Dental Implants – Corpus Christi, TX
Complete Your Smile with Dental Implants
It’s best to replace any missing teeth as soon as possible because every tooth is vital to your oral health and function. The gaps will cause serious consequences for your dental health, overall wellbeing, and your self-esteem over time. Traditional bridges and dentures are effective options to stop the complications, but Dr. John Thompson always recommends dental implants in Corpus Christi. They are the only reconstructive solution that rebuilds the entire structure of your tooth. You’ll enjoy seamless results that look and feel natural while lasting for countless years to come.
If you feel dental implants are the right solution to replace your missing teeth, call our office today to schedule a consultation.
Why Choose John T. Thompson, DDS for Dental Implants?
- We Place & Restore Dental Implants In-House
- Third-Party Financing Through CareCredit & Sunbit
- Honest & Transparent Dentistry Based on Unique Needs
What are Dental Implants?
Dental implants are small titanium posts that are surgically inserted below the gumline and into the jawbone to replace the roots of missing teeth. They’re made from titanium because it’s a biocompatible metal, meaning it’s able to fuse with the jawbone through a process called osseointegration. Once this has occurred, the dental implants will act as an unwavering foundation for your dental bridge, crown, or denture to be connected to.
The Process of Getting Dental Implants
After your consultation and any additional treatment, Dr. Thompson will place your implant post into your jawbone right here in our office. You’ll stay in a familiar and comfortable space instead of having to visit an inconvenient specialist.
Dr. Thompson administers a local anesthetic to prevent any pain during your procedure. He makes a small incision in your gums to reveal the bone. The post is strategically placed in your jaw to support your restorations. Finally, the site is sutured closed, and you begin healing.
Through a process called osseointegration, your jawbone fuses with your natural tissue to create a quality bond. After adequate healing, you return to our Corpus Christi practice to have an abutment placed on your post to secure your custom-made restoration.
Benefits of Dental Implants
Dental implants are the only option for tooth replacement to substitute the entire missing tooth. This allows you to enjoy several advantages, including:
Who Can Dental Implants Help?
A dental implant consists of three components: a biocompatible implant post, a special connector piece called an abutment, and the restoration to mimic the crown of your tooth. The process varies depending on how many teeth you’re treating.
Who is a Good Candidate for Dental Implants?
A good candidate for dental implants ideally has:
Missing One Tooth
To replace a single missing tooth, we have two different options: a fixed bridge or a single tooth implant:
Missing Multiple Teeth
Several consecutive missing teeth are replaced with an implant bridge. Instead of using dental crowns to support it, an implant post at either end anchors it to your jawbone. This drastically reduces the amount of preparation of your natural teeth that needs to occur, preserving your smile.
Missing All Teeth
You can permanently eliminate slipping and irritation by securing your denture to your jawbone with dental implants. You can speak, chew, and smile confidently knowing your denture stays securely in place.
Understanding the Cost of Dental Implants
Dental implants cost more than traditional treatments upfront, but they are the most affordable long-term. They never need to be replaced if you care for them properly to save you money down the road. Your treatment is performed in multiple stages that have separate costs. This can make it easier to pay for your new smile. We also work with your insurance company to lower the amount you need to pay out-of-pocket. We discuss all your payment options to keep your new smile within your budget.
Preliminary Treatments & Implant Surgery
Before we can even start a dental implant tooth replacement plan, we may need to take some time to get your smile ready for these advanced services. Preparatory treatments may include tooth extractions and bone or soft tissue grafts. These advanced treatments allow us to more precisely place dental implant posts and offer more predictable results.
Once your smile is prepared, we can begin the dental implant placement process. The price of dental implant posts and their surgical placement will make up the bulk of the out-of-pocket costs of implant supported tooth replacement. The number of dental implants you need is the most obvious cost factor, but the cost can vary based on the materials they’re made of, the manufacturer who provides the implant posts, and even the difficulty of surgically placing the implants.
Additional Pricing Factors
Once your dental implants are fused with the bone and gum tissue, we will need to place small connective pieces called abutments. Then, we’ll design your custom dental crown, bridge, partial, or full denture that will be affixed to the implant via these abutments. The materials used for both the abutments and restorations as well as the number of abutment posts and replacement teeth will also have an impact on your overall treatment costs.
During the treatment process, you may also opt to utilize sedation dentistry services to maintain your comfort, and despite our efforts to plan for and avoid almost any eventuality, concerns may arise that need to be addressed. Throughout the process, we will do our utmost to keep treatment affordable by processing and filing dental insurance claims for any part of the implant treatment process that is covered. We will also work with third party financiers as necessary to offer low or no interest payment plans for your implant supported tooth replacement plan.
Maintaining & Caring for Your Dental Implants
Your dental implants have the potential to last for the rest of your lifetime, giving you a strong, healthy set of teeth that you can count on. However, that’s only as long has you take care of your new smile! Without proper protection, damage or infection can cause implants to fail. Thankfully, there are a few easy steps you can take for dental implant care in Corpus Christi. We’ve outlined them below!
Make Oral Hygiene a Priority
While your dental implants themselves cannot get cavities, it’s still vital to care for your smile. Common oral health problems like gum disease and infection can cause your implant to fail. To avoid this, you should maintain a good at-home oral healthcare routine. The best part is that implants can be cared for similar to your natural teeth. Brush twice a day and floss once a day to clean away pesky plaque and bacteria that can cause problems for your implants. You can also use a nonalcoholic mouthwash to clean areas of your mouth that are difficult to reach with brushing and flossing.
Eat a Balanced Diet
What you put into your body affects your oral health in addition to your overall wellbeing. What’s great about dental implants is that they allow you to eat virtually anything you’d like. We recommend eating a healthy, full, and nutritious diet. However, do your best to avoid foods that are hard, sticky, or sugary – these can be problematic for your implants. Instead, eat a diet that includes calcium and vitamin C to keep your jawbone and gums as healthy as possible.
Break Bad Oral Habits
Your lifestyle choices can also impact the health and success of your replacement teeth. Smoking increases the risk of implant failure because tobacco use slows down the healing process while also promoting infection. Additionally, avoid using your teeth for anything other than eating, smiling, and speaking. Using your teeth as tools for opening packages or bottles is a quick way to damage your dental implant restorations.
Protect Your Implants
Dental implants are durable and designed to last for over 30 years. That said, they are not indestructible. It’s up to you to protect them during sports or physical activity with a mouthguard. We have custom mouthguards that are comfortable to wear while also reducing the risk of dental injury. Additionally, if you suffer from bruxism (teeth grinding), it’s important to wear a nightguard. This prevents abnormal wear and tear on your restorations while also relieving pressure on your jaw.
Schedule Regular Dental Checkups
Make sure that you visit our office regularly for checkups and cleanings. Dental cleanings allow a trained hygienist to clean parts of your smile that you couldn’t get to on your own. Checkups from Dr. Thompson ensure that your dental implants are healthy. He can catch any issues while they’re early, saving you from extra time and money spent on your smile in the future.
Dental Implant FAQs
How successful are dental implants?
Overall, dental implants are incredibly successful. In fact, 98% of dental implants are still functioning properly after 10 years. In part, this is a result of Dr. Thompson’s due diligence before placement even happens, ensuring that you have the highest chances of success going to the procedure.
What can cause dental implant failure?
Although most dental implants are successful, some fail either shortly after being placed or later down the road. You have an increased risk of failure if you don’t have good oral health or enough bone density in your jaw when the implant is placed. Luckily, Dr. Thompson checks for these situations beforehand, helping you avoid potential failure. If you don’t maintain your dental implants on a consistent basis, they can fail over time.
I am missing all of my teeth. Can dental implants help me?
Absolutely! Just because you’ve lost all your teeth, it doesn’t mean you need to live with an inferior smile. By strategically placing 4 to 6 dental implants, we can secure your dentures in place. You can choose to have them snap on to the posts to make them removable or permanently attached to the implants.