Dental Implants – Loveland, OH
Permanently Close Your Smile’s Gaps
For many people with missing teeth, dental implants are the solution they’ve been waiting for. Not only do they look just like the teeth that were lost, but they also reliably stay in place, letting you eat whatever you’d like without worrying about looseness or slippage. Dr. Ejaz Lakhani can perform every step of the dental implant process himself in our privately-owned dental office for a convenient, streamlined treatment. To learn more about how easy it is to permanently close your smile’s gaps with dental implants, call us today.
Why Choose Distinctive Smiles-Ejaz Lakhani DDS for Dental Implants?
- Dental Implant Treatment Completed Entirely In-House
- Digital Scanning Technology for Putty-Free Impressions
- CareCredit & In-House Discount Plan Make Saving Easy
What Are Dental Implants?
A dental implant is a tiny titanium post that resembles a screw, and it serves as the root of your new tooth. Because titanium is incredibly strong and biocompatible, it actually grows attached to the jawbone after it has been positioned there. This creates a dependable foundation for a dental crown, bridge, or denture to be placed on top. Essentially, dental implants recreate every part of your lost teeth, making them look and function exactly the same.
The 4-Step Dental Implant Process
Interested in learning how dental implants work? Having a clear understanding of the process is essential to feeling assured and comfortable and receiving your permanent prosthetics. Choosing to pursue this type of tooth replacement takes time and patience, so from the consultation to the final delivery of your customized restoration, we want you to have all the information you need to move forward with your new smile confidently.
Initial Dental Implant Consultation
To start, Dr. Lakhani discusses your tooth replacement goals with you. Then, he takes digital X-rays and examines your mouth to determine whether you’re a good candidate for dental implants. This will include surveying your oral health to check for signs of tooth decay, gum disease, or cavities that might require further treatment. Also, we will need to look for jawbone density to determine if you need a bone graft or a sinus lift to create a more stable foundation for your new smile.
Dental Implant Surgery
As a highly trained and skilled implant dentist, Dr. Lakhani can surgically place the implant posts into your jawbone himself, saving you from needing to visit an unfamiliar specialist. The process involves making a small incision in the gums and placing each implant post into the designated spot within the bone. After properly aligning the post and ensuring its placement, he closes the gum tissue and sends you home to recover.
Dental Implant Osseointegration/Abutment
The implants spend the next four to six months bonding with your jawbone. This is a process known as osseointegration. It is necessary that this process be completed without any issues, as it can determine if your dental implant succeeds or fails. Next, Dr. Lakhani installs metal attachments called abutments on top of the posts. These are designed to connect your implant post to your customized restoration.
Delivery of Dental Implant Restorations
Finally, Dr. Lakhani completes your grin by securing your prosthetic teeth to your abutments. This can include a dental crown, bridge, or denture depending on how many teeth you are missing. He also explains how to move throughout your day wearing dental implants. From the foods you can eat to how you should properly care for your new smile, we provide the instructions you need to ensure the longevity of your prosthetics.
Benefits of Dental Implants
Dental implants have become one of the most popular solutions for tooth loss, and it’s easy to see why. As the only tooth replacement option that mimics the entire structure of natural teeth, implants can improve your life in ways that other tooth replacements simply cannot. Their unique placement allows them drastically improve your confidence, health, and overall quality of life. If you’d like to learn more about the incredible benefits, continue reading!
Day-to-Day Benefits
If you have dentures, you may feel like your prosthetics limit your ability to enjoy your life to the fullest. Fortunately, upgrading to dental implants will allow you to live your day-to-day life with ease! Here are some advantages that are guaranteed to be a gamechanger:
- Ability to Eat Most Foods – Because implants are placed below the gum line, they offer far more stability than bridges and dentures. Their unique placement allows them to stay in place at all times while you chew all of your favorite foods.
- Boost of Confidence – Each dental implant treatment is tailored to meet each patient’s unique needs. Since you’ll end up with natural-looking and durable results, you can smile with confidence with your newly rebuilt grin!
- Easier Maintenance – You don’t have to worry about incorporating complex steps into your routine or purchasing special products to care for your smile. All you have to do is care for your smile as you would your natural teeth!
Health Benefits
Aside from improving your daily quality of life, dental implants offer some incredible health benefits. Some of those include:
- Jawbone Preservation – Since implants are inserted into the jawbone, they provide it with internal support. This helps prevent the bone loss that’s common after tooth loss, allowing you to maintain a youthful facial appearance for years to come.
- Protection for Natural Teeth – It’s common for teeth to shift after tooth loss. They naturally shift to fill in the empty space. Fortunately, implants can serve as a placeholder to ensure every member stays exactly where it belongs.
- Improved Overall Health – Studies have discovered a correlation between tooth loss and an increased risk of health issues. Because dental implants are very similar to natural teeth, it’s reasonable to believe they can help lower such risks.
Long-Term Benefits
You’ll be happy to know that dental implants can also provide you with many long-term benefits, including:
- High Success Rate – Dental implants are very successful even 20 years after they’ve been placed.
- Youthful Appearance – Implants stimulate blood flow in the jawbone, preventing the deterioration and sunken appearance that often comes with tooth loss.
- Long-Lasting Results – Unlike dentures and dental bridges, you don’t have to worry about replacing your dental implants every few years. Your prosthetics can last decades without needing a replacement.
Who Dental Implants Can Help
Dental implants are incredibly versatile; no matter how many teeth you need to replace, implants can make it happen. Of course, Dr. Lakhani will still need to verify that your mouth and jaw are healthy enough to receive implants and that you’re in generally good overall health. If so, he can rebuild your smile with some variation of the following treatments.
Missing One Tooth
A single dental implant paired with a crown can seamlessly fill the space created by one missing tooth. Better yet, it does so without altering your natural teeth, making it a healthier option than a traditional dental bridge.
Missing Multiple Teeth
Several consecutive missing teeth can be replaced by anchoring a bridge over two implants, each of which is placed at an end of the gap. This way, your remaining teeth are preserved, and you don’t need to get an implant for each individual tooth.
Missing All Teeth
An average of just four to eight implant posts are enough to secure a full denture in place, instantly bringing back an entire arch of teeth. With implant dentures, you won’t need to worry about slipping, gum irritation, or messy adhesives.
Understanding the Cost of Dental Implants
Your financial situation shouldn't stand in the way of replacing your missing teeth. Many factors affect the cost of dental implants, but Dr. Ejaz Lakhani strives to keep a complete smile affordable for everyone. Initially, dental implants may cost more than other options, but they are the most affordable long-term. You can't put a price on the benefits you'll gain by investing in the most reliable method for treating tooth loss.
Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery
Your implant dentist will examine your mouth to ensure you're a candidate for the procedure. The process can take many months because it's performed in several steps. Each step of your treatment will have separate fees, which may include:
- Consultation: Besides a visual examination, your dentist will review a CT scan of your oral structures to look for anything concerning and use the scans for treatment planning.
- Preliminary Treatments: It's not unusual to require a little prep work, like gum disease therapy, bone grafting, or tooth extractions.
- Placement Surgery: Sedation or anesthesia is used to keep you comfortable while your implant posts are surgically placed into your jawbone.
- Materials: Discounted materials may not be as durable. It's better to focus on quality instead of the price tag.
- Number of Teeth: Replacing more than one tooth will increase the cost.
The Parts of Your Dental Implant
Your estimate will include each component of your dental implant, including:
- Implant Post: A titanium host is surgically placed into your jaw to mimic a root.
- Abutment: Every post needs an abutment, which is a special fixture that connects your restoration to your implant.
- Restoration: Depending on the number of teeth you're missing, you'll need a crown, bridge, or denture.
Are Dental Implants Worth the Cost?
Dental implants are worth every penny. They have over a 95% success rate and are proven to last for 30 years or longer with the correct care, like brushing and flossing. Not to mention, they are the only solution for jawbone preservation to prevent common oral health issues associated with tooth loss. You'll save money because you won't need costly procedures later and your dental implants can last for a lifetime, so you won't need a budget for replacements.
Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?
Your dental insurance may cover certain steps in your treatment plan, like your consultation, preliminary procedures, or restorations. After meeting your annual deductible, your insurance can pay $50 to 80% of the expense of certain services to lower the amount you'll pay out-of-pocket until reaching your yearly limit.
Making Dental Implants Affordable
Besides dental insurance, we offer many other payment solutions, like:
- Traditional Payments: We accept cash, checks, and credit cards.
- Financing: Pay any dental expenses using monthly installments through a third-party financing company, like CareCredit.
- In-House Savings Plan: Enjoy discounted rates for specific services by joining our in-house savings plan.
- Special Offers: We regularly offer special promotions for select services.