Dental Implants in Addison, TX
The Most Comprehensive Solution for Missing Teeth
We understand how challenging and uncomfortable tooth loss can be, both physically and emotionally. Whether you’re missing one or multiple teeth, it can affect your overall health, well-being, and self-confidence. Dental implants offer a comprehensive, natural-looking, permanent solution that restores not only the functionality but also the appearance of your smile.
Dr. De Vincenzo and our friendly team at Addison Family Dentistry are proud to perform every stage of the implant process in-house. You don’t have to worry about bouncing from specialist to specialist – with us, you can get the smile of your dreams under one roof. Contact us if you have questions or schedule an appointment to start your smile journey today!
Rebuilding Your Smile Is Easier With Us
- All Your Placements and Restorations, Performed Under One Roof
- Our 3D Cone Beam Scanner Ensures Enhanced Precision
- We Create Highly Customized and Personalized Treatment Plans, Based On Your Smile Goals
What Dental Implants Are
Where most tooth replacements focus on restoring the visible portion of your smile, dental implants replace the entire structure of your missing tooth or teeth. Implants are comprised of three parts:
- The post: Made from biocompatible titanium and placed into the jaw, the post performs the function of a tooth root by stimulating the bone tissue and providing a stable, durable foundation for your crown.
- The abutment: This is the connector that joins your crown to the post.
- The crown: This is the ceramic, custom-designed artificial tooth that sits above your gum line and visibly completes your smile.
Dr. De Vincenzo will ensure that your crown is the perfect color, shape, and size to give you a seamless, natural-looking smile that you can be proud of.
Benefits of Dental Implants
- Stability: With implants, you will have a stable, durable tooth replacement that will stay in place
- Functionality: Implants feel and function like your natural teeth, so you can eat your favorite foods and speak confidently without worrying about a thing
- Protection: Implants don’t require modifying your existing teeth, so you can conserve the natural enamel of your neighboring teeth
- Improved Oral Health: Implants are easy to care for with regular brushing, flossing, and checkups. They also prevent other issues like bone loss or gum recession
- A Seamless, Natural Esthetic: We design and create implants that match the size, shape, and color of your natural teeth to ensure your smile looks and feels seamless
- Durability: If you take proper care of your implants, your new smile can last you a lifetime
The Ideal Candidate For Implants
If you’re missing one or several teeth, implants last longer, function better, and look more natural than other dental restoration options. But, to give your implants the best chance of succeeding, there are some criteria that you will want to meet. Ideal implant candidates:
- Are in good health overall: The implant process involves surgery, so you should be in good general health to undergo the procedure and to heal properly afterward.
- Have sufficient bone density: If you don’t have enough bone tissue in your jaw to support the dental implant, you may need bone grafting before you can start the procedure.
- Have healthy gums: Gum disease or other gum issues need to be treated before you can receive your implant.
- Maintain consistent oral hygiene habits: Maintaining your oral health and caring for your implants is essential to ensuring their long-term success.
- Do not smoke: Smoking can negatively impact the success of dental implants.
Our Comprehensive Implants Procedure
1. The Initial Consultation
During your initial implant consultation, Dr. De Vincenzo will conduct a thorough exam to determine whether dental implants are the right solution for your smile. Our office is equipped with the latest dental technology, including a 3D Cone Beam Scanner, which allows us to create a precise, individualized treatment plan for you. If we find any gum issues or bone loss, Dr. De Vincenzo will walk you through your treatment options for addressing those issues prior to moving forward with your implant procedure.
2. The Procedure
After you’ve healed from any necessary preparatory procedures, we’ll move on to the next part of your dental implant process: the surgery. Dr. Vincenzo has undergone additional training and education to be able to place and restore implants in Addison, TX, right here in our dental office.
Before the procedure begins, we will administer a local anesthetic to ensure that you’re completely numb and won’t feel a thing. If you’re anxious or uneasy, we also offer other sedation options to make you feel more comfortable. To insert your implants, Dr. De Vincenzo will make a small incision in your gum tissue and insert the post into your jaw. Then, we’ll close up the incision area, allowing it to heal.
3. The Healing Period
After the surgery, your dental implants will begin fusing with your jawbone through a process called osseointegration. This will create a stable foundation and allow your restorations to remain securely in place while you eat and speak. During this time, you will have a temporary denture that allows you to eat, speak, and smile while your mouth heals.
After two to four months, barring complications, you will have completely healed, and the post will have fused with your jaw. Then, we will place a small, metal connector called an abutment onto the post. This is what your crown will be attached to.
4. The Final Placement
The final step of your implant process is the placement of your custom-made crown. As soon as they arrive at our office, we’ll call you in for your final appointment to secure and polish them. After this visit, you’ll be able to eat, speak, and laugh confidently with your brand-new smile.
Implant Options If You're Missing Multiple Teeth
- Multiple individual dental implants: This is best if you are missing multiple teeth, but not consecutively.
- Implant-retained dental bridge: This is best if you are missing up to three teeth in a row. An implant post is used at either end of the gap to support the bridge and serve as new tooth roots. This preserves the density in your jawbone and protects your remaining natural teeth, unlike a traditional dental bridge, which would require altering your neighboring healthy teeth.
- All-on-4 dental implants: This is best if you are missing most or all of the teeth in your upper or lower jaw. All-on-4 involves replacing your entire arch of teeth with a full-arch restoration supported by four strategically placed implants. This method maximizes the available bone tissue in your jaw and often allows you to avoid bone grafting.
Start-To-Finish Convenience
It’s common for many general dental offices to refer the surgical portion of treatment to specialists outside of their dental office. At Addison Family Dental, Dr. De Vincenzo and our team can perform the surgical portion right here in the dental office for your convenience.
With the help of our advanced 3D Cone Beam scanner, we can plan and place dental implants with total precision. We are also able to fully design and customize your restoration so you receive a seamless, natural-looking smile. From the first consultation to the last treatment, we will be by your side, ensuring you stay comfortable and smiling every step of the way.
Understanding the Cost of Dental Implants
With every dental implant procedure comes a unique set of needs. It can be difficult to know the exact cost of your treatment before we have a full picture of what you need, which is why the initial consultation at our Addison dental office is so important. We’ll go over your current oral health and the degree of treatment you will need first, then we can provide a breakdown of the services you’ll need and the associated prices. We want you to feel confident and informed about all your options before moving forward.
It’s worth mentioning that dental implant treatment can be more expensive than more traditional tooth replacement options, but it is still a worthwhile investment for many reasons. For one, implant-retained teeth last decades at a time, while a bridge or denture will require a replacement later down the line. This also means that in the long-term, dental implants are the more cost-effective option for tooth replacement.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long it takes for your implants to heal will depend on a few factors, like any preliminary procedures you had to undergo before getting your implants placed. For example, if you need a bone graft beforehand, that’s going to add a few months of healing time before you can receive your new teeth.
Generally, it takes about three to six months for your implant to fully integrate with your jawbone and to be stable enough for us to attach your restoration. However, that waiting process will be more than worth it to receive sturdy, custom-designed teeth that stand can last you a lifetime.
Thanks to advancements in local anesthetic and our many sedation options, you won’t feel more than some minimal discomfort during your procedure. As with any oral surgery, you can expect to feel some soreness and possibly swelling for a few days after your implant placement. Dr. De Vincenzo will instruct you on how best to manage this, but generally you can take either prescribed or over-the-counter pain relievers, or you can apply a cold compress to your face.
The most common reason for dental implant failure is a form of gum disease called peri-implantitis, which can happen if you don’t maintain proper oral hygiene following your implant placement. This is why keeping up with your regular brushing and flossing routine throughout the process is crucial.
Other reasons for implant failure could include:
- insufficient jawbone density (which is why we suggest getting a bone graft prior to receiving implants)
- tobacco use (which slows down the oral healing processes)
- diseases like diabetes or autoimmune diseases (they affect your ability to fight off infections)
If you are worried about your implants at any point, contact our friendly team or schedule an appointment so we can make sure your smile stays bright and healthy.
Looking after your new teeth is much the same as looking after your natural teeth!
- Maintain proper oral hygiene by brushing and flossing daily.
- Follow the post-op instructions that Dr. De Vincenzo and our team give you after your procedure.
- We recommend using an antimicrobial mouthwash daily to prevent the build up of bacteria and reduce the risk of infection.
- Be sure to attend all your follow up appointments with our team at Addison Family Dentistry so we can monitor your progress.
Yes, during the healing period, we advise steering clear of any foods that could disrupt the process or damage your still-healing implant:
- Hard foods (Ice cubes, hard candy or candied nuts)
- Sticky foods (Caramels, taffy or chewing gum)
- Very hot or cold foods (These can cause discomfort or sensitivity)
- Chewy, tough foods (Jerky)
- Popcorn kernels or seeds (These can get lodged in your gums and lead to inflammation or infection)
Once you are fully healed and your new tooth or teeth have successfully been placed, we will discuss reintroducing your favorite foods back into your diet.
When your implants are designed, made, and placed by a skilled dental professional like Dr. De Vincenzo, it will be almost impossible for anyone to tell the difference between your natural teeth and your implant. We take care to match the shape, color, and size of your natural teeth to give you a natural-looking, seamless smile.
All Your Implant Needs Under One Roof!
When you visit us for your dental implants, you won’t have to worry about being shuttled between multiple practices or specialists. At Addison Family Dentistry, Dr. De Vincenzo performs the entire implant procedure in-house from start to finish. We also provide restorative care for implants like crown or bridge repairs. If you want to restore your smile, contact us today and get expertly-placed dental implants in Addison, TX!