Dental Implants – Conway, SC

Initial Dental Implant Consultation

The first step is always the initial consultation with your dentist. Dr. Murph will thoroughly evaluate your oral health and smile to determine the proper way to rebuild your missing teeth. Usually, the procedure will be possible as long as you have healthy gums and sufficient jawbone tissue. However, if your oral health isn’t currently in good shape, we can perform preliminary services to address this, such as periodontal treatment, bone grafting, and even tooth extractions if necessary. Once your gums and jawbone are healthy and strong, we can move forward with your dental implant procedure.

Dental Implant Surgery

At the start of your appointment, our team will provide you with a local anesthetic to numb your mouth and keep you entirely pain-free throughout your surgery. We can even administer nitrous oxide sedation to further reduce your ability to register pain while also increasing your levels of relaxation. Then, Dr. Murph will make an incision in your gums to access the preplanned locations of your jawbone to place the dental implants. Afterward, he’ll suture the tissue closed and place protective caps atop the metal posts to keep them secure while you recover.

Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment

During your healing period, your dental implant will need to undergo osseointegration—the bonding process between the titanium posts and jawbone tissue. This is what will create the lifelike stability and longevity for your restorations, that way you won’t have to worry about your new pearly whites moving out of place when eating or speaking. This process can take three to six months. Once it’s complete, you’ll return to us to receive your abutment(s)—metal connector pieces that link your restorations to your implants.

Delivery of Dental Implant Restoration(s)

After your gums have healed from receiving your abutments, you’ll return to our office to have your new dental crown, bridge, or denture placed. Our team will verify that your new teeth fit correctly and that you’re satisfied with your bite. If all is well, you’ll be free to make the most out of your newly rebuilt grin.

Day-to-Day Benefits

There are several ways that dental implants can make your day-to-day life significantly better:

• Confidence: Dental implants look and feel like natural teeth. Also, unlike traditional dentures, they will never slip out of place. This means you are likely to feel a lot more confident when showing off your smile to others or eating in public.
• A More Nutritious Diet: Dental implants have enough stability to allow you to eat virtually anything you want. Without any significant limitations on your diet, it will be much easier for you to enjoy a variety of healthy foods to maintain good nutrition.
• Easy to Take Care of: There’s no need to buy any specialized products or learn a new oral hygiene routine to protect your rebuilt smile. Taking care of dental implants isn’t much different than taking care of natural teeth; you can brush and floss like you always have.

Health Benefits

Beyond the obvious advantages of letting you enjoy a complete smile again, dental implants can also be beneficial to your health:

• Prevention of Bone Loss: Did you know that the stimulation from your natural teeth prevents your jawbone from deteriorating? Since dental implants can act as new tooth roots, they can also provide this stimulation, thus helping you maintain the strength of your jaw.
• Prevention of Dental Drift: Teeth have a tendency to drift toward any open space in your smile. Dental implants can be used to completely fill in any gaps, which helps ensure that your teeth stay in the proper alignment.
• Improved Oral Health: Dental implants are relatively easy to clean, which can go a long way toward improving your overall dental hygiene and helping you keep gum disease and other oral health issues at bay.

Long-Term Benefits

Dental implants may be a significant investment in terms of time and cost, but this is balanced out by these important long-term benefits:

• A More Youthful Appearance: With dental implants preventing bone loss in your jaw, you will be less likely to experience facial collapse that can make you look older.
• Reliability: Dental implants are known for their high success rate. In fact, 95% of dental implants remain successful even a decade after their initial placement.
• Long-Lasting Results: Even well-made traditional dentures and bridges often need to be replaced every few years. By comparison, dental implants can last for well over 30 years, and you may even be able to keep them for the rest of your life provided you give them the right care and maintenance.

Who Is a Good Candidate for Dental Implants?

If you are a healthy adult, dental implants are likely a good option for you. Here are three of the things we consider when determining if you make a good candidate for the procedure:

• Good Overall Health: Placing dental implants requires a surgical procedure, so you need to be in good enough health to undergo minor surgery. 
• Great Oral Health: If you have an issue like a cavity or gum disease, your dental implants are more likely to fail, so they’ll need to be addressed first.
• Adequate Jawbone Density: You need to have a strong jawbone to support dental implants for your treatment to be successful. 

If you aren’t a good candidate for dental implants right away, this doesn’t always mean that they aren’t an option in the future. Many patients end up needing to complete preliminary treatments, like tooth extractions, gum disease therapy, or bone grafting before getting dental implants. We can help to schedule the preparatory procedure to get you on track towards restoring your smile. Later on, we can create your dental implant treatment plan.

Missing One Tooth

To fill in a single gap, we can use one dental implant. The post is surgically inserted into the jaw bone, where it grows and envelops the post. Once this process, called osseointegration, is finished, we’ll put a dental crown on top. Although the implant is still an artificial tooth, it comes pretty close to feeling and looking just like the real thing.

Missing Multiple Teeth

To replace more than one missing tooth, we can customize your treatment with an implant-retained bridge or implant-retained partial denture. Instead of attaching to the healthy teeth around the gaps, these restorations are anchored to two or three dental implants, providing more security.

Missing All Teeth

Losing every last tooth doesn’t mean that you can’t benefit from dental implants. Using four to six strategic implants, we can hold a full denture firmly in place. With this implant-supported option, you can enjoy a much stronger bite, allowing you to eat fibrous, nutritious foods again. (If applicable) Alternatively, you may be a candidate for All-On-4 dental implants. This method is ideal for patients who have inadequate jawbone density, possibly because they’ve been missing teeth for a long time. As the name implies, this option anchors a full denture securely in place with just four strategically placed dental implants.

Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery

The process of replacing a tooth with dental implants occurs in several steps, each with separate costs. You can pay as you go, so you don’t have to worry about paying it all at once. The amount you’ll pay is dependent on your treatment plan. Although every case differs, you can expect to pay for:

• Consultation: You’ll require an initial consultation with your implant dentist in Conway, which will include a visual examination and diagnostic services.
• Preparatory Treatments: It’s not uncommon to need a little prep work, like gum disease treatment, bone grafting, or tooth extractions.
• Placement Surgery: Sedation or anesthesia will be used to keep you comfortable as your implant posts are placed into your jaw.

The Parts of Your Dental Implant

Your estimate will also include each part of your dental implant, which includes:

• Post: A titanium post will serve as a tooth root.
• Abutment: An abutment is a fixture between the post and restoration.
• Restoration: You’ll require either a crown, bridge, or denture, depending on the number of teeth you're missing.

When choosing materials for your dental implant, focus on quality over cost. Discounted materials may not be as durable, successful, or aesthetically pleasing. As the saying goes, you’ll get what you pay for. We will help you choose the best materials for your new smile.

How Dental Implants Can Save You Money

Dental implants in Conway are the most cost-effective tooth replacement method because they never need to be replaced, unlike other prosthetics. They have over a 95% success rate and are proven to last for decades. Not to mention, they are the only treatment to preserve your jawbone, which will improve your oral health to avoid costly dental work later. As the only treatment to replace both the tooth root and the crown, you can’t put a price on the benefits you’ll gain.

Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?

Your dental insurance may cover some of the expenses for certain steps in your treatment, like your consultation, diagnostic services, or preparatory procedures. After meeting your deductible, your insurance may pay some of the cost of your restoration. We will work on your behalf with your dental insurance to maximize your coverage to lower the amount you’ll pay out-of-pocket.

Making Dental Implants Affordable

Besides using your dental insurance, our office offers multiple options to keep dental implants affordable, like:

• Traditional Payments: We accept cash, credit cards, and personal checks for your convenience.
• Financing: You can pay for your new smile using monthly installments through a third-party financing company, like CareCredit.

What to Do Directly After Dental Implant Surgery

Allowing the blood clot to form around your implant site is perhaps the most crucial thing to do during your healing period. The last thing you want is to disrupt your recovery and accidentally invite complications, such as infection or treatment failure. Keep the following tips in mind during your healing phase:

• Avoid touching the surgical site with your fingers or tongue
• Refrain from using a straw when drinking
• Do not spit; swallow your saliva or use a tissue
• Do not smoke right after your treatment

Common Side Effects When Recovering from Dental Implant Placement

During the first few days following your surgery, you might experience one or several side effects. Here are some of the symptoms you may expect and how to deal with them:

• Soreness: Take prescribed/over-the-counter pain relievers to help alleviate any discomfort while you’re healing.
• Bleeding: You might bleed occasionally for a few days after surgery. Try applying a clean cloth or gauze with light pressure to the area to control the bleeding.
• Swelling: Inflammation may occur for the first 72 hours, which can be minimized with a cold compress.

These side effects should only be temporary. If you notice any of these and they’re persisting for too long, notify us for help.

Your Diet After Dental Implant Surgery

To avoid chewing excessively or disturbing the implant site during your recovery, be sure to stick to softer foods, such as:

• Soup (warm or cold, NOT hot soup)
• Pudding
• Yogurt
• Applesauce
• Pasta
• Mashed potatoes
• Scrambled eggs
• Ice cream

After some time, you can start to introduce more solid foods to your diet. Be sure to minimize eating crunchy and tough foods while avoiding chewing on the side of your mouth where your implant(s) are.

Post-Op Health & Oral Hygiene

In some cases, patients might be able to brush their teeth normally the day after their surgery. Just be gentle and cautious while doing so. Rinse with salt water to keep the area clean of bacteria, and be sure not to use alcoholic mouthwash. Other than rinsing after meals, remember to not spit the liquid out but to let it pour from your mouth to the sink.

What to Do After Your New Teeth Are Attached

After you’ve received your new dental crown, bridge, or denture, you’ll finally be done with the most difficult part. Of course, it’s normal to experience some soreness or sensitivity, but this is usually temporary and can be managed with pain medications. If you notice any bleeding, swelling, or other complications arising, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team so we can address the issue.

Make Oral Hygiene a Priority

Practicing good oral hygiene is always important, whether you have dental implants or not. If you fail to take proper care of your teeth and gums, harmful bacteria can attack your soft oral tissues, potentially causing bone and tooth loss. Additionally, you could develop decay on your natural teeth. Brushing twice a day, flossing daily, and rinsing daily with an ADA-approved mouthwash are excellent practices that will help keep your smile in optimal condition.

Stick to a Healthy Diet

Once fully healed, you can eat almost any food you want with dental implants! However, be sure to avoid overindulging in hard, sticky, sugary, or acidic foods. They can wreak havoc on your brand-new grin and contribute to multiple oral health issues. Instead, you should eat nutrient-rich foods that will benefit your jawbone and gums, such as fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and dairy products.

Break Bad Habits

Poor habits like smoking, biting your fingernails, using your teeth as tools, and chewing on pens or pencils can be detrimental to your implants. To keep your smile safe, consider kicking these habits to the curb as soon as you can. If you need help breaking them, reach out to Dr. Murph for assistance. He can provide you with the resources, support, and guidance you need to make the feat as easy as can be.

Protect Your Dental Implants

Do you regularly play sports or grind your teeth at night? If so, ask Dr. Murph about a custom-made oral device. An athletic mouthguard can keep your mouth safe against any impact should you sustain a blow to the face. Meanwhile, a nightguard will protect your enamel from the force of you grinding your teeth at night.  

Schedule Regular Dental Checkups

It’s incredibly important that you visit Dr. Murph every six months for a checkup and cleaning to keep your smile in excellent condition. He’ll conduct an oral examination, review your prosthetics, and monitor your implants to ensure no problems are developing. With his help, you can address issues early on and avoid needing more complex, expensive treatments down the line.

How Long Do Dental Implants Last?

The lifespan of dental implants depends on the health and lifestyle choices of the patient. To ensure that implants last, be sure to brush, floss, and rinse with a mouthwash on a daily basis. Attend dental checkups and cleanings regularly. Remember to avoid chewing on anything particularly hard or sticky and using your teeth to open packaging. With proper maintenance, dental implants can last upwards of 30 years. This is several times longer than traditional bridges and dentures.

Does Getting Dental Implants Hurt?

Your jawbone doesn’t have many nerve endings, and your mouth will be numbed with a local anesthetic before the procedure begins. You will also most likely be sedated, lowering your ability to register pain. While the surgery shouldn’t hurt, your mouth may be sore for a few days afterwards. Remember to take recommended over the counter and prescribed pain relievers as directed. Cold compresses can also help. If discomfort worsens instead of improving after two or three days, give us a call!

Are Dental Implants Safe?

For most patients with good health, dental implants are very successful when placed by a qualified professional. If you have low jawbone density or gum disease, these issues will need to be eliminated to make dental implant surgery safer and more successful. If you have diabetes, cancer, or other medical conditions that could make surgery or the healing process risky, we can discuss these during your consultation.

Will I Have to Take Off Work for Dental Implant Surgery?

Most patients only need to take one or two days off to get dental implants. If your job is physically demanding, you may want to take at least three to four, as heavy exercise can divert blood from the implant site and delay healing. Every case is different, so Dr. Murph will be able to give you a more specific recommendation during your consultation.