Dental Implants – North Naples, FL

Day-to-Day Benefits 

We use our teeth every day to speak, eat, and smile. For that reason, it only makes sense that you’d want a tooth-replacement solution that’ll allow you to live your day-to-day life with ease. Luckily, dental implants can help you do just that by giving the following benefits:

• More biting strength. Since implants replace the entire structure of a missing tooth, they’re able to withstand the chewing of virtually any food.
• Easier oral hygiene. With dental implants, you don’t have to worry about incorporating complex steps into your oral hygiene routine or purchasing special cleaning products. All you need to do is care for them as you would care for natural teeth!
• Increased confidence. Unlike dentures, your implants will stay firmly in place once they’ve successfully fused with the surrounding bone tissue. They’ll allow you to eat, speak, and smile with much more confidence.

Health Benefits

Aside from appearance, dental implants offer multiple health advantages as well. Some of those include:

• Jawbone preservation. Because dental implants stimulate the jawbone, they’re able to keep it strong, healthy, and functional for a lifetime.
• Protection for natural teeth. It’s common for teeth to shift after tooth loss. Fortunately, dental implants can prevent that from happening by serving as a placeholder to ensure every tooth stays exactly where it belongs.
• Better overall health. Studies show there’s a correlation between tooth loss and an increased risk of multiple diseases. Because implants are so similar to natural teeth, it’s reasonable to believe that they can help lower such risks.

Long-Term Benefits

By choosing to get dental implants now, they can help you out for years to come with the following benefits:

• High success rate. Dental implants have an impressive success rate of about 95% even 20 years after they’ve been placed.
• Youthful appearance. Since implants stimulate blood flow in the jaw, they help prevent its deterioration and the sunken, aged look that often happens with tooth loss.
• Long-lasting results. Unlike dentures and dental bridges, your implants can last decades without needing replacement.

Initial Dental Implant Consultation

First and foremost, you’ll have a consultation with Dr. Makram and the rest of the team. We’ll review your medical history, assess the current state of your oral health, and inquire about your goals to determine whether or not dental implants are right for you. Some patients may need preliminary treatments like gum disease therapy, tooth extractions, or bone grafting before they can get implants. Once that’s taken care of, you can move along to the next step of the process – dental implant surgery.

Dental Implant Surgery

Believe it or not, dental implant surgery in North Naples is a fairly simple procedure. Since Dr. Makram is able to perform the entire process from start to finish, you don’t have to worry about visiting an outside specialist for this step. During your procedure, Dr. Makram will make small incisions in your gum tissue to access the jawbone. After the implant posts are inserted, he’ll suture your gums shut, and place a protective cap over each implant to shield them throughout the healing process.

Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment Placement

Keep in mind that it’ll take about three to six months for osseointegration to take place. It’s the natural process that allows the implant to successfully integrate with the surrounding bone tissue, making this solution as reliable as possible. Once osseointegration is complete, you’ll return to the office for a second smaller surgery. You’ll receive your abutments, which are metal connector pieces that are placed on top of the implants. They’ll allow us to secure your new crown, bridge, or denture into place.

Delivery of Dental Implant Restorations 

While you recover, your replacement teeth will be created at a trusted dental laboratory using impressions taken of your natural smile. Your new restorations will be made using natural-looking materials, which means they’ll blend seamlessly with your remaining teeth. Once in place, you’ll be ready to flash your newly rebuilt grin with confidence!

Who Is a Good Candidate for Dental Implants?

Dental implants have become one of the most popular tooth loss solutions because almost any healthy adult is eligible for them. However, there are three things you must have to be considered a good candidate for implants:

• Good Overall Health – The process requires oral surgery, which means you’ll need to be healthy enough to undergo the procedure.
• Excellent Oral Health – Preexisting issues like cavities and gum disease need to be addressed before getting dental implants because they can lead to unsuccessful treatment.
• Sufficient Jawbone Density – Your jawbone must be strong enough to support implants. If it’s not, you may need to undergo preliminary treatments like bone grafting.

Missing One Tooth

For one lost tooth, a dental implant can be attached to a dental crown. This will look and feel just like a natural tooth. It’s much sturdier and will last longer than a dental bridge. Best of all, this option doesn’t require the removal of healthy enamel from your natural teeth.

Missing Multiple Teeth

Depending on your needs, we can attach a bridge to two implants to replace three or more consecutive teeth. We can also affix a partial denture to implants to address teeth in different locations along the arch. Not only will it replace the gaps in your smile, but it’s a lifelike and stable solution that can last years to come.  

Missing All Teeth

Even if you’ve suffered total tooth loss, dental implants can help! You don’t need to have a dental implant for each tooth. With just four to six implants, Dr. Makram can secure a full denture in place, giving you the confidence that your artificial teeth won’t slip or shift unexpectedly. Our team will use the minimum number of dental implants to give you the maximum amount of stability when using your pearly whites.

Learn More About All-On-4

Learn More About Implant Dentures

Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery

If you have existing oral health problems, you'll likely need preliminary treatments before moving forward with the dental implant process. Even though services like gum disease therapy, tooth extractions, and bone grafting will add to the overall cost of your treatment, they’re necessary to maximize the success of your new smile. Luckily, most of them are partially covered by dental insurance.

Keep in mind that dental implant surgery has a cost of its own. The good news is that we’re able to perform the entire dental implant process from start to finish at our office, meaning you don’t have to worry about receiving a bill from another provider.

The Parts of Your Dental Implant

The overall cost of dental implants in North Naples is affected by multiple factors, including:

• Number of Dental Implants – Logically speaking, replacing a single missing tooth with one dental implant will cost less than replacing an entire row with an implant denture.
• Type of Restoration – Crowns, bridges, and dentures all cost different amounts. Of course, the smaller they are, the more affordable they are.
• Material – Implants made of zirconia instead of titanium typically cost less.
• Brand – Different manufacturers make dental implants differently based on the needs of each patient. Make sure you ask where you’re getting your implants from as well as any brand-specific benefits.

How Dental Implants Can Save You Thousands

Patients on a budget often choose dentures or dental bridges as their method of tooth replacement because they’re cost-effective. Even though dental implants have a higher upfront cost, they end up paying for themselves in the long run. For example, you won’t need to pay for replacements or adjustments every few years. You also don’t have to worry about purchasing special pastes, solutions, or other products to maintain your newly rebuilt grin. All you have to do is care for your implants as you would your natural teeth! Since they’re easier to maintain, you can more easily avoid oral health issues that would require costly dental treatment.

Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?

Most dental insurance plans do not offer coverage for dental implants. However, there are some exceptions. Certain parts of the final restoration or your preliminary treatments might be eligible for coverage. Before committing to anything, contact your insurance provider to confirm the details of your coverage. Our team is more than happy to help with that step if needed!

Making Dental Implants Affordable

Don’t have dental insurance? No problem! We work with third-party financiers to help make your dental bills much easier to manage. With CareCredit and LendingClub, you can sign up for low-to-no interest payment plans to break up the overall cost of your treatment into smaller monthly installments.

Making Oral Hygiene a Priority

Do you regularly brush and floss? Are you using mouthwash? Depending on your answer, you may need to step up your oral hygiene game if you want your dental implants to last as long as possible. Just because these teeth are artificial doesn’t mean you can slack when it comes to your morning and nighttime routines. Brushing twice a day for two minutes, flossing at least once a day, and rinsing with an ADA-approved mouthwash can keep bacteria from forming around the implants and causing problems for your smile.

Eating a Healthy Diet

The foods you consume not only impact your waistline. They can also affect your teeth and gums. Should too much sugar and starch be incorporated into your diet, you’ll notice inflammation, possible bleeding, and tenderness of your soft oral tissues. You may even discover pockets of decay on your real teeth. By switching out these foods for healthier alternatives like leafy greens, lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, and dairy, you’ll discover your teeth become stronger, your gums become healthier, and your overall body functions at a higher level.

Breaking Bad Habits

Do you enjoy eating ice? Are you a nail-biter? Do you tend to smoke when surrounded by friends at a social gathering? No matter the bad habit, it’s time to give it up if you want to avoid impacting your dental implants in North Naples. These unhealthy habits can wreak havoc on your smile, resulting in dental implant failure. Should this happen, you can be left spending additional time and money trying to fix the problem. It is far better to simply give them up.

Protecting Your Dental Implants

Whether you enjoy playing sports or suffer from nighttime bruxism (teeth grinding), a customized mouthguard is a worthwhile investment. A sudden hit to the mouth can knock out a dental implant or lacerate soft oral tissues. Teeth grinding can cause your prosthetics to break and chip, resulting in an emergency trip to the dentist’s office for help. However, with a mouthguard, your smile is better protected and safe from any potential harm.

Scheduling Regular Dental Checkups

An implant dentist in North Naples is your friend. They not only want to see your new teeth thrive but also ensure the safety of your existing oral health. This is why it’s crucial to keep your regularly scheduled six-month checkups and cleanings. Not only will we be able to examine your real and artificial teeth for damage, but we can also check for any decay or infection that may try to negatively impact your smile and its future.

What to Do Directly After Dental Implant Surgery

Immediately following your dental implant surgery, you’ll find it in your best interest to go home and rest for at least 24 hours. The anesthesia and sedation will take time to wear off, and you don’t want to try driving or doing anything too strenuous following your procedure. You’ll need to have someone escort you home and monitor you for a short time to make sure you remain at ease. But one thing you should be sure to do is to take any prescribed medications or over-the-counter pain relievers before your anesthesia wears off. This will minimize any soreness that is likely to occur.

Common Side Effects

Will you be sore after your surgery? Most likely. After all, your gums and bone underwent serious work. Fortunately, this is a common side effect and will dissipate with the help of prescribed or OTC pain relievers. You should also expect some swelling and bruising as well, but don’t worry, as they will not last long.

Diet

Depending on your state, you may or may not crave food after your surgery. No matter your state, it’s best to stick to a liquid or soft food diet after receiving your dental implants in North Naples. This will prevent additional pressure from being placed on your surgical sites, allowing the gum tissue and bone to heal properly.

Some of the best foods you can eat during this time include:

• Pasta
• Scrambled Eggs
• Yogurt
• Ice Cream
• Pudding
• Warm Soups
• Mashed Potatoes

Once your mouth begins to feel more comfortable and you are no longer experiencing discomfort or swelling, you can slowly begin to incorporate other, denser foods.

Health & Oral Hygiene

Neglecting your oral hygiene after surgery is a bad idea. Although your mouth may be sensitive and sore, you should still plan to take care of your teeth and gums. You may not have to clean your teeth the same day as your surgery, but the following day, you’ll need to brush them as normal. Except, make sure you are careful around your surgical sites. Also, avoid flossing around these areas to prevent irritation.

You should also avoid any mouthwash that contains alcohol. Instead, opt to swish with warm salt water, as this will help to eliminate any bad oral bacteria and encourage quicker healing.

What to Do After Your New Teeth Are Attached

Once your bone and implants are fully fused, you will come back to see your implant dentist in North Naples to receive your customized restoration. Once in place, you may notice some slight sensitivity, but this will go away within a few days. Otherwise, you can begin to enjoy your new and improved smile and its many benefits.

Am I too old to get dental implants?

Fortunately, there is no upper age cap when it comes to dental implants. Instead, the one thing you must remember is that with age, you may suffer from chronic health conditions that increase your risk for potential complications. This is not always the case and should not be a deterrent in considering dental implants. However, you will need to be mindful of your overall health the older you get. Working closely with your medical physician as well as your implant dentist in North Naples can ensure successful results for your smile.

How long does dental implant surgery take?

It depends on how many dental implants must be put into place during one appointment. Typically, you can expect each implant placement to take between one to two hours. This timeframe consists of administering local anesthesia, dressing you to ensure a sterile atmosphere for surgery, and the official positioning and placement of each implant.

Can I get dental implants if I’m diabetic?

Although diabetes does make it harder for you to heal because of a weakened immune system, you can continue forward with dental implants as long as you keep your diabetes under control. If you neglect to take care of your blood sugar levels, it will take much longer to heal from surgery, and your implants will have a harder time integrating with your jawbone.

Should you be interested in receiving dental implants to replace your missing teeth, make sure you are talking with your endocrinologist or primary care physician about ways to manage your blood sugar levels. Taking this step beforehand will put you in a better position to achieve success with dental implants.

Do dental implants decay?

No, dental implants cannot decay because they are not made of a porous material like traditional tooth enamel. The crown, bridge, or denture you receive is artificial and cannot be penetrated by tooth decay. However, if you have any existing natural teeth, you are still at risk for cavities, especially if you are not taking proper care of your oral hygiene. Also, your gums can become infected. This is why it is essential that you brush twice daily for two minutes (or after every meal), floss at least once a day before bedtime, and rinse with an ADA-approved mouthwash.