Dental Implants — Lawrence, KS

The Gold Standard of Tooth Replacement

If you’re missing one, several, or all your natural teeth, you already know that tooth loss can have a terribly detrimental effect on your everyday life. Missing teeth can make it much harder to speak clearly, chew comfortably, and smile confidently. Fortunately, at Kansas Center for Sedation Dentistry, we’re proud to offer the gold standard of tooth replacement: dental implants in Lawrence. This state-of-the-art option can make it look and feel like you still have all your natural pearly whites, and the best part is we can perform the whole treatment right here in our office. To learn more about dental implants and if they’re right for you, don’t hesitate to call us today!

Care of Mouth After an Implant Procedure

Why Choose Kansas Center for Sedation Dentistry For Dental Implants?

Calming Sedation Ensures Maximum Comfort & Relaxation
Entire Dental Implant Treatment Completed In-Office
Dental Insurance Welcome & Flexible Financing Available

Dental Implants Post-Op

What Are Dental Implants?

There are two parts to your teeth: the crown and the roots. Most tooth replacement options like dentures and dental bridges only replace the crowns of missing teeth. With dental implants, we can rebuild the entire structure of a missing tooth for the most lifelike results.

A dental implant is a small titanium post that’s designed to replace the roots of a missing tooth. It’s placed directly into the jawbone, where it integrates with the tissue to form a strong foundation for the replacement tooth it supports. One or more dental implants can be paired with crowns, bridges, and dentures to replace any number of missing teeth. By restoring the roots and crown of the tooth, your smile will once again look, feel, and function just like natural.

The 4 Step Dental Implant Process

While every patient’s journey towards a new smile will vary slightly, there are four main steps you can expect from dental implant treatment:

Initial consultation: We’ll first meet with you to see if dental implants are a good choice for you and if you need any preliminary procedures like a bone graft or gum disease treatment.
Dental implant surgery: Next, you’ll visit us to have your dental implant(s) surgically placed beneath your gums and into your jawbone.
Osseointegration: After your surgery, you’ll need to heal for three to six months as osseointegration occurs, which is when the implant(s) will fuse with the jawbone.
Placement of your new teeth: Finally, you’ll return to our office to have your brand-new crown, bridge, or dentures securely anchored into place.

Benefits of Dental Implants

While replacing your missing teeth with dentures or dental bridges is certainly better than nothing, these traditional options leave a lot to be desired when compared to natural teeth. That’s why dental implants are quickly becoming the most popular way to restore teeth that have been lost! By rebuilding both the crown and the roots of one or more missing teeth, you can enjoy a replacement that is virtually indistinguishable in every way! Simply put, dental implants can benefit your health, confidence, and quality of life in ways other options can’t.

Who Dental Implants Can Help

No matter how many teeth you’re missing, our talented team of professionals can design a dental implant treatment to help you get the smile you deserve. Fortunately, nearly any healthy adult with missing teeth is a great candidate for dental implants. If you don’t qualify for dental implants right away, we may be able to help get you on track with preliminary treatments like a bone graft or gum disease therapy. Once you’ve been cleared as a candidate for dental implants, we can outline your dental implant treatment plan based off how many teeth you’re missing.

Missing 1 Tooth

To replace a single tooth, we’ll place one dental implant post where the roots of the missing tooth once were. Once it’s finished healing, we can cover the implant with a beautiful, custom-made dental crown. Not only will your new tooth be seamless, but it will also be completely self-supported.

Missing Multiple Teeth

Dental implants can be used to replace any number of teeth, whether that includes several missing teeth in a row or numerous teeth missing throughout an arch. Depending on your unique situation, we’ll place two to four dental implants in key points in your mouth to secure a bridge or partial denture to fill the gaps in your smile.

Missing All Teeth

If you’re missing all your teeth, or if you’re tired of wearing traditional removable dentures, implant dentures may be the ideal choice for you! With just four to six strategically placed dental implants, we can stabilize an implant denture in your mouth. Implant dentures will never slip out of place or feel loose, and they’ll allow you to eat foods like nuts, steak, apples, and more.

Understanding the Cost of Dental Implants

Dental implants are considered the gold standard in tooth replacement – and there’s a very good reason for that. Not only can they drastically boost your confidence, but they can help you enjoy a strong and healthy smile once again. Of course, you likely want to know how much your treatment will cost before committing to it. Since every patient is unique, it’s impossible to give an accurate price estimate until you come in for a consultation. Rest assured – we’ll thoroughly explain the pricing information and financing options to ensure you know what to expect every step of the way.

Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery

Before getting dental implants in Lawrence, you may need to undergo certain preliminary procedures in preparation for your treatment. Some of those include bone grafting, gum disease therapy, and tooth extractions. While these services can add to the overall price, they’re necessary to ensure the long-term success of your new smile. The good news is that most of them are partially covered by dental insurance. Also, you don’t have to worry about receiving a bill from a different practice because we can complete the entire dental implant treatment in-office

The Parts of Your Dental Implant

Many factors influence the overall cost of dental implants, such as:

Number of Implants – As you can imagine, it’ll cost more to replace multiple teeth at once than to replace a single tooth.
Type of Restoration – Crowns, bridges, and dentures all cost different amounts. However, the smaller restorations are naturally less expensive.
Material – Implants made of zirconia are typically cheaper than those made of titanium.
Brand – Different implant manufacturers make dental implants differently based on the unique needs of the patient. You should ask about any brand-specific benefits during your consultation.

How Dental Implants Can Save You Money

If you’re on a budget, you may be tempted to save money by choosing to replace your missing teeth with traditional dentures or bridges instead. However, dental implants are often the most cost-effective choice in the long run. Unlike other options, you won’t have to worry about paying for replacements or adjustments every few years. Additionally, caring for dental implants is as easy as caring for natural teeth. That means you won’t need to buy special pastes, cleaning solutions, or products to maintain your new smile. Because they’re easier to care for, you can avoid serious issues like decay or gum disease that may require costly care.

Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?

Most dental insurance plans don’t cover dental implants, but there are some exceptions. For example, certain parts of the final restoration or specific preliminary treatments may be eligible for coverage. Our team will gladly review your benefits and help you figure out how to maximize them. With our help, you can get the most out of your insurance and save as much money as possible.

Making Dental Implants Affordable

Don’t have dental insurance? No problem! Our practice offers CareCredit financing to help make your treatment much more affordable. It allows you to split up the overall cost into smaller monthly installments, making it more manageable for your budget. Best of all, there’s often little-to-no interest attached to these plans! If you’d like to learn or need help with the application process, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Dental Implant FAQs

Dental implants are an excellent way to restore your smile, but they’re quite an investment, so it pays to be well-informed. Here are the answers to some of the most common questions that we receive about dental implants in Lawrence. If you don’t see the information that you’ve been looking for below, don’t worry. Give us a call and we’d be happy to get you started with an initial consultation where you can learn more.

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, it’s important that you brush, floss, and rinse with mouthwash on a daily basis. Avoid chewing anything particularly hard or sticky. With proper maintenance, implants can last for upwards of three decades. That’s several times longer than traditional bridges and dentures.

Does Getting Dental Implants Hurt?

The jawbone doesn’t have very 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 body’s ability to register pain. While the surgery shouldn’t hurt, your mouth may be sore for a few days afterward. Take recommended over-the-counter and prescribed pain relievers as directed. Cold compresses can also help. If discomfort worsens instead of improving after three days, give us a call.

Am I Too Young to Get Dental Implants?

Most dental professionals will not place implants in patients younger than 18. If dental implants are placed before the jaw is finished growing, it could interfere with further bone development and potentially result in complications. Most people’s jaws aren’t fully developed until young adulthood, and some people’s jaws take until their mid-20s to fully develop. During your consultation with us, we can discuss what the best option is for you at this time.

Do Dental Implants Feel Natural?

Yes! Once they are placed in the jawbone, dental implants will feel just like the roots of your natural teeth. The implants themselves have no nerve endings, so any sensations that you feel in that area will come from the gums surrounding the implants. You may forget that they’re even there.

Will People Be Able to Tell That I Have Dental Implants?

Your dentist will take impressions of your mouth that are used to design your personalized restorations. Once your restorations are placed, others shouldn’t be able to differentiate them from your natural teeth. Because implants are placed in the jaw like natural tooth roots, you don’t need to hold your jaw in a strange way to hold them in place as you may with ill-fitting dentures.