Dental Implants

Like many patients, you may be missing one or more teeth as a result of congenital conditions, accidents, illnesses, or infection. These missing teeth can dramatically affect your health and well-being by causing misalignment of the jaw, movement of other teeth, difficulty chewing, bone loss, and self-consciousness. The oral surgeons at Southern Connecticut Dental Group address all these concerns with the safe placement of dental implants. They provide expert dental implant consultation and surgery in their Southbury and Ansonia, Connecticut offices.

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Dental Implants Q & A

What are dental implants?

Dental implants are the closest-to-natural option for replacing missing teeth. Dental implants cannot be removed by the patient and consist of three components:

A titanium screw: Which is inserted into the jawbone as the implant base
An abutment: Which attaches to the base and the crown
A crown: Which attaches to the abutment and looks and functions like a natural tooth

When dental implants are made by experienced dentists, they closely mimic the appearance and functionality of the natural tooth they replace.

Who is eligible for dental implants?

Almost anyone who is missing one or more teeth is a candidate. Children may have to wait for implants until their jaw is completely grown. Additionally, some patients need orthodontic work or bone or gum grafts before implants can be inserted. Your Southern Connecticut Dental Group dentist will customize a treatment plan for you.

Does insurance cover dental implants?

Coverage depends on the details of your insurance policy. The staff at Southern Connecticut Dental Group will review the cost of treatment with you as well as payment options. Many patients put funds into their medical flex spending account to cover the cost of their dental implants.

How long is the process?

The process varies depending on the treatment plan.

If you’ve experienced some crowding of the teeth surrounding the missing tooth, you may need orthodontic treatment before the implant can be placed.

Likewise, if your bone or tissue have receded significantly since losing the tooth, bone or tissue grafts may be required.

Once the implant is inserted into the jawbone, the gums are sutured closed. Bone grows around the implant over the next 3–6 months before the abutment and crown are placed.

If you wore a flipper or partial denture before the procedure, you will be able to continue wearing it during the healing period.

What is the success rate?

The success rate is high at 90–95%.

Why has my doctor recommended implants for my dentures?

Loose dentures can make talking and eating difficult. There are two ways dental implants can be used to secure dentures:

Dental implants can be used as anchor teeth for partial dentures, in which case the partial denture snaps onto the implants.
Dental implants can be used to secure a full upper or lower denture. These dentures are highly stable and can only be removed by a dentist.