive of your originals concerns, even too vague on costs, etc. - politely move on and continue your search for the professional that is appropriate for you. You need a dentist you are comfortable with and listens and you can trust - important for you to know; considering you are going to this new dentist in a few months for treatment.

The bottom line:

Dental implants are not for everyone; they cost real money, involve surgery and healing time, and may not be appropriate for everybody. But importantly for the very high rating level of satisfied people with dental implants; ranging from 95% of people that have implants have said they would do it again, and they were satisfied with the results and it improved their quality of life.

If you suffer from missing teeth, or if dentures you have are not functioning correctly, there are permanent options. No option is perfect for everyone; but permanent options available now are tangible. There are totally new technologies, there are much better than average success rates, there is a much larger number of people that can do this work and really does have a very high rate of professionalism just in maximum average dental field in the general population.

What matters most is education - knowing what options are available, knowing what you are agreeing to, and logically and understandably making educated decisions and choices. Remember not to allow someone to abuse his or her position, by rushing you, or allowing fear or assumptions, to keep you from educating yourself on potentially improving your quality of life.

Your teeth matter. Your teeth matter because they affect your health, your enjoyment of food, and your confidence and socializing with family and friends. Taking care of your teeth, whether through implants, supported, or other medically appropriate way patients take care of their teeth is not vanity; it is a way investors our selves, and how we want to gloriously "live out loud".

Say it again and again - educate yourself, good dentist, ask questions, questions and would like anything clear, and the choice you should make is whatever it is; that choice ideally should be a thought out and educated choice, not a choice of fear or confusion. You at least owe yourself that.

And frankly, again, you owe it to yourself to have a smile you feel good about, and to have teeth that work. Whether implants or nothing, isn't it worth the investment on many levels? Just take the action, and schedule the consultation. If you meet with a professional, hopefully you will have an even better or different look at what modern conventional dentistry has to offer and is open to to talk about.