What Are Dental Implants?

Dental implants are the most effective way of replacing missing teeth. This approach provides Springfield patients with the most durable outcome, natural appearance, and improved function of any tooth restoration option.

A dental implant substitutes the missing root of a tooth with a titanium anchor. These anchors can support one or more replacement crowns, a fixed denture, or a removable partial denture. In addition to restoring teeth, dental implants also help preserve bone in the area of missing teeth — which treatment methods like bridges and crowns do not.

Doctors have been using dental implants since the 1960s with a very high rate of success. As a periodontal specialist, Dr. Cross has extensive practice in the placement of implants. He is also one of the only periodontists that perform microsurgical procedures, which are more precise, less invasive, and more comfortable for patients.

Some of the most important factors in treatment with dental implants include:

• Extracting damaged teeth while preserving as much of the underlying bone as possible. This bone will provide stability to the dental implants.
• Strengthening sites that have missing teeth with bone grafting.
• Placing implants accurately. Putting the dental implant in the correct location promotes a stronger and more esthetic outcome.

Dr. Cross offers Springfield patients microsurgical techniques to support each of these steps. He performs extraction, bone grafting, and dental implant procedures to prepare sites for their new crowns or dentures. Then, patients see their restorative dentist, who attaches the new teeth. This completes the treatment process.

Who Is a Candidate for Dental Implants?

Almost all Springfield patients will be good candidates for dental implants. Dr. Cross can use them for a variety of purposes, from restoring a single crown to retaining a full arch of dentures. Dr. Cross’s microsurgical techniques allow implants to be placed and have natural esthetics that are just like natural teeth.

There are some basic requirements for treatment with dental implants:

• You should be healthy enough for an oral surgery procedure. Dr. Cross and his staff will take a thorough medical history beforehand. Your comfort and safety are his top priorities.
• You should have enough healthy bone and soft gum tissue where the dental implants will be placed. If not, Dr. Cross can perform procedures to restore this bone and tissue.

Each year, Dr. Cross travels internationally to study the latest techniques in bone regeneration, bone grafting, and soft tissue grafting. He invests nearly six to eight times the minimum number of hours required for yearly professional development so that he can provide Springfield patients with the best care possible.

Additionally, Dr. Cross uses the surgical microscope in all of his procedures so that he can strengthen and repair sites that do not initially have enough bone to support dental implants. Dental microsurgery can provide a more comfortable, precise, and non-invasive experience as well as more aesthetic results.

If you have previously explored the idea of getting dental implants with another practice but were told that you weren’t a candidate because of bone loss, we encourage you to get in touch with our office. Dr. Cross may be able to resolve these problems so that you can get the treatment you need.

What Is the Recovery Process for Dental Implants?

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The timeline for your recovery will depend in part on your treatment. For example, some patients require procedure to replace tooth-supporting bone. If you fall into this category, you may need six to eight months for the bone to strengthen before Dr. Cross can place your dental implants.

Fortunately, many patients can benefit from the SMILE Technique, an advanced microsurgical approach. With this technique, Dr. Cross extracts the tooth in a way that preserves much of the underlying bone. He then places an implant and attaches a temporary crown. All of this happens in a single day, which eliminates the initial six-to-eight-month waiting period.

After Dr. Cross places your dental implants, we advise you to take one to two days off from normal activities. Giving your body time to rest is the best way to heal quickly and comfortably.

Our practice prescribes antibiotic medication that Springfield patients should take for one week following their procedure. This is to help prevent infection, a common precaution after many surgeries.

In addition to antibiotics, most people choose to take ibuprofen for a day or so. Patients generally tell us that their discomfort following dental implants was very minimal, particularly with over-the-counter medication.

After you receive your dental implants, there will be a healing period of two to six months, during which the implants will integrate with the surrounding bone. When the implants are strong enough, you will visit a restorative dentist, who will place permanent crowns or dentures on the implants.

How Much Do Dental Implants Cost?

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The pricing for dental implants depends on the procedures that you have. If you only require the placement of a single dental implant into healthy and substantial bone, the cost of your treatment will be different from another patient who needs to have bone restored in multiple areas or who needs several dental implants.

The cost-savings from dental implants come from the fact that they offer the most durable and effective option for tooth restoration. The majority of implants will last Springfield patients thirty or forty years. During that time, they will benefit from a fully functioning tooth that lends natural aesthetics to their smiles.

Compare this to the cost of bridges, crowns, and dentures that aren’t retained by implants:

• Without dental implants, your body may begin to resorb the underlying jaw bone, creating unaesthetic gaps between the gums and the crown, bridge, or dentures.
• Crowns and bridges have a much shorter expected duration than dental implants. As a result, patients may have to seek retreatment, which will increase the cost of their care and their overall discomfort.
• To establish a bridge, your doctor will need to reshape the teeth removing your tooths natural structure of enamel that are adjacent to the missing tooth. As a result, treatment may negatively affect strong and healthy dentition.

Dr. Cross and our staff encourage you to schedule a visit with our Springfield practice to discuss costs and other aspects of treatment. We’ll take the time to answer any questions you have about dental implants, so you can make the best decision about your care.

To schedule an initial consultation with Dr. Cross, call his Springfield practice to inquire about dental implants at (217) 793-0196.