Dental Implants – Aurora, IL

Initial Dental Implant Consultation

You will meet with an implant dentist in Aurora to discuss how best to move forward with your dental implant procedure. After capturing images of your oral and facial structures and performing a visual examination of your mouth, our team will create a formal treatment plan that details whether you require any preliminary treatments as well as how many dental implant posts you will need, the type of restoration you will receive, and how long you can expect recovery to take. You can also expect to receive a cost estimate for your treatment.

Dental Implant Surgery

As a dental practice that offers in-house implant placement and restoration, you do not need to go elsewhere for the surgical part of treatment. Instead, you will remain in our Aurora office, receiving care from our trusted professionals. We will administer local anesthesia to help numb your mouth and ensure that you feel no pain. After making one or more small incisions in your gum tissue, we will position each dental implant so that it is properly aligned. After closing the tissue, we’ll place protective healing caps over each one before sending you home.

Dental Implant Osseointegration/Abutment

Over the next 3-6 months, your mouth will go through the healing process. Part of this involves osseointegration, which is the fusing of the implant post to the bone tissues. This ensures that a solid foundation is established for your future restoration. Once you are fully healed, you’ll return to our office to have your metal abutments, which are small connector appliances that hold your restoration to your implant post, put into place.

Delivery of Dental Implant Restorations

The last step of the dental implant process is receiving your customized dental restoration. Our team will work with lab technicians to ensure that your new crown, bridge, or denture looks natural and feels comfortable once put into place. This will allow you to begin enjoying your new smile with ease the moment you leave our office.

Day-to-Day Benefits

• No Dietary Restrictions – With dental implants, patients can enjoy all types of foods without worrying about their teeth loosening or falling out. Instead, these prosthetics provide solid bite force and chewing power.
• Improved Appearance – Because dental implants in Aurora are surgically placed into the jawbone, facial features are less likely to sag or “collapse.” This allows for a more youthful appearance.
• Better Quality of Life – Denture-wearers often remark of their displeasure with traditional prosthetics because they slip, fall out, and are difficult to manage. With dental implants, however, patients can feel confident and comfortable speaking, eating, and smiling while with others.

Health Benefits

• Tooth Structures Remain Intact – Unlike a dental bridge that requires altering healthy abutment teeth, dental implants are fixed into the vacated sockets, keeping existing tooth structures healthy and fully intact.
• Continuous Jawbone Stimulation – An implant dentist in Aurora will surgically place each implant into the bone tissues, causing them to provide stimulation to the bone each time a patient bites down or chews. This ensures the face does not sag over time.
• No Dental Drift – Tooth loss can commonly cause healthy teeth to shift out of alignment to try and fill in the gap. With dental implants, they keep existing teeth in place, helping patients to avoid dental drift and possible orthodontics later.

Long-Term Benefits

• High Success Rate – There is a 90-95% success rate for initial implant placement when patients entrust their smiles to a skilled and experienced implant dentist.
• Greater Longevity – Unlike dentures and dental bridges that must be replaced after 5-8 years, dental implants can last for 30+ years or even a lifetime with proper maintenance.
• Cost-Effective – With traditional prosthetics, denture adhesives, specialized cleaners, and other unique products are required. However, dental implants are more cost-effective. While they are more expensive up front, they save a person money over time because of their longevity, stability, and functionality.

Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery

Preliminary treatments are not for every patient; however, many do require bone grafting, periodontal therapy, tooth extraction, and more before receiving dental implants in Aurora. If necessary, these additional procedures will be included in a person’s total cost.

Also, the minor oral surgery that is required for implant placement is factored into the total estimate. Because the procedure is completed by an in-house implant dentist, this eliminates the confusion often associated with paying a separate fee to an outside specialist.

The Parts of Your Dental Implant

The parts of a dental implant are also incorporated into the complete breakdown of cost.

• How many dental implants are required – Patients who require only one dental implant can expect to pay much less than those seeking between four and six.
• The materials used – Titanium and zirconia are the two most popular options for implant materials. Each incurs its own cost.
• The type of restoration needed – Dental crowns are much less expensive than implant dentures, but a full arch of teeth secured by dental implants is more cost-effective than traditional prosthetics.
• The brand – Not all dental implant brands are the same. Some are much cheaper and less reliable. Our team explains to every patient the reason for choosing the manufacturer we use, as it ensures greater quality and longevity.

How Dental Implants Can Save You Money

Dental implants are known for their functionality, stability, and ability to last 30 years or more with regular care. Patients who choose these prosthetics to restore their smiles can expect optimal results as long as they commit to maintaining their smiles. However, many individuals believe dental implants to be too expensive to pursue.

The truth is that these tooth replacements are more cost-effective than traditional prosthetics. This is possible because:

• They don’t require denture adhesives and specialized cleaning products, which can add up over time.
• They make it possible for patients to minimize their risk of systemic issues caused by tooth loss (i.e., diabetes, osteoporosis, heart disease, etc.).
• They can remain in place for decades or even a lifetime, unlike regular dentures and dental bridges that must be replaced every 5-7 years.

Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?

Some dental insurance companies do provide coverage for dental implants; however, most do not. Viewed as an “elective” among most carriers, patients may not be eligible to receive coverage for the actual surgery. It is possible, though, for individuals to have their preliminary treatments, customized restoration, and consultation fully or partially covered. Otherwise, it will be necessary to seek alternative payment options to keep expenses low and well within a person’s budget.

Making Dental Implants Affordable

At Grand Dental – Aurora, our team is pleased to provide patients with two additional and convenient payment options:

• Flexible Financing through CareCredit. This third-party financer offers low and no-interest payment plans to make spreading out the cost of dental implant placement easy and financially possible.
• Grand Advantage Plan is a clear choice for uninsured individuals. Requiring one payment each year, patients can receive access to preventive care as well as discounts on all other available services.

What to Do Directly After Dental Implant Surgery

After your dental implant surgery is complete, you can expect to still be experiencing the effects of the anesthesia. Once you return home with the help of a family member or friend, you’ll need to make sure you adhere to the following:

• Get plenty of rest
• Allow the anesthesia to dissipate before attempting to eat anything
• Take any necessary over-the-counter pain relievers

You’ll also want to make sure you avoid using a straw so that you don’t dislodge any blood clots, do not smoke or use tobacco products, and do not attempt to poke or prod your surgical sites with your finger or tongue.

Common Side Effects

You will discover there are normal side effects that will occur after surgery. The following are common and do not require a call to our office for help:

• You will experience some minor discomfort, which can be curbed with OTC pain relievers.
• There will be swelling, as any kind of mouth surgery produces this kind of effect. Using a cold compress will help alleviate the inflammation.
• Some slight bleeding is normal and can be managed by using a clean gauze and applying gentle pressure.

If bleeding remains excessive, swelling does not go down over time, or pain worsens, make sure to call our office right away.

Diet

Although you may be hungry for more substantial food, you’ll need to stick to a liquid/soft food diet initially. This will prevent additional pressure on your surgical sites and allow you to receive the nutrients you need. You can consume everything from yogurt and oatmeal to pudding, warm soup, mashed potatoes, pasta, eggs, and ice cream.

Health & Oral Hygiene

You’ll need to keep your mouth clean and bacteria-free as much as possible after your surgery; however, there are a few things you’ll need to be mindful of when brushing and flossing after receiving your dental implants:

• Be careful when brushing your teeth. You don’t want to further irritate your implant posts.
• Rinse your mouth with warm saltwater 2-3 times each day. This reduces swelling, alleviates discomfort, and encourages healing.
• Do not use alcohol-based mouthwash. It can cause additional discomfort.

What to Do After Your New Teeth Are Attached

It’s possible that once your new teeth are attached to your dental implants you might feel some slight sensitivity; however, this should go away within a few days or a week. Taking an OTC pain reliever can help with any discomfort. There should be no bleeding or inflammation at this time but instead, you’ll be able to start enjoying the benefits of your newer, healthier smile.

How long do dental implants last?

If properly cared for and maintained, it is possible for dental implants in Aurora to last 30 years or longer. Some patients with these prosthetics have gone their entire lives without requiring replacement. Ultimately, it is dependent on how well a person takes care of their teeth and gums as to how long they can expect their artificial teeth to remain firmly in place. From improved oral hygiene to eating healthier foods and wearing customized mouthguards, our team will provide helpful tips and techniques to make living with dental implants a worthwhile decision.

How successful are dental implants?

When patients take the time to research various dentists, it usually leads to optimal results. Finding a qualified professional who is equipped and trained to place dental implants will usually lead to high success rates once put into place. The average success rate for initial implant placement is 95%, and after 10 years, it only drops to 90-95%. How a person takes care of their smile will determine how successful the implants are, so interested patients can expect a clearly defined list of ways to minimize damage to one’s dental implants.

Am I too young to get dental implants?

Most dentists will not place dental implants in patients who are in their late teens or early 20s. The reason is that most of these individuals’ jawbones are not yet fully developed. Placing permanent prosthetics too soon can lead to serious complications. It is recommended that people who are suffering tooth loss and are within this age range seek alternative treatments until it is safe to pursue dental implant placement. Once a person reaches their mid-late 20s, there is a greater possibility of receiving permanent prosthetics.

Will I have to take off work for dental implant surgery?

Yes, dental implant candidates are required to take off time from work but how much time is dependent on how many dental implants are put into place. If an individual only needs one post, they may only need to take one day off of work. However, for someone who requires a full arch, they may need two or three days. In this case, an implant dentist in Aurora will recommend scheduling the procedure later in the week so that the weekend can be used for recovery. This prevents patients from feeling apprehensive about recovery because these two days will not count against someone who works a regular Monday through Friday job.