Clearing Up The Mystery of Dental Implants!

Dental Implants have been touted as a sort of promised land for those who are looking for a way to replace their missing teeth. While they’re currently big news, they’re hardly a new concept, given that Ancient Egyptian mummies have been found with implants made of gold-wire in their jawbones. While Americans under 50 have a much lower likelihood of losing teeth than any generation before them, it’s an almost unavoidable eventuality that all of us must face. When that time comes, you’ll have some choices to make, and you may be wondering if the higher cost of dentures is really worth it.

What Are Dental Implants?
If you’re not familiar with this new oral health innovation, then they bear a little explanation. Dental implants are replacement teeth that can be obtained as single teeth or to replace multiple teeth. In both cases, they are secure to a titanium screw that is implanted into your jawbone surgically and then has a mounting point placed atop it. This mounting point is used to anchor a bridge, crown, partial, or full denture into the patient’s mouth to create a beautiful smile that’s nearly indistinguishable from natural teeth.

Are They Affordable?
Affordable is a subjective term, and it mostly depends on your insurance and your financial reality. Implants don’t come cheaply, starting at as much as $2,000 to $4,000 for a single tooth to as much as $25-$50,000 for a full upper and lower set. Aggravating these costs is the fact that dental insurance typically doesn’t provide any coverage for these kinds of solutions, instead limiting their available solutions to traditional dentures. If this is within your reach, then you’ll also want to consider the comfort and convenience they provide. Dental Implants represent some significant quality of life improvements over traditional dentures and replacement solutions.

What Should I Know Before Getting Them?
Start with being confident that your dentist is experienced with the procedures involved by inquiring after their training, how many times they’ve done implants, and having them describe what’s involved in getting them done. Those who can speak with authority are those who know the procedures and have the knowledge and skill to execute them safely. Additionally, you may want to determine what your dental insurance and dentist’s office have in the way of options for you to pay for the implants. It’s not uncommon for these offices to offer in-house financing to ensure their patients can get the best dental solution available.

If you’ve decided that dental implants may be right for you, the next step is to contact a dentist who can provide these services in your area. If you happen to live in the Lake City, FL area and are looking into dental implants give Southwest Family Dentistry a call. Under the guidance of Dr. John Batlle is a team of experienced dental physicians who have been providing beautiful smiles and excellent oral care to their patients for years. Don’t hide your smile out of embarrassment over missing teeth, pick up the phone and call Southwest Family Dentistry today!