Home/Innovative Implants
If you have missing teeth, Dr. Grant Olson can restore both function and appearance with dental implants. An alternative to traditional tooth restoration options, dental implants can offer a more permanent and natural solution to enhance your smile and improve chewing and speaking. Unlike conventional crowns, bridges, and dentures, dental implants are supported by a titanium post placed into the bone, making them a permanent part of your mouth and mimicking your natural teeth in the way they look and feel. They do not move or slip along the gumline, and they require no extra maintenance beyond regular brushing and flossing. These innovative solutions for replacing missing teeth have been revolutionary in the restorative dentistry field, and we are proud to offer them to our patients here in Springfield.
To learn more about dental implants, we invite you to view the detailed sections below, or contact Innovative Dental today to schedule an appointment.
There are many benefits our patients can enjoy with dental implants, including:
Our doctors offer dental implants for the replacement of a single tooth, several consecutive teeth, and even an entire row of upper or lower teeth. These options can be categorized into three different types of dental implant solutions:
More ReviewsInnovative Dental did my implants and they are amazing!!! Extremely impressed.
Joselyn Dodson
November 16, 2017
12345
Good candidates for dental implants typically include patients who:
At the time of your consultation, one of our doctors will perform an extensive evaluation to determine if dental implants are right for you. In some cases, preliminary procedures—such as scaling and root planing for gum disease—can be employed prior to implant surgery in order to improve candidacy and increase the likelihood of treatment success. Our team will discuss all options available in full detail, ultimately helping you decide on the most appropriate course of action for your tooth replacement needs and goals.
At Innovative Dental, we offer advanced surgically guided dental implant techniques to ensure the best possible results. Dr. Olson will begin the implant treatment process by meeting with you for a thorough consultation to assess your jaw and gums and go over your expectations. If it is determined that you are a candidate for dental implants, he will use the Galileos™ 3D Imaging System to capture a 3D image of your teeth that will guide our team in designing and determining the best placement for your dental implants. The 3D implant planning software will help us view the intricate details of your bone structure, gums, and teeth, assisting us in creating the most precise fit for the implants. Ultimately, using this surgical guide can allow for quicker treatment and recovery time, as well as results that look and feel like your natural teeth.
At the time of surgery, your dentist will place a small, strong titanium post under the gums in the area of your missing tooth. This post is designed to integrate into the jaw and act like your natural tooth root. In about three to six months, the implant should completely fuse to the jawbone in a process called osseointegration. Many times, our doctors can place a temporary crown over the implant during this process. Once the implant has fused to the bone, your dentist will affix a custom-made, permanent crown on the implant, and the procedure is complete. Your new tooth should both look and feel like a natural part of your mouth.
Here at Innovative Dental, we utilize advanced techniques in order to improve patient safety, comfort, and results. In addition to enhancing the appearance and functionality of your teeth, surgically guided dental implants can provide many other benefits, including:
Dr. Olson and his team are committed to providing you with the best possible experience during every step of treatment. Surgically guided implants are just one of the many innovative services that our state-of-the-art dental technology and extensive experience allows us to provide.
Once fused to the jawbone, dental implant posts typically become a permanent part of the mouth. The crown, bridge, or denture secured to the implant(s) usually lasts several years—sometimes even decades—before potentially needing replacement. It is important to note that the longevity of dental implants can be impacted by oral hygiene, so brushing, flossing, and receiving professional dental cleanings on a routine basis are vital to helping prolong the lifespan of your restoration(s).
The average price of dental implants at Innovative Dental varies greatly from patient to patient. Factors that can influence the total cost of your dental implant procedure include:
When considering dental implants, it is critical to keep in mind that pricing is often an indication of the training and experience of a dentist, the quality of materials and technology they use, and the success they’ve had in achieving excellent results. For these reasons, a “low cost” should never be the sole reason for choosing a particular dental implant provider.
If you are interested in dental implants but concerned about the overall expense, our practice partners with several healthcare lenders to offer dental financing options that fit virtually any budget. During your visit, a member of our team will be happy to get you started on the application process for the plan of your choice. Once you have received word on approval—which typically happens within minutes—we can move forward with scheduling treatment as soon as you wish.
While periodontal treatment and/or other dental services can often improve eligibility for many individuals who are not initially considered good candidates for dental implants, there are some cases in which an alternative treatment may be the best option. Other tooth restoration solutions available at our practice include dental crowns designed to restore form and function to badly damaged teeth, as well as dental bridges made to replace one or more consecutively missing teeth. We also offer inlays and onlays—also called partial crowns—if enough tooth structure remains that a full crown is not necessary for successful restoration of single teeth.
At the time of your consultation, your dentist will discuss all tooth replacement and restoration options available to you, helping you select the most appropriate treatment for your needs and goals.
Generally speaking, dental implants are considered a safe tooth replacement solution when treatment is properly performed by a skilled and experienced dentist. Of course, as with any surgery, there is some degree of risk involved, making it imperative that you select a dentist who has received extensive implant dentistry training, utilizes state-of-the-art technology for precision planning and surgical placement, and has a proven track record of successful treatment—such as the doctors on our team. By choosing the right dentist, you can minimize potential risks and complications while maximizing safety and long-term success.
Typically, local anesthesia is all that is necessary to limit any potential discomfort during dental implant surgery. In fact, most of our patients say they experienced little to no pain at all—only slight sensations of pressure. Following treatment, our doctors often recommend over-the-counter medication should any postoperative discomfort manifest, though the majority of individuals have no issues with pain after the placement of their dental implants.
Just like natural teeth, dental implants require regular brushing and flossing, as well as professional cleanings at least twice annually. While the implant post and tooth restoration attached to the top will not decay, ensuring the surrounding gum tissue and other oral structures remain healthy is essential to achieving long-lasting results.
The success rate of implant dentistry is very high when treatment is performed by a qualified provider. That said, success is not solely in the hands of the dentist—patients themselves also play a role. Factors such as how closely recovery instructions are followed, how well optimal oral hygiene is maintained over time, and whether or not detrimental habits like smoking and/or tobacco use are avoided can all influence the long-term success or failure of dental implants. Therefore, choosing the right dentist and doing your part to ensure the best outcome is critical to success.
When it comes to candidacy for dental implants, age is not generally as important as having adequate jawbone density and sufficient oral wellness. In fact, our doctors have treated numerous patients who chose to receive dental implants or implant-supported dentures later in life. During your consultation, your dentist can determine if dental implants would be right for you at this time based on your unique situation.
Selecting the right dentist for dental implants is an incredibly important decision, as it relates directly to your safety, results, and overall quality of care. To help ensure you choose the right provider, it can be beneficial to heed the following advice:
Smoking is associated with slower healing, an increased risk of infection and gum disease, as well as a loss in jawbone density, all of which can negatively impact both your dental implants and your overall oral health. Smoking is also believed to increase the likelihood of implant failure, as nicotine restricts the flow of blood and oxygen to your oral cavity, potentially impairing the osseointegration process. Your dentist will likely recommend that you stop smoking as far in advance of your procedure as possible. Ideally, patients would never resume smoking, but it is imperative that the activity be avoided for at least the first two to three months after implant placement.
Once your implant has successfully fused with the jawbone, it is considered a permanent part of the mouth and should look, feel, and function almost exactly like a normal tooth. The only major difference is that the implant does not have nerve endings, so any sensation will be generated by the surrounding teeth and gum tissue.
The precise number of dental implants you need will depend on a few different factors, such as how many missing teeth you have and whether you are interested in single-tooth implants or multi-tooth restorations. For patients missing only one or a few single teeth, individual implants can be used to replace the entire structure of each tooth. For those missing several consecutive teeth or even an entire arch of teeth, an implant bridge or implant-retained denture prosthesis can often be supported using just a few strategically placed implants.
Unlike traditional dentures, implants and implant-supported restorations typically do not involve long-term dietary restrictions. That said, patients may be asked to go on a soft food diet for a few weeks or months following their initial implant surgery, as this can help promote healing. Hard or chewy foods can disturb the newly implanted post(s) and the surrounding gum tissues, potentially causing pain or slowing down the healing process. Once the implant post has properly fused with the jawbone and the final crown restoration has been placed, patients can resume eating as they normally would.
For most patients, it takes between three and six months to fully heal after dental implant surgery. That said, different patients heal at different rates, and it is important to follow all of your dentist’s aftercare instructions to ensure a smooth, efficient healing process. The good news is that the healing process itself is typically fairly straightforward. There may be some minor discomfort in the days following surgery, but this is usually quite manageable with over-the-counter medication. The remainder of the healing time is dedicated to allowing the implant to fully fuse with the jawbone for optimal stability.
For more information about dental implants, or if you would like to meet with one of our doctors for a one-on-one consultation that includes a complimentary 3D scan, please contact us today.