Dental Implants — Carmichael, CA

Initial Dental Implant Consultation

When meeting with Dr. Ji for your initial consultation, he will discuss your goals with you and examine your smile to determine how many teeth are missing as well as the type of dental restoration you will need to ensure a complete, fully functional smile. If he discovers you have severe decay, gum disease, or jawbone deterioration, you will need to undergo preliminary treatments before receiving your dental implants. Whether it is bone grafting, periodontal therapy, or tooth extraction, these additional treatments will ensure the longevity of your new prosthetics once they are firmly in place.

Dental Implant Surgery

On the day of your dental implant surgery, your implant dentist in Carmichael, Dr. Ji, will administer local anesthesia before making small incisions in your gums. This will expose the bone and allow him to carefully align and position each dental implant so that it provides maximum support. Once they are properly in place, he will close up the gum tissue and place a protective cap over the implant to allow it to heal.

Dental Implant Osseointegration/Abutment

You can expect the implant healing process to take several months; while the gums should heal within a few days, we need to allow time for the implant post to fuse with the bone. You will be expected to follow specific instructions provided to you so that your recovery is swift and successful. Once your dental implants are fully fused with your bone and surrounding tissues, you will receive an abutment, which are small metal appliances that connect the implant to the restoration.

Delivery of Dental Implant Restorations

During the final step, your general dentist will create your dental prosthetic, which might be a crown, a bridge, or dentures, and attach it to the abutment. The materials used to create these restorations will ensure that they blend in with any natural healthy teeth, making it virtually impossible for anyone to tell the difference between your real and artificial teeth. Not to mention, you will be able to enjoy greater functionality when eating, speaking, and smiling.

Day-to-Day Benefits

There are many little ways that dental implants will make your life better each and every day:

• Complete Security: Dental implants form a foundation directly in the jawbone, which gives them the kind of stability only a real tooth can match. When a patient has implants, they do not have to worry about their new teeth slipping out of place or breaking. Dental implants function like your real teeth, allowing you to eat your favorite foods with confidence and without pain.
• Unmatched Appearance: Dental implants are usually topped with custom-made porcelain restorations, and because they don’t require any metal or acrylic attachments to stay in place, they’re able to recreate the appearance of a natural tooth down to the finest detail, helping a patient recover their oral health and confidence at the same time.
• Easy Maintenance: Getting traditional dentures usually means making significant changes to your oral care routine. Taking care of dental implants is simple—you basically look after them just like your real teeth! Consistent brushing and flossing along with regular checkups at the dentist are all that’s needed to ensure implants look and function like new for decades to come.
• No Diet Restrictions: After your mouth has fully healed, your dental implants will have chewing power that’s almost on par with your real teeth. You can thus eat all of your favorite meals again without worrying about discomfort.

Health Benefits

In addition to improving your appearance and your day-to-day life, dental benefits can actively benefit your health:

• Healthy Jawbone: After a tooth goes missing, it’s normal for the jawbone in the area to start shrinking. This can weaken the foundation of the surrounding teeth and cause a person’s face to develop an aged, “sunken” appearance. Other tooth replacements can’t do anything about this, but dental implants can! Once in place, the new roots will stimulate new bone growth in the jaw and encourage renewed blood flow, helping a patient maintain a more youthful face shape as the years go by.
• Improved Nutrition: Not having any real restrictions in your diet makes it easy to get the various foods you need to keep your body healthy. Make sure you’re taking advantage of your implants and enjoying a wide variety of nutritious meals.
• Protection for Natural Teeth: With dental implants, we can completely fill in the gaps in your smile so that your remaining teeth stay right where they belong. Also, since dental implants are self-supporting, we typically do not have to make alterations to your natural teeth in order to make room for them.

Long-Term Benefits

The following benefits make dental implants an excellent investment as the years go by:

• High Rate of Success: When placed by a skilled oral surgeon like Dr. Ji, dental implants have an impressive 98% success rate, meaning they are virtually guaranteed to give a patient the results they want.
• Lifelong Solution: With the proper care, nothing is as reliable as dental implants. While most other tooth replacement solutions only last about five to ten years on average, dental implants can easily last for 30 years or more.

Missing 1 Tooth

Dr. Ji can place a single dental implant topped with an all-porcelain crown between two healthy teeth without altering them at all. This is a much less invasive approach compared to a traditional bridge in which the remaining teeth have to be filed down in order to support the prosthetic.

Missing Multiple Teeth

For patients missing multiple teeth in a row or all throughout their mouth, a small number of implants can be used to support a prosthetic such as a bridge or denture. Compared to their traditional counterparts, implant-retained prosthetics not only have a more secure hold, but they’ve been shown to last much longer as well.

Missing All Teeth

If a patient is missing all of their teeth along a single arch, Dr. Ji won’t have to replace each tooth with an individual implant. Instead, he can use just four to six implants to anchor a full denture to the jaw. Implant dentures are more stable than regular ones, plus they help a patient recover much more of their original bite strength, enabling them to enjoy a more varied diet with ease.

Some patients may be a candidate for All-On-4 implants, which utilize four strategically placed dental implants to support a full denture. During your consultation, Dr. Ji will review both options with you and help you choose the one that’s right for you.

Types of Dental Implants

Unlike other restorations, dental implants can be used to replace any number of teeth. Naturally, the extent of your tooth loss affects how many implants you need, and thus influences the overall cost. Patients who have only lost one tooth will likely need a single implant post and a crown, but multiple teeth in a row will need to be replaced by an implant bridge, and in some cases you might even need full prosthesis supported by four to six implants (implant denture or All-On-4). Dr. Ji will aim to use to most conservative number of implants necessary to restore the appearance and functionality of your smile.

The Stages of Dental Implant Treatment

When you are considering dental implant as an alternative treatment to restore your smile and function, on average it is reasonable to expect multiple appointments/stages until a final crown is placed. Usually this process starts with preparing the underlying bone for implant by either removing broken tooth along with simultaneous bone graft procedure, or in scenarios where tooth has been lost, the remaining jaw bone may or may not need augmentation prior to implant surgery. Once implant is surgically placed, you can expect an average of 3-5 months of healing period prior to placement of the implant post/abutment followed by routine crown fabrication by your general dentist.

Are Dental Implants Worth the Investment?

Some patients might be discouraged to find that dental implants are generally more costly than traditional dentures and bridges, but over the long term, you’ll find that the procedure is most certainly worth it. The implants will let you enjoy a wider variety of foods, keep your jawbone healthy, and avoid various inconveniences (such as the slipping that often occurs with ill-fitting dentures). There’s even a good chance that implants will prove to be the most cost-effective option over time because they can often last for the rest of your life without needing to be replaced; by comparison, you’ll usually need new dentures and bridges every 5 to 15 years.

Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?

Many plans don’t cover implant placement while others do, so you’ll need to check with your insurance carrier to see what benefits are offered. Even if the procedure itself doesn’t receive coverage, your plan could still pay for related procedures. For example, if one of the stages of your treatment is to receive bone graft augmentation/socket preservation, you can normally expect insurance to kick in. We’re happy to help you file a claim to maximize your benefits. We are in-network with many common dental PPOs, but we also accept plans that are out-of-network. Financing through CareCredit is also available.

3D Cone Beam Imaging

A cone beam computed tomography scanner, also called a CBCT scanner, is a very advanced type of X-Ray. Instead of producing the two-dimensional images that a regular X-Ray offers, a CBCT uses a cone-shaped beam of radiation to create a three-dimensional representation of the oral structures. It captures detailed images of the teeth, the jawbone, nerves, and connective tissues. Armed with the information from the CBCT scan, Dr. Ji is able to place your dental implants as precisely as possible, thereby minimizing your risk of post-surgical complications.

Guided Dental Implant Surgery

Dr. Ji is able to provide cost effective placement of dental implants using his surgical experience and CBCT information to free hand the implant placement. However, there are scenarios where Dr. Ji will utilize 3D printed surgical guides to provide that extra accuracy. Scenarios such as close proximity to a nerve or lack of good healthy jawbone can make implant placement in an ideal angulation challenging and may require the added cost of the surgical guides. That being said, the majority of implant cases in Dr. Ji’s hands will not require surgical guides and its added cost.  When applicable, Dr. Ji will be able to fabricate these surgical guides through digital scanning technology to improve your surgical outcome.

Platelet Rich Plasma

Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) is a by-product of blood that is rich in platelets. Platelets perform many functions, and release a lot of various growth factors, such as PDGF (platelet derived growth factor) and TGF (transforming growth factor). Not only is PRP able to stimulate stem cell regeneration, subsets of TGF growth factors – BMP (Bone Morphogenic Protein), are essential in bone formation/maturation. In more complex implant cases such as sinus augmentation with simultaneous implant placements, All-on-4, or immediate implant cases, Dr. Ji routinely utilize PRP from patient’s own blood to facilitate your tissue healing/bone formation to achieve the best surgical outcome.

Advanced Sedation Training

It’s understandable if you are a little nervous about dental implant surgery. But thanks to Dr. Ji’s advanced anesthesia training, you can expect to feel little to nothing during your procedure. He is qualified to safely administer all forms of sedation, including nitrous oxide, oral conscious sedation, IV sedation, and general anesthesia. Each type of sedation is suited for different circumstances. For example, oral conscious sedation is often a good choice for patients who dislike needles, while general anesthesia is usually reserved for patients who require particularly complex or extensive treatment. Dr. Ji will decide on the appropriate form of sedation for you based on your circumstances.

Bone Grafting

Dental implants are meant to help prevent bone loss in your jaw, but if you’ve waited too long before having your teeth replaced, odds are you’ve already lost some bone density in that area. We’ll need to rebuild the bone before moving forward with the implant surgery, and to do that we need to use a procedure called bone grafting. Bone tissue will be taken from another part of your body such as the hip or a denser part of the jaw; in certain cases, commercially available bone graft material will come from another person or animal instead. In any case, the new tissue will be transplanted to the degraded area, where it can stimulate the growth of new bone. The surgery normally takes anywhere from 45 to 90 minutes, and afterwards it can take three months to a year for your mouth to fully recover. Implant placement will take place after we’ve determined that your jaw will be able to join with and support the posts.

Sinus Lifts

A sinus lift can be used to add density to a degenerated much like a bone graft. However, this procedure is exclusively used for the upper jaw, and it has the additional benefit of moving the sinus cavity further away from the mouth. We may recommend a sinus lift if we find out that the cavity does not currently leave enough room for dental implants. During the surgery, we’ll open the gums where your tooth was and create a window in the bone. We can then gently lift the membrane that separates the sinuses from the jaw so that we can place the grafting material underneath it. Afterwards, you can usually expect about 4 to 9 months of healing before we move on with the actual dental implant process.

What to Do Directly After Dental Implant Surgery

Blood clots should form at your surgical sites. These are an important part of your body’s healing process, so you should do all you can to protect them. Here are some guidelines to that end:

• Do not spit. Instead, swallow excess saliva or use tissues to absorb it.
• Do not use drinking straws or smoke cigarettes. The suction action could dislodge the blood clots.
• Do not touch your surgical sites. You might be tempted to feel your incision sites with your tongue or fingers, but it is best to refrain from doing so.

Common Side Effects

Here are some things you can expect to experience after your surgery:

• Intermittent bleeding. This may continue for several days. Manage it with gauze and light pressure. This usually occurs throughout the first 72 hours after surgery, and it can last for a week or longer. Cold compresses can minimize it.
• Rest and pain medications can ease pain and soreness.

If you experience any severe or unusual side effects, call your implant dentist in Carmichael right away to request an appointment.

Diet

At first, you should stick to a no-chew diet, which can include things like smoothies, brothy soups, yogurt, mashed potatoes, and meal replacement shakes. Eventually, you can transition to a fork-tender diet, meaning that you will be able to eat things like scrambled eggs, pasta, meatloaf, and anything else that is easy to cut with the side of a fork. When you resume a normal diet, you should continue to be wary of hard and crunchy foods, especially if you do not have any remaining natural teeth.

Health & Oral Hygiene

You can resume your normal brushing habits the day after surgery, but be extremely careful around your surgical sites. Rinsing your mouth a few times each day with saltwater can help to keep inflammation to a minimum. If you have a prescription mouth rinse, use it as directed. If you choose to use a nonprescription mouthwash, avoid any products with a high alcohol content.

What to Do After Your New Teeth Are Attached

After your appointment to get prosthetic teeth attached to your dental implants in Carmichael, you might notice that you produce some extra saliva or that your gums are tender. Such issues tend to subside within days. There should be no swelling, no bleeding, and no lengthy recovery.

Make Oral Hygiene a Priority

One of the most common causes of dental implant failure is an infection known as peri-implantitis, which occurs when bacteria attack the tissue around an implant. Oral hygiene is one of the best ways to prevent such an infection. You should brush your teeth at least twice a day, being sure to clean both the backs of your teeth and the area along the gumline. Once-daily flossing is also key. Dr. Ji might also recommend that you use an antibacterial mouthwash.

Eat a Healthy Diet

Dental implants can enable you to eat virtually any food. However, just like some foods are better than others for natural teeth, dental implant care in Carmichael also requires that you make smart choices about what you consume. For example, you should enjoy sticky and sugary food in moderation. Extremely hard foods (like jawbreaker candies) should be avoided altogether. Instead, try to focus your diet on foods that promote oral health. Items that are rich in calcium, vitamin C, and vitamin D may all be beneficial.

Break Bad Habits

Smoking can slow down your body’s ability to heal after dental implant surgery. It also increases the risk of dry mouth and gum disease, both of which can pose a danger to dental implants. Every effort you make to kick the habit will be worth it!

Another bad habit that might harm implants is biting on hard items. Chewing on pen caps, crunching on ice, or using your teeth as a tool may all damage dental implant restorations and your oral tissues.

Protect Your Dental Implants

If you play sports, you should always wear a mouthguard to prevent the need for an emergency appointment with your implant dentist in Carmichael. A custom mouthguard from a dentist provides better protection than one that you can purchase over the counter. You might also need to wear a special mouthguard at night if you tend to grind and clench your teeth while you are asleep. The mouthguard can prevent you from putting excess pressure on your dental implants that might damage them or their restorations.

Schedule Regular Dental Checkups

Even though dental implants can’t get cavities, regular checkups with your dentist remain as important as ever. At your appointments, your dental team may remove your restorations, clean the area around your implants, and look for any early indications of infection or other issues. They may be able to catch problems while they are still in their early stages and relatively easy (and relatively inexpensive) to fix.