Dental Implants – Midlothian, TX  

Initial Dental Implant Consultation

For the initial consultation, Dr. Nguyen or Dr. Desimone will review your oral health and medical history. Doing so will help them see if you’re a good candidate. After all, your mouth needs to be healthy for implant surgery to work. The prosthetics will fail early otherwise.

If our team finds prior dental issues, we’ll work with you on preliminary procedures. These might include gum disease therapy, tooth extractions, or even bone grafting. We can then plan the rest of your treatment — the cost, the step-by-step timeline, etc.

Dental Implant Surgery

As already stated, we at Legacy Dentistry do implant surgery in our Midlothian office. This setup means you don’t need to travel far for an outside specialist. Furthermore, it lets our team have easy access to your dental records.

In itself, the surgery is fairly straightforward. First, our team will numb the affected area so it doesn’t feel pain. (This numbing could also include sedation if you’d like.) From there, we’ll make a small incision in the gums to make room for the implant. Once that’s done, we can place the post in your jawbone, close your gums, and put a protective cap over the restoration.

Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment

Following placement surgery, your implants will slowly fuse with your jawbone. This process, called osseointegration, takes 3-6 months —that means you need to be careful. If you aren’t, poor hygiene, bad oral habits, and other factors could ruin things and cause implant failure.

At some point during the implant fusion, you’ll return to our office for a minor abutment. More specifically, you’ll have a small surgery that connects tiny metal pieces to your new teeth. While you heal from that visit, the final restoration will be crafted from impressions of your mouth.

Delivery of Dental Implant Restoration(s)

Last but not least, your treatment will end with a final dental visit that places your restoration. Given your needs, this prosthetic might be a crown, a bridge, or a denture. Regardless, though, we’ll then check to ensure your bite is comfortable. Afterward, you’ll be ready to enjoy your newly rebuilt smile!

Day-to-Day Benefits

• You’ll be able to eat most foods – With traditional dentures, some foods are more challenging to eat than others, and you’ll often find yourself staying away from harder to chew meals. But with dental implants, you can eat virtually anything you could with your natural teeth, meaning you can return to your old diet.
• You’ll be able to speak clearly – When speaking in front of others, it helps to know that your prosthetic teeth aren’t going to move out of place at the wrong moment. With your dental implants keeping your teeth secure, you’ll have no trouble clearly enunciating all of your words.
• You’ll be able to smile confidently – Your prosthetic teeth will be personalized to match your natural facial aesthetics. You’ll be able to show off your smile at any time knowing that most people will only see a dazzling grin filled with beautiful teeth.
• Oral hygiene is easy – With dentures, you would have to adapt to a new oral care routine. However, the maintenance that dental implants require isn’t much different than what you would have to do to take care of your natural teeth.

Health Benefits

• Your jawbone will be preserved – Your jaw needs the internal support and stimulation that tooth roots provide in order to maintain its shape and strength. Dental implants make up for the lack of natural tooth roots and help prevent the bone from breaking down.
• Your natural teeth will be protected – Getting dental implants can be good for your remaining teeth in various ways. It prevents them from drifting into the open space, and it eliminates the need to remove enamel to make room for a dental bridge.
• You’ll maintain a nutritious diet – Not being able to eat everything you want can make it harder to eat healthy, but dental implants have no such limitations to worry about.

Long-Term Benefits

• Implants have a high success rate – Dental implants are very reliable over the long term. Studies have shown that they have a 95% rate of success two decades after their initial placement.
• You’ll keep a more youthful appearance – By preventing jawbone deterioration, you’ll keep your face looking more youthful in general.
• Implants have a long lifespan – Are you tired of having to replace bridges and dentures every few years? Dental implants are known to be able to last for 30 years or longer, with some even lasting entire lifetimes.

Missing One Tooth

As you might expect, you’ll only get one implant when a single tooth is missing. After your mouth heals from the placement surgery, the post will be topped with a carefully designed crown that can endure the forces of your chewing and completely fill in the empty space to prevent your other teeth from drifting.

Missing Multiple Teeth

Have you lost three or more teeth in a row? We may be able to replace them all with a dental bridge (a restoration made of two crowns and a few artificial teeth). Instead of making changes to your natural teeth, like with a traditional bridge, the crowns will use a pair of implants for support.

Missing All Teeth

Even if you’ve lost an entire row, implants can still be a viable solution. Anchoring dentures to four or more implant posts keeps them firmly in place and allows you to chew tougher foods you might have trouble with otherwise. Also, since the implants stop the jawbone from breaking down, there’s less risk that your dentures will need to be frequently adjusted.

Learn More About Dental Implants

Mini Dental Implants

Patients that lost their teeth a while ago normally have less healthy jawbone available to support implants. But with mini dental implants, which as you might expect are about half the size of regular ones, more people have the opportunity to enjoy new teeth supported by sturdy artificial roots.

Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery

For dental implants to work, your oral health will need to be free of any issues that can compromise the success of the procedure. That’s why our team will examine your smile to determine if you’ll require preliminary treatments before going forward with the process. These services may include gum disease, tooth extractions, or bone grafting, which may increase the overall cost of your procedure. Most of these preliminary services are partially covered by dental insurance. Additionally, we can perform the entire dental implant surgery in-office. This means you won’t have to worry about having to pay an outside provider for your procedure.

The Parts of Your Dental Implant

Here are several factors that can influence the overall price of dental implants:

• The number of implants – Replacing a single tooth with a dental implant will cost much less than having to rebuild several or an entire arch of missing teeth.
• The type of restoration – Your tooth replacement may come in the form of crowns, bridges, or dentures—each having its unique price. Also, the smaller the implant, the less it’ll cost.
• Material used – Implants can be made of various dental materials, such as zirconia and titanium. The former will usually cost less than the latter.
• Manufacturing brand – Various companies construct dental implants differently. Our team only utilizes the best products to restore our patient’s smiles.

How Dental Implants Can Save You Money

While traditional restorations like dental bridges and dentures may seem more cost-effective initially, you’ll want to consider the overall price in the long run. Even though they may fit your budget now, having to adjust or replace them every several years can increase the cost over time. Since dental implants will serve as your new permanent roots and provide superior stability for your restorations, you won’t have to pay as much to maintain your brand-new smile. Furthermore, you’ll only need to practice good oral hygiene and schedule regular dental visits to preserve your them.

Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?

The majority of dental insurance providers won’t cover your dental implants. That said, there may be some exceptions depending on the parts of your treatment. For instance, certain components of your final restoration and any preparatory procedures may be eligible for coverage. Be sure to consult your insurance company about the details of your plan before committing to anything. You can even speak with our knowledgeable team if you need help navigating your policy and maximizing your benefits!

Making Dental Implants Affordable

Even if you don’t currently have dental insurance, it doesn’t you’ll have to automatically empty your wallet. Our team is happy to provide a few alternative financing options that can best fit your budget. We have special offers for single dental implant placement, allowing you to save $500 as well as finance your treatment with as low as $299 per month. You can also sign up for our Legacy Dentistry Dental Savings Plan, which can give you discounts on multiple services, including implants. To save even more, we’re partnered with third-party financiers like CareCredit, LendingClub, and Green Sky to help break up the overall cost of your treatment into monthly installments with little to no interest.

3D Cone-Beam Imaging/ 3D CT Scanning

A cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scanner has revolutionized dental implant treatment by providing precise and comprehensive diagnostic information. This advanced imaging technique uses a cone-shaped X-ray beam to capture detailed 3D images of the oral structures, including the teeth, jaws, and surrounding tissues.

By offering a comprehensive view of your anatomy, 3D cone-beam imaging allows us to accurately assess bone quality, identify vital structures, and plan implant placement with greater precision. This technology not only enhances the success and longevity of dental implants, but also minimizes the risk of complications.

Guided Dental Implant Surgery

Using a surgical guide, we can enhance the precision and predictability of implant placement. The process involves the use of computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technology and 3D imaging to create a personalized surgical guide.

This guide acts as a template during implant surgery, ensuring precise positioning of the dental implant based on the treatment plan. Guided dental implant surgery offers numerous benefits, including reduced surgical time, minimal invasiveness, unmatched implant stability, and enhanced aesthetic outcomes. It allows us to achieve optimal implant placement, resulting in higher success rates!

Antibacterial Coating

Peri-implantitis is one of the most common causes of dental implant failure. It’s an infection that occurs when harmful bacteria attack the tissues that support your implant, gradually weakening them. If left untreated, this issue can lead to the loosening or complete loss of your newly rebuilt smile.

Our team uses a specialized antibacterial coating to help reduce the risk of infection and protect your new teeth. It shields the implant and the surrounding area from bacteria that can trigger peri-implantitis. While it’s a simple measure, it goes a long way toward making sure the healing process after implant placement goes smoothly.

Digital Impression System

Dental implants are designed to support a custom-made restoration like a crown, bridge, or denture. Each of these is crafted out of high-quality dental porcelain, which ensures the results are as seamless as possible. A part of this process includes mapping the area to see where the restoration will go, ensuring it blends naturally with your remaining teeth.

Our digital impression system will quickly scan your teeth without touching them and create a detailed model of your bite. The digital layout it produces will be used to ensure your new custom restoration looks as natural as possible.

Bone Grafting

For your dental implants to work, they’ll need to undergo osseointegration with your jawbone tissue to become one with your facial structure. This process can take around three to six months to finish before you can attach your restorations, but it will require that you have enough density to offer a solid foundation.

If your jawbone is too weak to support the metal posts, then you’ll likely need a bone graft. This procedure involves using bone tissue from a donor or another part of your body and embedding it in the deteriorated area of the jaw to promote stronger bone. After several months, you should be fully recovered to move forward with the dental implant treatment.

Sinus Lift

Whenever the upper jaw begins to deteriorate due to a lack of stimulation of blood flow, the sinus cavities can end up too close to where dental implants will have to be placed. If this is the case, we’ll need to perform a sinus lift to prepare you for your restoration treatment.

This procedure is a kind of bone grafting specifically aimed to address the issue. Your dentist will make an incision in the gums to access the bone. They’ll essentially push the thin membrane holding your sinuses out of the way before adding the grafting material to strengthen the jawbone. It should take around four to nine months before you’re ready for your dental implant placement.

PRP/PRF Treatment

Once you’ve undergone the dental implant placement process, we’ll want to ensure that you have a smooth and successful healing period. That’s where PRP/PRF treatment comes into play. Also referred to as Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) or Platelet-Rich Fibrin (PRF), this form of therapy helps patients recover faster while minimizing complications after their surgery. Our team will first extract a small amount of your blood before your procedure, and after using a centrifuge to prepare it, we’ll apply the PRP/PRF to the surgical site. This should promote better healing and reduce the risk of infections.

Ridge Expansion

Sometimes a patient may not have a wide enough jaw to effectively accommodate dental implants. To make more room in your mouth, you might need to get a ridge expansion. Your dentist will make an incision in your gums to access the jaw. They’ll then divide the ridge bone and wedge the inner and outer segments apart. Bone grafting material will be used to fill the space between the sections before your gums are sutured to finish the procedure. After you’ve recovered properly, you’ll return to our office to continue your dental implant treatment.

What to Do Directly After Dental Implant Surgery

In the hours after your dental implant surgery, you need to make sure you get plenty of rest. Because it will take time for your anesthesia to wear off, you must have someone escort you home safely. It is also recommended that you take any prescribed medications or over-the-counter pain relievers before your anesthesia wears off. This will alleviate discomfort and keep you more comfortable as you rest. You should also avoid smoking or engaging in physical activity for at least 24 hours.

Common Side Effects

Although the actual procedure will cause no pain, you can expect some slight discomfort and soreness afterward. This can be remedied with OTC pain relievers as well as a cold compress. It is possible that you might see slight bruising and swelling, but these should dissipate within a few days.

Diet

A liquid diet is necessary for the days following your procedure, as you don’t want to apply unnecessary pressure to your dental implants in Midlothian. However, once you feel more comfortable, you can switch to a soft food diet that consists of:

• Pasta
• Scrambled eggs
• Yogurt
• Ice cream
• Pudding
• Warm soups
• Mashed potatoes

Health & Oral Hygiene

Just because your jawbone is sore from receiving dental implants doesn’t mean you get a free pass on your oral hygiene routine. The day after surgery, you can begin to brush your teeth, but you’ll need to be mindful when nearing your surgical sites, as you don’t want to irritate them. You should follow this same rule for flossing.

While you may be tempted to use regular mouthwash, make sure it doesn’t contain alcohol. In fact, it is better to rinse with warm salt water to eliminate any bacteria inside the mouth. You can do this 2-3 times each day.

What to Do After Your New Teeth Are Attached

After months of recovery, you’ll finally receive your customized restoration. Once your implant dentist in Midlothian puts it into place, you shouldn’t experience any soreness; however, it is common to feel slight sensitivity. After a few days, though, this sensation should go away, allowing you to start enjoying your new and improved smile that can last 30 years or more!

Make Oral Hygiene a Priority

Dental implants themselves can’t get cavities. (After all, they’re artificial.) Even so, you’ll still need to practice good oral hygiene for their sake. Various dental issues, especially gum disease, can cause implants to fail over time. Therefore, it’s crucial always to brush them twice daily, floss them once daily, and rinse them with mouthwash as needed. Doing so will ward off decay and infection that could ruin your restorations.

Eat a Healthy Diet

True enough, implants can handle tough foods; they let you eat most anything, really. That said, it’d be better if you held back on hard, sticky, or sugary items. A too-hard bite could still crack the prosthetics, and clinging sugar can cause decay that triggers implant failure. Instead, try to eat more “mouth-healthy” foods like lean proteins, leafy greens, whole grains, etc. Such products are jam-packed with nutrients that help your teeth, gums, and jaw stay strong.

Break Bad Habits

Bad oral habits can and do make implants fail sometimes. For instance, tobacco products often keep the prosthetics from fusing with your jaw. Similarly, teeth-grinding, biting your fingernails, and chewing on pencils may cause your implants to break. You should thus stop these habits at once if you have them. That way, your new teeth will stay functional for many years to come.

To resist the behaviors above, try chewing sugar-free gum that keeps your mouth occupied. You could also consult with our office for other ideas.

Protect Your Dental Implants

Implants may be strong and durable, but they aren’t indestructible. You must take extra steps to protect them from injury and excess force. For instance, wear an athletic mouthguard for sporting events — it’ll protect your teeth from blows to the face. Getting a nightguard is also a good idea if you grind your pearly whites at night. The item would prevent extra wear and tear on your implants.

Schedule Regular Dental Checkups

Even if you’re diligent at home dental care, there’ll still be leftover plaque. (Brushing and flossing can only reach so much of your mouth.) For that reason, remember to visit our dentists for regular dental checkups. Their oral exams will let them monitor the state of your implant(s). If they spot any issues, they can fix things quickly so you don’t need invasive dental work down the line

Why Do I Need a Bone Graft Before Getting Dental Implants?

Not all patients who receive dental implants are required to undergo a bone graft. However, if Dr. Nguyen believes your jawbone is too deteriorated, it may be necessary to have grafting minerals placed into various areas of your bone to create a more stable and structurally sound foundation for your implants. Although this additional procedure does require more time spent recovering at home, it is well worth it to receive dental implants that will remain in place for decades.

Is Dental Implant Surgery Safe?

Much like any other type of procedure, there are always risks involved. Dental implant placement does have a high success rate, but there is a small chance that an infection could develop that requires additional treatment or surgery. It is also possible that nerves can be bruised, causing numbness throughout the lips, cheeks, and tongue. Should this happen, it will most likely be temporary.

Can Dental Implants Fail?

Yes, it is possible for dental implants to fail; however, this is rare. Instances where an implant is incorrectly placed, or an infection develops within the bone can cause your procedure to be unsuccessful. This is why it is imperative that you select a trusted professional who has experience and training when it comes to surgically placing dental implants. Fortunately, Dr. Nguyen has advanced training in dental implant placement.

Is It Possible to Switch from Dentures to Dental Implants?

It is not uncommon for denture-wearers to inquire about switching to dental implants. During your consultation with Dr. Nguyen, he will examine your oral cavity and facial structure to determine if you are a qualified candidate. If the jawbone proves to be strong enough and you possess good gum health, there is a good possibility he can provide you with an implant-retained denture that contains between 4 and 6 implants.

Does Getting Dental Implants Hurt?

When preparing for dental implant placement, Dr. Nguyen will administer anesthesia to ensure you remain pain-free throughout the procedure. Also, it may be possible to receive sedation dentistry to calm your nerves and make sure you are fully relaxed while he completes his work. Once the anesthesia and sedation wear off, you will likely experience mild to moderate discomfort and soreness. Fortunately, we can provide you with detailed instructions on ways to address your symptoms and start feeling better in no time.