Missing one or more teeth can take a toll on your well-being and quality of life. Missing teeth can change your appearance, make it difficult to enjoy your favorite foods, affect the way you speak, and even harm the health of your remaining natural teeth. Thankfully, modern restorative dentistry offers patients several options for replacing missing teeth. The most popular treatment, by far, is tooth replacement with dental implants. 

What Are Dental Implants?

A dental implant is a restorative dental prosthetic that consists of three main components:

• Implant Anchor - Made of biocompatible metal and shaped similarly to a screw, the implant anchor is inserted into the jawbone where it becomes osseointegrated with the bone matter to mimic a natural tooth's root system. 
• Implant Abutment - The abutment connects to the anchor and creates a platform to support the restoration.
• Restoration - Usually made of porcelain, the restoration is shaped and colored like a natural tooth. It is the only visible portion of a dental implant. 

Types of Dental Implants

There are several different types of dental implants:

• Endosteal - The most common type of implants, these are appropriate for most patients and placed directly into the jawbone. 
• Subperiosteal - This is a less common type of implant that is tucked beneath the gum tissue on top of the jawbone within a metal framework. They might be recommended when a patient has inadequate bone density. 
• Zygomatic - Longer than endosteal implants, zygomatic implants are designed for implantation in the cheekbone (zygoma) when a patient has severe bone loss in the upper maxillary arch. 
• Immediate Load - These implants are designed for implantation immediately following a tooth extraction. 
• Mini - These are smaller than endosteal implants and can be used to replace small teeth or for patients with slightly less jawbone mass. 

The type of implant that is best for each patient varies based on the patient's jawbone density, the location of the missing tooth, and the patient's general health. 

Why Choose Smile Restoration With Dental Implants?

Dental implants are, by far, the most beneficial tooth-replacement option. They look, feel, and work just like natural teeth, and they don't require any sticky dental adhesives. Plus, they help to support ongoing jawbone health, which keeps the remaining natural teeth strong. 

Dental Implant Treatment Options

Dental implants are also a versatile tooth-replacement treatment option, and they can be used in a variety of smile restoration cases. 

• One-for-One Tooth Replacement - One dental implant topped with a dental crown can replace an individual tooth.
• Implant-Supported Dental Bridge - When multiple consecutive teeth are missing, one or two dental implants can support a dental bridge and replace all of the missing teeth at once. 
• Implant-Supported Dentures - For patients who are missing all or most of their teeth, we rarely recommend restoring the smile with full-mouth dental implants. Instead, the most common treatment is called all-on-4 dental implants, which involves placing four (six or eight) dental implants to support a full or partial denture. 

What to Expect: The Dental Implant Procedure

The complete dental implant treatment process can vary quite a bit, depending on the patient's needs and treatment plan. Throughout every step of the process, we use local anesthetic to prevent pain and discomfort. Plus, we offer sedation dentistry options to help patients relax during their dental appointments. 

The process always begins with a consultation, where our dentist examines the patient's teeth and oral health, takes diagnostic images, and creates a treatment plan. The treatment plan might include preparatory work such as tooth extractions and bone grafts. These procedures will need to be completed before the implantation process begins. 

Dental implants are placed during a small oral surgery. A period of healing and osseointegration follows the dental implant placement. Once fully healed, we can place the abutment. This appointment might also require a period of healing, after which we can place the permanent restoration. 

Depending on the patient's treatment plan and healing speed, the total treatment process (from consultation to permanent restoration) typically takes an average of three to 18 months. 

How Much Do Dental Implants Cost?

On average, the cost of a single dental implant can range from about $3,000 to $7,000. The cost of smile restoration with dental implants can vary greatly depending on the number of implants needed, the type and location of the implant, the complexity of the case, the type of restoration, and the patient's dental insurance. 

Our office team can provide you with a total estimate of your treatment costs and help you navigate your insurance policy to help you better anticipate your out-of-pocket treatment costs. Additionally, at 100 West Dental, we provide our patients with a variety of payment and financing plans to help ensure that every patient can access the high-quality dental care they need without overextending their budget. 

Additionally, we offer patients free in-office or virtual dental implant consultations, so exploring your treatment options at 100 West Dental won't cost you a dime. 

Affordable Dental Implants: Why Choose Dental Implants by 100 West Dental

If you need treatment with dental implants in Ballwin, then 100 West Dental is the place, and Dr. Brandon Prior is the dentist. Dr. Prior has extensive experience and training in dental implant treatment and smile restoration. He is a lecturer, trainer, and key opinion leader (KOL) on dental implant placement for Biotech Dental USA, and we have been voted into the St. Louis A List as a top cosmetic dentist. With free consultations and budget-friendly payment options, there's no reason why you shouldn't consider our dental care team for your smile restoration.

To learn more about dental implants or to request a consultation, we welcome you to contact our dental office in Ballwin today.