Dental Implants Rancho Bernardo

Initial Dental Implant Consultation

When you first come to us for a consultation, Dr. Howard will perform a thorough oral exam and review your medical history, allowing him to determine whether you’re a good candidate for the procedure. He’ll also let you know whether any preliminary procedure, like bone grafts, will be necessary for you. We’ll then talk you through what the next steps of your dental implant surgery will look like, and what you can expect to pay for treatment.

Dental Implant Surgery

As we mentioned previously, Dr. Howard is an expert capable of performing most dental implant surgeries entirely in-house. This makes it unnecessary to find an external specialist to help you, and ensures that we’ll be able to give you a complete estimate for what the procedure will cost beforehand.

The surgery itself will involve numbing your mouth completely and using judicious sedation to ensure your complete comfort throughout the procedure. Dr. Howard will then make an incision in the gum tissue and, using specialized tools, insert the implant post into the jaw. He’ll finish the procedure by closing the gums and placing a protective cap over the posts, ensuring a smooth healing process.

Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment Placement

Part of the reason why dental implants are so strong is because of their capacity to fuse bone tissue. This is known as osseointegration, and it should take around 3-6 months of healing for this to take place. Once this has finished, you’ll come back to our office so that we’ll put an abutment into place, which will involve another small surgery.

After a few weeks of healing, we’ll take impressions of your mouth. This will allow an external lab to craft the restoration that will complete your dental implant.

Delivery of Dental Implant Restorations 

Finally, you’ll visit our office and we’ll put your restoration in place. Depending on the number of teeth you’re missing this could be a crown, dental bridge, or denture. Dr. Howard will meticulously check your bite to ensure that the restoration fits your smile perfectly, and that you’re ready to enjoy your new smile to the fullest!

Day-to-Day Benefits

• Dental bridges and dentures only recreate the top parts of the teeth (the crowns), which makes them less table and more likely to break down after only a few years. Because dental implants also bring back the tooth’s root structure, they remain secured in your jaw. You won’t have to worry about your teeth slipping around like you would with dentures alone!
• While denture-wearers often have to limit their diet, dental implants in Rancho Bernardo allow you to tear into crunchy, chewy, and tough foods with the same ease as real teeth.
• You won’t have to spend time and money on specialized cleaning solutions for dentures; you can brush and floss dental implants as if they were your natural teeth. Not only does this save you time in your morning and bedtime routines, but you may feel like you never even lost any teeth at all!

Health Benefits

• No other tooth loss solution stimulates the jawbone in the way that dental implants do. This treatment is able to prevent the bone deterioration that typically occurs after teeth go missing. As a result, you’ll maintain a strong biting force and reduce your risk of further tooth loss.
• Because you can eat practically all of the foods that you want, maintaining a balanced diet should be a breeze. People with dentures are often lacking in the nutrients found in crunchy fruits and vegetables, but dental implants have no trouble breaking down these foods. This makes it easier to get the nutrients you need and keep your whole body healthy.
• If your dentist were to place a dental bridge, they’d have to permanently remove some enamel from the remaining teeth on either end of the gap, leaving them weaker and more sensitive. Dentures often rub up against the gums and cause sores, especially if they don’t fit well. Dental implants eliminate both of these problems since they can support themselves while being firmly anchored in place.

Long-Term Benefits

• In most cases, your implant dentist in Rancho Bernardo will complete your smile with restorations made of 100% porcelain. Due to porcelain’s lifelike qualities, you’ll be able to smile confidently for years to come with the knowledge that only you and our team know which teeth are real!
• As long as you take good care of your dental implants with good oral hygiene and routine checkups, they can last for 30 years or even longer. While they cost more up-front than bridges and dentures, their longevity makes them a smarter long-term investment. After all, you won’t need to pay for frequent repairs and replacements.
• Believe it or not, dental implants can make you look younger! They do this by encouraging new bone growth in the jaw, preventing the facial collapse (including wrinkles and a sunken appearance) that occurs over time after teeth are lost.

Who is a Good Candidate for Dental Implants?

There are a few factors Dr. Howard with consider when determining your candidacy for dental implants in Rancho Bernardo, such as:

• Your oral health and if you are void of any tooth decay or gum disease. If not, you’ll likely need to undergo periodontal therapy or tooth extraction if it’s severe enough.
• Your overall health and whether you are healthy enough for minor oral surgery.
• Your jawbone density, as this can determine how supportive your implants will be in holding up your customized restoration. If necessary, you may require a bone graft or mini dental implants.
• Whether you are committed to maintaining optimal oral health once your implants are firmly in place.

It is during your consultation that you will learn if you require preliminary treatments. Remember, even if you think you’re not eligible for dental implants, Dr. Howard is the only one who can evaluate your smile and recommend the appropriate course of action. If you are unable to receive dental implants right away, we will make sure your smile gets the treatment it needs to enjoy these permanent prosthetics later on.

Depending on your situation and how many teeth are either missing and/or compromised, Dr. Howard can customize a treatment plan specific to your smile goals.

Missing 1 Tooth

Missing a single tooth? Frustrated by the inability to speak, eat, and smile like you once did? With one dental implant placed into the jaw, that is all you need to provide an anchor for your future restoration. This means you won’t need to modify existing tooth enamel just to replace one tooth, which is what typically needs to be done with traditional bridges. Instead, your titanium implant post will mimic the natural tooth root and provide stimulation to your jawbone for maximum support.

Missing Multiple Teeth

When you’re missing multiple consecutive teeth, a pair of dental implants can be used to anchor a more complex restoration, including a dental bridge. A series of crowns are fused together, then attached to the implants. This is also the case if a partial denture is needed, albeit more dental implants may be placed to ensure a stable foundation.

Missing All Teeth

One of the perks of dental implants is that you don’t need to have a dedicated dental implant for each tooth you intend to replace. For example, replacing a full arch of teeth can usually be done with just a handful of dental implants, typically four to six. Once fused with the bone tissue, a full denture is then secured to the top of your implants, creating a fully functional, beautiful aesthetic that offers greater stability and longevity than traditional dentures.

For some patients, too much bone loss has occurred for traditional dental implants to be successfully placed. If we determine this is the case for you, we can recommend mini dental implants instead. Mini dental implants are significantly skinnier than normal dental implants, making it easier for them to integrate with thin bone tissue and still hold your necessary restorations.

Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery

When you first meet with your implant dentist in Rancho Bernardo, Dr. Howard will closely examine your mouth and jaw. Then, he’ll determine whether you can schedule the implant placement surgery right away or if you need one or more preliminary procedures first. These treatments, which may include bone grafting, gum disease therapy, or tooth extractions, all add to your total costs, but they also increase the chances of your implants being successful in the long term.

Luckily, Dr. Howard has undergone the extensive training required to be able to surgically place dental implants in-house. This makes your treatment more convenient and affordable overall since you won’t have to pay a separate bill to an outside oral surgeon.

The Parts of Your Dental Implant

How many dental implants do you need? Which materials are your implant posts and abutments made out of? What type of restoration are you getting? These questions will all influence the price of your new smile. All three parts of a dental implant – the post, the abutment, and the restoration – can come from various manufacturers and brands and be made from different materials, some of which are better suited to some patients over others. Dr. Howard will be open about which type he recommends for you, as well as how it will affect your cost of treatment.

Why Dental Implants Are the Most Cost-Effective Tooth Replacement

At first, it may seem hard to believe that dental implants in Rancho Bernardo can save you money in the long run. However, it’s true for many reasons:

• You won’t need to purchase adhesives to keep your teeth in place like you would with dentures, which can really add up over the years.
• Similarly, you shouldn’t have to buy specialized cleaning products – the same toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, and mouthwash you used for your natural teeth should be enough.
• Your prosthetic won’t have to be repaired, adjusted, or replaced every five to seven years like a dental bridge or denture would.
• Dental implants may decrease the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and other systemic health conditions that can be expensive to treat.

Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?

Our office welcomes most dental insurance plans and we’re even in-network with many popular providers, including Aetna, Cigna, and Delta Dental Premier. Insurance doesn’t usually cover the cost of dental implant surgery, but our team can look over your plan to help you make the most of your benefits. In many cases, your insurance may mitigate the cost of other parts of your treatment, such as your restoration or certain preliminary procedures.

Making Dental Implants Affordable

In addition to accepting dental insurance and traditional methods of payment, we also work with CareCredit to make dental implants more affordable. For qualified patients, CareCredit lets you break up your treatment costs into monthly chunks, often with very low or even no interest rates! Ask our team how we can help you with the CareCredit application process.

How Long Do Dental Implants Last?

Dental implants are designed to last 30+ years with proper care and maintenance. However, much of their lifespan depends on how well you take care of them. When meeting with your implant dentist in Rancho Bernardo, you will receive clear instructions as to how you should plan to maintain your new teeth, some of which include:

• Brushing, flossing, and rinsing daily
• Keeping your six-month dental checkups and cleanings
• Avoiding sugary and starchy foods to minimize your risk for gum disease
• Avoiding the use of tobacco products
• Never using your teeth as tools to open packages or containers

Are Dental Implants Safe?

Yes, for most patients, dental implants are completely safe. It is necessary, however, that a person has good general oral and overall health and a jawbone that is dense enough to support your new prosthetics. The only way to determine if you are eligible for treatment is to speak with Dr. Howard and our dental team during an initial consultation. If your jawbone is inadequate, it will be necessary to perform a bone graft to ensure that your dental implants are successful years from now. If you have an autoimmune disorder or another medical condition, it may be wise to discuss other potential forms of treatment.

How Successful Are Dental Implants?

Upon initial placement, most patients experience a 95% success rate, especially when placed by a skilled professional. But again, the success of your implants is largely dependent upon your willingness to take care of them appropriately. You might also discuss with your dentist the chances of success depending on the location of your implants. Those located in the back of the mouth (the molars) may be more likely to fail simply because of the continuous stress they are under as a result of daily chewing and eating.

Am I Too Old to Get Dental Implants?

Once you are in your mid-late 20s, there is no age cap for dental implants. No matter if you’re 65 or 95, dental implants can be an ideal solution for tooth loss, but you should be aware that the older you are, the more likely you are to experience different health problems that can potentially complicate the dental implant process. This is a discussion you can have with Dr. Howard to determine your eligibility and if dental implants are right for you.