Colorado Springs Dental Implants
If you have missing teeth, Dr. Rota of Colorado Springs can replace them with dental implants. The results look so natural that you will forget your teeth were ever missing.
What Is a Dental Implant?
Dental implant components include a screw-like root, an abutment, and a crown
A dental implant is an artificial tooth that replaces your natural tooth from the root up. It has three parts—a root form, an abutment (connector) to support a dental crown, and a dental crown. A correctly placed dental implant will look and feel just like a healthy tooth.
What Is the Dental Implant Procedure?
The dental implant procedure includes these steps:
- Taking 3-D x-rays to create a digital model of your orofacial structure for precise implant planning and placement
- Making a small incision through your gums in each implant location
- Creating a small precise opening in your jawbone
- Placing the artificial root in the bone
- Stitching the implant site closed
Over the next three to four months, your jawbone will heal and fuse to the implant. Your dental implant will be as stable as a tooth root. When the healing process is completed, a new crown will be placed on top of the abutment, and you will have a natural and healthy smile.
Are Dental Implants Painful?
We make the dental implant procedure painless. Before implant placement, we will numb the area around the implant sites. And we use sedation to help you relax throughout the procedure. After implant surgery, it is normal to experience swelling and mild pain. But we will give you medication to take at home and minimize your discomfort.
Advantages of Dental Implants
Though some people choose removable dentures for budgetary reasons, there are some real advantages to getting implants even with the additional cost. In the short term, removable dentures are cheaper; there is no disputing that. However, there are some important considerations to review before making a decision.
- Implants are more comfortable because they don’t move around.
- Food won’t get trapped beneath them.
- There is the added security of not having to worry about your dentures slipping out in public.
- Implants protect you from a serious condition known as facial collapse.
What Is Facial Collapse?
Facial collapse is a condition that occurs when all your teeth are missing. If you’ve lost all your teeth or had them extracted, your body begins to absorb your jawbone. You won’t notice it for the first few years, but with time, your jawbone cannot support your facial muscles, and your face will “collapse,” or sag. In some cases, jawbone shrinkage can become so severe that there is no possibility of getting implants in the future, without a bone grafting procedure. D
Dental Implant Bridge
A dental implant bridge replaces multiple missing teeth. It is not necessary to have an implant for eac
h missing tooth. Instead, Dr. Rota can place a bridge. For an entire arch of teeth, you can receive an implant for each tooth or just two implants per arch. But the more implants you have, the more stable your bridge will be. During a consultation, we can help you determine what is best for your smile and your budget.
Comprehensive Dental Implant Care
Dr. Rota is a diplomate of the International Academy of Implant Dentistry and the International Dental Implant Association. He is trained and certified to complete advanced surgical treatments for bone grafting and implant placement.
- He completes every phase of your treatment—planning, bone grafting (if needed), placement, and restoration—right in his office.
- That saves you a visit to an oral surgeon for bone grafting and implant placement.
- He uses advanced CT scanning and a surgical guide to ensure your dental implants are placed in the optimal position. This helps prevent mistakes that can cause much discomfort and pain and lead to dental implant failure.
Will Insurance Cover Dental Implants?
Most basic dental insurance plans do not provide benefits for dental implants. But they do offer benefits for less expensive forms of tooth replacement like a partial denture or dental bridge. Some higher-tier insurance plans may offer limited benefits for dental implants. Check with your insurance provider and ask for documentation on covered services for your insurance plan.
What Can You Expect?
We ensure your comfort throughout your dental implant procedure. Dr. Rota has advanced training in minimal sedation. He is licensed by the state of Colorado to treat dental anxiety with multiple-dose sedation during extensive procedures.
Also, your implants will feel and look completely natural. Dr. Rota uses his extensive experience in cosmetic dentistry to restore implant fixtures with lifelike dental crowns or dentures. Contact our office for information on the cost of dental implants or to request an appointment for an exam.