Implant Dentist Proudly Serving Greenville, Simpsonville, Five Forks, Taylors, Greer, Mauldin & Nearby Areas Of South Carolina
There are millions of people who are too embarrassed to smile because of missing teeth. Dental implants are a great way to restore missing teeth and renew self-confidence with beautifully natural results that last a lifetime.
This tooth-replacement treatment provides patients with both incredible cosmetic and oral health benefits. A free consultation with our experienced team of professionals can help determine if dental implant surgery is a good choice for you. For more than 30 years, families in the Greenville, Five Forks, and Greer communities have trusted their smiles to Flatrock Family Dentistry. Call us at (864) 756-5576 to discuss your dental implant options today.
On this page, we will discuss the following information about dental (or teeth) implants available at Flatrock Family Dentistry:
- What are dental/teeth implants?
- What are the benefits of dental implants?
- Are dental implants the right choice for me?
- What can I expect from the dental implant procedure?
- How long are dental implants designed to last?
- How much do dental implants cost?
- What types of dental implants are available near me?
- Why choose Flatrock Family Dentistry for dental implants?
- Schedule Your Dental Implant Consultation with Us Today
What Are Dental Implants or Teeth Implants?
Dental implants are designed to replace missing or damaged teeth, providing you with both cosmetic and health benefits. Realistic-looking dental crowns or dental bridges are attached to titanium screws securely placed beneath the gums where the roots of the missing tooth used to be. Dental crowns are used to replace single teeth within the mouth. An implant-supported dental bridge or dentures may be used to replace areas of several missing teeth in a row.
Dental implants consist of three main parts:
- The root is a supportive titanium post that is implanted in the bony ridge of the mouth to act as a foundation and secure the implant in place – much like your own natural teeth.
- The abutment is a tooth-shaped peg that connects the root to the crown, and may be made of titanium or porcelain.
- The crown is the visible part of the implant that is designed to look just like a real tooth. Your implant can be topped with a single crown, or attachable dental bridges or dentures to replace rows of missing teeth.
What Are the Benefits of Dental Implants?
Results that look and feel real. The goal of dental implants is to replace your missing teeth with something that looks and feels as natural as your real teeth – or even better. Unlike with traditional dentures, your implants are securely in place, allowing for a complete restoration of bit tension, strength, and function. No more having to worry about adjacent tooth slippage or having to remove dentures before bed or to eat. You can continue to brush your teeth and eat all your favorite foods just as you would with your own natural teeth.
Improved oral health. Aside from the clear cosmetic benefits, dental implants can provide patients with additional health benefits as well. While missing a tooth can have a significant impact on the look of your smile, the absence of the root can also cause further oral health issues such as a sunken jawbone, receding gums, and weakening of the surrounding teeth. A dental implant not only replaces the missing tooth/teeth, but the underlying roots as well to ensure a smile that is both beautiful and healthy.
Are Dental Implants the Right Choice for Me?
Dental implants are a great treatment option for most people struggling with one or more missing teeth. A personal consultation with our experienced dentists can help determine your best options for restoring a full and healthy smile.
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You may be a good candidate for dental implants if you:
- Are missing one or more individual teeth
- Are missing a row of multiple teeth
- Have strong, bony tissue where an implant must be placed
- Have healthy gums
- Are a non-smoker or are willing to quit smoking prior to your treatment
Certain chronic health conditions may also create complications with dental implants. Any such conditions must be well under control, and clearance from your primary care physician will be required prior to undergoing dental implant surgery.
In some cases, patients may require bone grafting or orthodontic work prior to a dental implant procedure. However, dental implants are not right for everyone and we may recommend alternative tooth replacement treatments to achieve your goal outcome.
What Can I Expect from the Dental Implant Procedure?
Your dental implant procedure will be performed at our brand new state-of-the-art facility in Greenville, South Carolina.
The basic steps of a dental implant procedure involve:
- Surgically placing your implant. Once your implant is designed, it will be placed within your jaw by implanting a titanium root within the underlying bony structure. Most patients will feel well enough to return to work and resume normal activity after just a day or two. NOTE: Some cases may require a bone graft prior to placement of the implant to ensure a secure and strong fit.
- Osseointegration. This refers to the process in which the implant fuses with the bone in which it was placed, creating a strong bond and foundation so that the implant will not shift. This will typically take three to six months.
- Placement of a temporary crown. Once your placed implant is fully fused to your jaw, a temporary crown (the visible part of the implant) is sometimes attached to the root.
- Placing your permanent crown for a realistic and long-lasting result. The final step in the process is to replace your temporary crown with a permanent crown specifically designed for you. This will be shaped, sized, and colored to blend seamlessly with your real teeth for an extremely natural appearance.
Replacing a missing tooth or teeth with dental implants is a gradual process, typically completed within six months to a year and involving several follow-up visits. This timeline will vary depending on your unique condition and the condition of the bony tissue where the teeth are missing.
In some cases where there is plenty of adequate bone available at the implant site, the process may take as little as four months. Other cases may require treatment before implant placement, such as bone grafting or repositioning of the teeth, which would extend the overall timeline.
How Long Are Dental Implants Designed to Last?
Dental implants are designed to provide you with natural-looking, strong-functioning results that last a lifetime. We work closely with each patient to ensure personalized outcomes providing a smile that not only looks beautiful, but feels just as natural as your real teeth.
After your dental implant procedure, it is important to care for your new teeth just as you would normally. You will be able to brush, floss, and eat comfortably without having to remove your teeth as is necessary with traditional dentures. Regular hygiene visits will help to maintain the look of your teeth and your overall oral health.
How Much Do Dental Implants Cost?
The cost of a dental implant procedure varies from patient to patient depending on each individual case. This will greatly depend on the number of teeth missing and how many implants will need to be placed.
Many insurance providers will assist with the investment for dental implant surgery. Please be sure to check with your insurance carrier to find out if your procedure is covered.
We also offer several financing options to help take the stress away from paying for your dental implant procedure.
What Types of Dental Implants Are Available Near Me?
We offer both traditional dental implants as well as implant-supported dentures at Flatrock Family Dentistry. The right option for you will depend on the number and location of your missing teeth, as well as your general oral health.
Available Dental Implants at Flatrock Family Dentistry:
Flatrock Family Dentistry has been proudly serving the Greenville, Five Forks and Greer communities for more than 30 years. Dr. Rouse and Dr. Khan have both completed advanced residency training after dental school which included training in dental implants. They lead a team of professionals dedicated to providing exceptional, comprehensive care in a comfortable atmosphere. We believe in a personalized patient focus and we take the necessary time to understand each individual patient’s needs.
Our brand new facility is located in Greenville, South Carolina, offering the most advanced state-of-the-art technologies to ensure the best treatment and experience for our patients. The addition of our low dose CAT scan imaging allows us to visualize the area where the implants are going to be placed in 3 dimensions. This allows precise treatment planning and placement of the implants. In cases where bone grafting is required prior to your dental implant procedure, we are able to perform many types of bone grafting at Flatrock Family Dentistry, including sinus lift surgery, which can be performed by Dr. Khan. We will thoroughly analyze the condition of your teeth and surrounding tissue to determine the best approach for your procedure. If major bone grafting is required, patients may be referred out.
Learn more about why patients have been choosing Flatrock Family Dentistry for more than 30 years.
What Are Dental Implants?
A dental implant is essentially a tooth replacement. When you have a tooth, there's the chewing part and then there's the root part. A dental implant is the root part that replaces that missing piece. It goes down into the bone and helps support the crown.
When Are Implants Used?
There are lots of different implications for implants. When someone has lost a tooth and wants to regain full function, an implant is the best thing. Sometimes you lose a single tooth, and all the other teeth want to cave into that area, so an implant will replace the missing tooth there, stabilizing the bite. Sometimes people have lost all their teeth, and implants will help regain the solid foundation to rebuild a mouth for normal function and chewing.
What Are the Options to Replace a Missing Tooth?
One option could be a removable denture or partial denture, something you take in and out of your mouth. Another option is a crown for a faulty tooth that you want to save. There's also a dental bridge, which connects solid teeth on either side of a missing tooth, bridging the gap, keeping teeth from shifting, and allowing you to chew normally. Usually, the ideal solution is to replace the missing tooth with an implant.
What Are The Advantages of Dental Implants?
The advantages of implants are that you're leaving the two teeth next to that space alone. If something ever happens to either of those side teeth, you're only fixing that one tooth, and they're not tied together. Another advantage is that an implant helps preserve the bone, just like a natural tooth's root does.
Consequences of Bone Loss
It depends on the location. Often, when missing a top tooth, your sinus cavity will dip down into where the bone used to be, potentially leading to problems. For those missing all their teeth and not having implants, bone loss can cause dentures to fit poorly, leading to facial changes.
What Is The Difference Between Dentures and Implant-Supported Dentures?
A traditional denture is better than having no teeth but it is not a replacement for teeth. It is a replacement for not having teeth, so as you wear a traditional denture, the fit can vary. Dentures are not solid, so there can be some movement of the teeth. The tongue is there, and the lips are moving, but there's not as much bone to hold that denture in place, so it is pretty common for teeth to move around.
On the top, the denture covers the palate, the roof of the mouth, and there are taste buds there. Some people have altered taste, and some people can get used to having something up there, while some people can't. What a denture that's supported by an implant does is it allows you to remove the part that's on the roof of the mouth and you can have it anchored so it will not come out. You can have confidence that when you're chewing, it is going to be there.
Some of the foods that you might not be able to eat with a denture, you should be able to eat with implant-supported dentures. With traditional dentures, most people aren't going to eat corn on the cob, apples, and steak the way they usually would. They're going to cut it off and use a fork and knife. Implant-supported dentures allow you to chomp away whatever you want. It's kind of like having normal teeth, so you can feel confident that you can eat whatever you want.
What Is The Difference Between Maintaining Dental Bridges vs. Dental Implants?
With a dental bridge, you have three teeth connected together. The tooth that's connected in the middle doesn't allow you to floss normally. You can still floss it, but you need a special tool that will slide up underneath the bridge to be able to clean the part that's right underneath the fake tooth in the middle. Generally, that's where the failure occurs, right underneath the fake tooth that's hanging in the middle. With a dental implant, you do need to clean it like a tooth, but you're able to floss and brush it normally. There's no tooth structure where a cavity can present, so they last longer.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Dental Implants?
Most people would be a candidate, but some uncontrolled medical conditions might require additional steps. If you have uncontrolled diabetes where you're not healing well or some kind of uncontrolled hypertension, we'd want to get that under control first. Some people don't have enough bone to place an implant immediately. That might take a few extra steps to get the bone back, and then you're able to get an implant. The only way to know if you're a candidate or not is for us to do an evaluation. We do a 3D scan of your mouth. It shows us exactly where the bone is and where the important structures are that we want to avoid with implants, and we are able to tell you what you need at that point.
What Are The Social Differences Between Dentures and Implants?
Dentures aren't always in place, and sometimes food is more likely to get stuck underneath them. Even with a bridge, you could have food get stuck underneath it. You're at a restaurant, something's underneath there, and you have to excuse yourself to go clean it out. There's also the sexy-time factor at night; if the teeth have to come out and sit on the stand, you give your wife a little goodnight kiss, and it does not have the same effect without teeth. I've heard that from patients.
If you have any questions that we can answer or we can help you in any way, reach out to us here at Flat Rock Family Dentistry at (864) 756-5576.
Schedule Your Dental Implant Consultation with Us Today
We love helping our patients achieve their goals of a healthier, more confident smile. To schedule your free dental implant consultation, please give our office a call to speak with a member of our team. Our number is (864) 756-5576. Flatrock Family Dentistry serves patients in Greenville, Mauldin, Five Forks, Taylors, Greer, Simpsonville and nearby areas in South Carolina