Excellent Support For Restorations
Are you missing one or more teeth? An incomplete smile can take a serious toll on your quality of life. Missing teeth make functions like chewing and speaking uncomfortable and difficult, and can make you feel self-conscious about the appearance of your smile. To help create a comfortable and dependable foundation for the restorations necessary to replace missing teeth, The Center for Dental Excellence offers dental implants to patients in Hellam, Lancaster and surrounding communities.
Are you a Candidate for Dental Implants?
If you are missing one or more teeth, have adequate bone mass in your jaw, and have healthy gums and existing teeth, you may be a candidate for dental implants.
What are Dental Implants?
Dental implants are small titanium posts surgically implanted in the jaw to replace missing tooth roots. They typically require two surgeries, separated by three to six months of healing time (if you have waited an extended period of time to address missing teeth, your jaw may have lost bone mass, and a bone graft may be required before implants can be placed). During the healing period, a process called osseointegration occurs, in which the implant fuses directly with the bone. The result is an incredibly stable, natural-feeling “root” that can support a dental crown or denture.
Benefits of Dental Implants
Dental implants offer a superior means of supporting your dental restorations. Benefits of dental implants include:
- Improved oral health. Over time, bone atrophy (loss of mass) occurs at the site of a missing tooth. Dental implants can actually halt this process, preserving the integrity of your jaw bone.
- Durability. Dental implants are extremely stable, and with proper oral hygiene, can last a lifetime.
- Incredible stability. Traditional dentures are prone to slip or shift when speaking or eating. However, with dental implants, patients can enjoy the same level of comfort and stability they enjoyed with their natural teeth, allowing them to speak and eat with confidence.
- Simplicity. Because implant supported dentures are rigidly stabilized by the implants, they don’t require messy adhesives associated with traditional dentures.
An added advantage of dental implants is overall improved quality of life, and an undeniable boost to patients’ self esteem. Whether you have learned to live with missing teeth, or have recently lost a tooth because of trauma or extraction, it is never too late to restore the comfort, appearance, and confidence you deserve with dental implants.
View some of our patients’ dental implant results in our before and after dental implants photo gallery.
How Much Do Dental Implants Cost?
The cost of dental implants in Pennsylvania will vary depending on a number of factors discussed below. In general, a single tooth implant will cost between $1,500 and $2,500, with the additional price of the abutment and crown placement bringing the total dental implant cost to approximately $3,500-$4,000. However, it is important to remember that the price can change significantly depending on your individual needs. For a personal price estimate, please schedule a consultation with the talented implant specialists at the Center for Dental Excellence.
Factors Affecting The Cost Of Dental Implants
The total cost of your dental implants will be influenced by many factors. Many patients will require preparatory work before we can begin the implant process:
- Periodontal Treatments – Before we can begin planning for your dental implant placement, we must make sure that your gums are healthy. Treatment for periodontal disease can include deep cleanings (scaling and root planing), medications, or more extensive surgical procedures.
- Bone Grafting – When tooth loss occurs, patients frequently experience a loss of bone density and mass in the jaw. Dental implants need adequate underlying tissue to support the new restoration, so patients will often need a bone graft to build up healthy bone.
- Sinus Lift – Patients who need implants in the back upper portion of their jaws often need to have a sinus lift performed to create enough thick, dense bone to support the implant. The maxillary sinus typically does not have enough tissue to create a strong foundation for the implant.
In addition to these prerequisite procedures, the number of implants being placed will directly affect the total treatment cost. A single implant can support a dental crown, and multiple strategically placed implants can support a bridge or dentures. The type of restoration you require and the materials they are crafted from will also influence the cost of your procedure. Our practice prefers to use all-porcelain restorations since they offer an incredibly lifelike appearance. All-porcelain crowns, bridges, and dentures’ high translucency mimic the way that natural teeth reflect light. Finally, the type of sedation or anesthesia you choose to receive will affect the cost of your surgery.
Learn More
At The Center for Dental Excellence, we are committed to offering the highest quality dental care to keep our patients’ smiles as healthy and beautiful as possible. Dental implants are a significant milestone in restorative dentistry, and we are pleased to offer this life-changing solution to our patients. To schedule an appointment, please contact one of our York County offices today.
