Dental Implants – Corpus Christi, TX

Initial Dental Implant Consultation

Dr. Madry will examine your oral health and go over your medical history to see if you’re a viable candidate for dental implants. X-rays and computer tomography scans (CT scans) are usually performed during the examination. An X-ray exam shows how dense the jawbone is and determines if there is enough bone structure to place the implant. The oral surgeon also determines exactly where the implant should be placed based on the patient’s X-ray.

If needed, Dr. Madry will help you complete preliminary procedures like gum disease therapy, tooth extractions, or bone grafting. Once you are approved for implant surgery, Dr. Madry will help you complete your treatment plan. He’ll go over everything you can expect step-by-step, including the timeline and cost. This is the perfect time to ask any relevant questions you might have.

Dental Implant Surgery

No one is more qualified to perform your dental implant placement than an experienced oral surgeon, so you can rest assured about this stage of the process. First, your oral surgeon will use local anesthesia to numb the area and potentially use dental sedation so you don’t feel pain.

Then, they make an incision to open your gum and expose the bone. Holes are drilled into the bone where the dental implant post will be inserted. Since the post will serve as the tooth root, it's implanted deep into the bone. Your gums are then closed, and a protective cap is placed over each post.

Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment Placement

You’ll recover at home before returning to see Dr. Madry in a few months. That gives enough time for the bone to grow around the implant, making it strong enough to stay in place. This process is called osseointegration, meaning the titanium combines with the bone. Each patient heals differently, so it can take up to six months before the replacement teeth can be placed.

For dental implants in Corpus Christi to be successful, you must have sufficient bone support. The bone and implant need to integrate to stop the deterioration of the bone; if not, your implants will become loose. Also, if they do not attach properly, your body may reject the implant and cause the treatment to fail.

After osseointegration, an incision is made in your gum to expose the implant. Then, an abutment is attached to the implant post before the incision is closed with stitches. While you heal over the next few weeks, your final restoration will be crafted from impressions taken of your mouth.

Delivery of Dental Implant Restorations

For the last stage of the process, Dr. Madry will attach your customized restoration – crown , bridge, or denture, depending on how many teeth you are replacing – to the abutment. He will check to make sure your bite is comfortable, and then you’ll be ready to enjoy your new-and-improved smile.

Dr. Madry may ask you to avoid hard or crunchy foods for a few weeks after getting your restoration. Going forward, it will be important to maintain your oral hygiene regimen and attend regular checkups with your implant dentist in Corpus Christi to ensure the continued success of your treatment. 

Day-to-Day Benefits

Dental implants feel just like natural teeth do when you have completed the healing process. At this point, you should be able to enjoy all of the same things you did before you lost your teeth. Here are just some of the incredible benefits that you will experience every day:

• Restore Bite Force: Your bite force can be restored by 90% or even more. This is much more than you can experience with traditional dentures and dental bridges.
• Smile With Confidence: Tooth loss can cause people to have lower self-esteem. Dental implants can help you smile with confidence once again!
• Easy Maintenance: You take care of dental implants just like natural teeth. Brush, floss, rinse, and attend your regular cleanings and checkups every six months.

Health Benefits

Your health will be positively influenced when you get dental implants. Here are just some of the benefits you will encounter:

• Improved Dental Health: You are less likely to get cavities, gum disease, infections, and lose additional teeth.
• Better Overall Health: Excellent dental health has an influence on your overall health. It can lower your risk of serious medical conditions, like diabetes and heart disease.
• Prevents Bone Loss: Jawbone deterioration occurs when you are missing teeth. Dental implants stimulate the jawbone and prevent this from happening.

Rest assured, these effects should be temporary and subside as time passes. If you find that they don’t, contact us.

Long-Term Benefits

Dental implants are a great long-term investment. Here are some of the benefits that you can expect:

• Success: Dental implants have a very high success rate. Your chances of dental implant failure are very low.
• Save Money: There is no need to stock up on adhesives or soaking solutions, and you don’t need to worry about routine repairs and replacements. Dental implants also reduce your risk of other issues that are expensive to treat.
• Long Lasting: Dental implants can last upwards of three decades or even the rest of your life!

Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery

First of all, you have to consider any treatments that might need to be performed before dental implant surgery. Bone grafting, periodontal therapy, tooth extractions, and other preliminary procedures all have their own price tags.

Then there’s the cost of the implant surgery itself. Some of the factors that affect the amount you’ll pay for the procedure include the location of the surgical site and whether any type of sedation is used. Since the implant placement will be handled by an outside specialist, you’ll need to speak with them to figure out how much you can expect the surgery to cost.

The Parts of Your Dental Implant

The amount you pay for dental implants can vary significantly depending on:

• The number of posts that you need, which is typically determined by the number of teeth missing.
• The kind of restoration that the implants will support. (Smaller restorations like crowns normally cost less).
• The specific materials that the implant posts and the restoration(s) are made out of.
• The company that manufactured your implants.

How Dental Implants Can Save You Money

When you first start researching the cost of dental implants, you’ll probably notice that they’re more costly than traditional bridges and dentures. Despite this, oftentimes dental implants prove to be the most cost-effective choice. This largely has to do with their lifespan. Traditional tooth replacements are normally expected to only last for about 5 to 10 years; dental implants can last for 35 years or more, and as such you won’t have to pay for new ones nearly as frequently.

Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?

Dental implants aren’t included under most dental insurance plans. However, your dental insurance company might pay for certain preliminary procedures, and they might cover part of the cost of the final restoration. Each dental plan is different; before you begin the dental implant process, call your insurance company and check to see what benefits are available.

Making Dental Implants Affordable

Even without dental insurance, you can still make dental implants more affordable by signing up for a CareCredit financing plan. You’ll be able to pay in monthly installments that don’t put a strain on your budget. Our team can help you with the process of applying for CareCredit.

Make Oral Hygiene a Priority

You might wonder what the point of brushing your implants is since they can’t get cavities. The fact is that the tissues holding the implant in place are still vulnerable to infection; if you don’t keep the area around them clean, you could get gum disease that eventually leads to implant failure.

To keep gum disease at bay, practice good oral hygiene by brushing and flossing every day. Make sure that you’re extra careful about cleaning the area where the implant restoration meets the gums; you don’t want bacteria to build up in a hard-to-reach space.

Eat a Healthy Diet

Dental implants let you eat whatever you want, making it that much easier to plan a smile-friendly diet. Eat plenty of foods that are high in calcium and vitamin C. This helps keep the tissues holding your dental implants in place healthy.

Remember that hard or sticky foods could damage your implants while sugary foods can increase your risk of gum disease. You don’t have to avoid these foods altogether, but you should be careful not to overindulge so that you don’t put your smile at risk.

Break Bad Habits

Dental implants are strong, but they aren’t indestructible. The wrong habits can wear down or damage them over time, causing them to eventually break or fail. To keep your implants safe, you need to break bad habits like:

• Chewing your fingernails or the tip of your pen.
• Crunching ice cubes, hard candy, or other overly hard foods.
• Tearing open packages with your teeth instead of using scissors or another appropriate tool.

One way to put a stop to these habits is to replace them with better ones. For example, you could start carrying sugarless gum for when you have the urge to chew on something.

Protect Your Dental Implants

If you get hit in the mouth while playing sports, your implants – and your natural teeth – might be badly damaged. Keep your new smile safe by wearing a mouthguard whenever you head out onto the field, even if you’re not required to do so. Custom mouthguards offer better protection than store-bought mouthguards, and they’re more comfortable to wear since they’re made specifically for your smile.

Schedule Regular Dental Checkups

During a regular checkup, we can examine your dental implant to make sure that it’s still in good shape. If there are any problems, we can treat them early on before they put your new teeth in danger. Be sure to schedule a dental appointment at our office every six months.

How Long Do Dental Implants Last? 

Great news: dental implants can last 30+ years! Of course, the longevity of yours will depend largely on how well you care for your smile. If you smoke, chew on ice, don’t floss consistently, and skip your biannual checkups, then there is a good chance that your dental implants will “fail.” That’s why it’s so important that you diligently care for them! The best way to do that is by brushing twice a day, flossing daily, visiting your dentist every six months, and avoiding unhealthy dental habits altogether.

What Should I Do If My Dental Implant Feels Loose?

Since dental implants are surgically inserted directly into your jawbone, they are incredibly stable. So, if they feel loose, then there is a chance that something is wrong. The best thing to do is get in touch with your implant dentist in Corpus Christi. Once they take a look at your dental implant, they will be able to determine the root of the problem and the best course of action.

Am I Too Old to Get Dental Implants?

Since there isn’t an upper age limit, you can get dental implants whether you are 35, 55, or 75+! Instead of focusing on age, your dentist will consider qualifications like jawbone density and a commitment to a solid oral hygiene regimen.

Can I Get Dental Implants If I Smoke?

Smoking won’t automatically disqualify you from getting dental implants. Since tobacco use slows down the healing process and increases your chances of experiencing dry mouth, your dentist will certainly take it into consideration. At the absolute minimum, you’ll need to refrain from smoking for two weeks before the procedure and two months afterward.

Do Dental Implants Decay?

No, dental implants do not decay. Of course, that doesn’t mean that you can toss your oral hygiene regimen out the door. Your natural teeth are still vulnerable to cavities, after all! Even if you don’t have any teeth left, your gums can develop an infection if you don’t care for them properly. So, it’s of the utmost importance that you continue to practice good dental care habits, like brushing twice a day and getting a dental cleaning every six months.

Is There Anything I Shouldn’t Eat with Dental Implants?

Since dental implants are crafted from high-quality materials and inserted directly into your jawbone, they will strengthen your bite significantly. However, like your natural teeth, they aren’t entirely indestructible. To keep them in pristine condition, exercise caution when eating extremely hard and chewy foods. It’s also a good idea to avoid sticky, sugary treats altogether, like taffy.