When you’re trying to replace missing teeth, it’s important to keep in mind that traditional methods only replace the tooth partially. Bridges and dentures only fill the gap in your smile and do not address many of the underlying issues that come with tooth loss. In contrast, dental implants in Pembroke Pines take tooth replacement a step further, ensuring that eating your favorite foods, smiling, and maintaining oral health is easy and seamless. To schedule your first dental implant consultation, give Dr. Friedland’s dental office a call today!
Dental implants are meant to act as prosthetic roots, which means they effectively replace all parts of the tooth in order to create a seamless replacement in nearly every single way. This not only provides you confidence when chewing your favorite foods and smiling, but it also ensures your future oral health is being protected from problems like bone resorption. Dentists often recommend them to replace teeth over other options because they provide the best long-term solution for missing teeth. And, since they can be used to replace any number of teeth, they are significantly more versatile as well.
While many dental offices will have you visit an offsite specialist to complete the surgical portion of your dental implant treatment, Dr. Friedland and his team want to make the entire process as convenient as possible for you. Luckily, all four steps of the dental implant process are performed entirely in-house!
Although replacing your teeth in this manner takes more time than with dental bridges or dentures, the longevity provided by dental implants makes them worth the investment of your time. Our team can go over what to expect during your consultation, but for now, here’s a basic outline of what you can expect with dental implant treatment.
Before we can begin dental implant treatment, we first have to determine whether you’re a good candidate. You’ll meet with Dr. Friedland, where he’ll ask you about your general health and smile goals, conduct an oral examination, and take X-rays. With these findings, he’ll let you know whether you can move forward with dental implant surgery or if you require preliminary treatments beforehand. It’s common for patients to need periodontal therapy to treat gum disease or bone grafting to strengthen a deteriorated jawbone before they can get dental implants.
Once your mouth is ready, we can schedule your implant placement surgery. Dr. Friedland has completed countless hours of continuing education courses in dental implants alone, so he is qualified to conveniently perform the procedure right here at Friedland Family Dentistry of Pembroke Pines.
Dental implant surgery is a relatively straightforward procedure. Dr. Friedland numbs your mouth with local anesthetic, creates tiny incisions in your gums, and inserts the implant posts at predetermined locations and angles within your jawbone. Then, he stitches your gums closed and sends you home to begin healing.
As soon as the dental implant posts have been placed into your jaw, they will undergo a process called osseointegration. The surrounding bone tissue will gradually fuse with the biocompatible titanium posts, which is what will eventually give your new tooth its impressive comfort, function, and longevity. Typically, it will take somewhere between three and six months after your surgery for your body to complete the osseointegration process.
Most patients have to undergo another (minor) surgical procedure after osseointegration. Dr. Friedland access the tops of your implant posts and attaches metal fixtures called abutments to them. Abutments are what allow your custom restorations to be placed later on. In most cases, recovering from abutment surgery will take about another two weeks.
At long last, it’s finally time to receive your new teeth! After your gums and jaw have fully healed, you’ll be ready for our team to install your dental crown, bridge, or denture onto your abutments. These restorations have been 100% personalized to mimic your natural pearly whites. When they have been placed, they should be impossible to distinguish from the real thing! Once we’ve secured your new teeth into place, you’ll be able to walk out of our office and into the world with your brand-new smile.
Dental implants give you a new lease on life by giving you a new smile that feels natural and fulfils all the same functions as your original teeth. They offer a lot of advantages that other restorations can’t match, which is why they come so highly recommended by Dr. Friedland. If you’re still trying to decide between dental implants and another tooth replacement option, we can go over the benefits with you at your first consultation and show you how they can give you more reasons to be happy with your smile.
Once you’ve received your final restoration, you’ll quickly notice how much dental implants have improved your day-to-day life with benefits such as:
Of course, one can’t talk about the advantages of dental implants without going into the multiple health benefits they bring, such as:
Dental implants will continue to help you for years to come, as the following benefits demonstrate:
Dental implants are a great choice for anyone with missing teeth! Since they replace the missing tooth’s roots and stimulate blood flow in the jawbone, they’re the healthiest tooth replacement option available whether you’re 19 or 99! You’ll typically need to have three things to be a good candidate for dental implants:
Tooth replacement means restoring all of the teeth that you need, not simply individual teeth. Thankfully, dental implants allow you to do exactly this. Whether you’re replacing a single tooth or an entire arch, here’s how we get it done.
Replacing a single tooth requires a single implant to be placed into the jaw and then given several months of time to heal. Once the implant has fully integrated with your bone tissue, an abutment can be placed, which gives the dental crown a stable foundation. Finally, a porcelain crown is placed on top for the most optimal esthetics possible.
If you have multiple consecutive teeth to replace, a dental bridge can be customized to fit on top of a pair of dental implants. By replacing teeth in this way, there’s no need to modify existing teeth to hold a bridge. You can also achieve all the benefits that you’d expect from dental implants, despite coming in a bridge form.
Full and partial dentures can both easily be customized to fit with dental implants. Typically, four to six implants are used to hold a denture. Alternatively, an all-on-4 treatment can replace an entire arch of missing teeth with just four titanium posts strategically placed in the thickest areas of your jawbone. What’s more, you can enjoy your newly rebuilt smile the same day as your surgery! During your consultation, we’ll review your health to determine if all-on-4 implants are a good choice for you.
Learn More About Implant Dentures
At Friedland Family Dentistry of Pembroke Pines, we know the impact that having an incomplete smile can have on your confidence. That’s why we offer advanced, affordable dental implants to replace the entire structure of missing teeth. Not only does this restorative treatment offer a variety of unique benefits, but the beautiful results that we’re able to achieve are truly priceless. Below, we’ve outlined some of the basic factors that can impact the cost of your procedure and all of the hassle-free ways you can pay.
One great benefit of the dental implant procedure is that the cost can be spread apart across several appointments that take place over the course of multiple months. Keep in mind that some treatments may be needed ahead of time before dental implants can be placed confidently. Here are some separate parts of the dental implant procedure that can incur different fees to make paying for the procedure manageable:
Patients and professionals will agree that dental implants are well worth the investment because of all of the unique benefits that they offer. Unlike traditional restorations that have a lifespan of between five and 10 years, dental implants are designed to easily last 30 years, but can last up to a lifetime. Not only does this make them a more cost-effective tooth replacement solution in the long run, but it can also save you several trips to the dentist due to loose-fitting or damaged dentures and bridges.
Unfortunately, many dental insurance providers don’t cover the cost of the implant procedure. This is largely due to the fact that they still consider it a “cosmetic” treatment. However, at Friedland Family Dentistry of Pembroke Pines, we offer several easy ways to pay, including financing through CareCredit. In some cases, medical insurance will also provide coverage for certain stages of the implant process, like preparatory procedures. Our team is more than happy to help you learn more!
Some patients might stress about caring for their mouth after dental implant surgery, but we’re here to tell you that the recovery process is nothing to worry about! We’ll supply you with detailed, personalized aftercare guidelines ahead of your procedure, but we’ve also included some general post-op instructions below on what to expect. If you find yourself with intense pain or any strange side effects after dental implant placement, please contact our team right away.
To help your body heal properly, your top priority should be to ensure the blood clot forming over the surgical site remains undisturbed. Otherwise, you could develop the dreaded dry socket. For the first 72 hours, make sure to AVOID:
It’s normal to experience certain side effects for a few days after your dental implant surgery. These include:
All of these side effects should gradually dissipate as time passes, but if that’s not the case, please let us know promptly.
During the first few days following your procedure, we recommend eating a soft food diet containing items like:
Once you feel up to it, you can start adding heartier food to your diet, but try to avoid directly chewing tough foods with the implant site.
You can start brushing your teeth as normal the day after your dental implant placement, but be very careful near the surgical site. After any meals or snacks, you should rinse your mouth with saltwater or prescription mouthwash if you have it. Avoid mouthwashes that contain alcohol, as that could dry out your mouth and inhibit healing. In any case, don’t use too much force when spitting out the mouthwash.
In a few months, your implants will have fused to your jawbone, and we can attach your crown, bridge, or denture on top of them. This procedure is quick, and the only side effects, if any, should be minor, temporary sensitivity in the gum tissue. Luckily, pain medication can easily manage this. Of course, we ask that you call us otherwise. You shouldn’t need to worry about an extensive recovery – you’ll be ready to smile brightly that same day!
Not only do dental implants look and feel just like natural teeth—they can be cared for just as easily as well! You won’t need to change your daily oral care routine or buy any special products or cleaners. To keep your new teeth beautiful, strong, and firmly in place for decades to come, all you have to do is follow these five simple steps for dental implant care in Pembroke Pines.
Just because dental implants can’t develop cavities doesn’t mean you can skip out on brushing and flossing. In fact, your implants might end up failing if you don’t prioritize oral hygiene. The most common reason why dental implants fail is a gum infection called peri-implantitis, where bacteria destroy the connective tissues holding your implants in place.
To minimize bacterial buildup and keep your dental implants in Pembroke Pines healthy, you’ll need to brush your teeth (natural and implants) twice a day for two minutes each session. You should also floss at least once a day. Rinsing with an antibacterial mouthwash regularly can also boost your oral health.
When you have dental implants, you can chew virtually any food you want. That said, you should still try to maintain a balanced diet. Not only will overindulging in sugary foods harm your overall health, but they’ll encourage the growth of harmful bacteria in your mouth that could compromise your implants. Eat plenty of leafy greens, fresh produce, and lean proteins to get all of the nutrients you need to support your new teeth.
Several habits that can damage natural teeth are also disastrous for dental implants, including:
If you play contact sports – or even sports that carry the risk of getting hit in the face – then you’ll want to invest in a mouthguard. Your implant dentist in Pembroke Pines can make you a custom tray that comfortably fits over your teeth, lessening the risk of severe damage in the event of an injury.
Long-term teeth grinding can also harm your implants, which is why wearing a nightguard can help immensely. Similar to a mouthguard, this appliance is worn over the teeth and shields them from the dangerous forces of grinding and clenching.
Even if all of your natural teeth have been replaced with an implant denture, routine dental checkups and cleanings are still important. They give Dr. Friedland the chance to look over your implants, gums, and any remaining natural teeth you may have. If he detects any early signs of an oral health problem, our team can start treating it right away, making the process easier and more cost-effective.
The vast majority of implants are placed and restored successfully; however, dental implant failure can happen about 5 percent of the time. Once he determines what’s standing between you and a complete smile, Dr. Friedland can then work to correct the issue, whether it’s with gum disease therapy, grafts, or another treatment. He has the expertise to handle these failure cases quickly to save your implants or get you into a better position to try again.
Technology plays a major role in the high success rate of dental implants. Since we handle implant placement in-house, we make a point of utilizing state-of-the-art equipment such as a cone beam CT scanner and a digital impression system. By taking advantage of the latest technology, we can plan out your dental implant treatment in much more precise detail. Read on to see the difference that technology can make when it comes to creating a new smile.
If you’ve ever been to the dentist for a checkup, you’re probably already familiar with how X-rays can be used to examine your tooth roots and other oral structures that couldn’t be seen otherwise. A cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scanner, however, can go even further. We can use it to create a full three-dimensional model of your mouth that includes details that wouldn’t be clear on a regular X-ray, such as where certain nerve pathways are located and how thick your jawbone is.
By using a CBCT scanner to help us plan the dental implant procedure, we can identify issues that might come up and start planning around them. For example, we’ll know exactly where we need to put the implant posts so that they don’t damage any nerves. The increased precision gives our patients a much higher chance of success.
There’s no need to worry about having a CBCT scan performed. Not only is the process completely painless and noninvasive, but there won’t be any radiation in your body afterward.
When the time comes to have a restoration made for your dental implants, our goal is to make sure that the final result fits comfortably in your smile. To do that, we need to take a detailed impression of your teeth. However, the putty used to make traditional impressions comes with several drawbacks. Patients have to bite down on the material for several minutes until it hardens. Not only is this approach time-consuming, but many people find it to be uncomfortable.
At our practice, we prefer to use digital impressions to design our implant restorations. We can simply scan your teeth to create a full model of your bite, which gives us all the information we need to create your new crown, bridge, or denture. Digital impressions are much faster than traditional ones, and there’s no unpleasant-tasting putty involved.
In addition to being more convenient for patients, digital impressions also reduce the risk of mistakes. Traditional impressions are prone to error, particularly when they’re being pulled off the teeth. It’s not uncommon for patients to need to have a traditional impression redone. Digital scans tend to be far more accurate since there’s less room for human error, meaning there’s significantly less chance of needing a retake.
From a step-by-step breakdown of the process to the benefits, the above information is designed to help you make an informed decision on whether or not dental implants in Pembroke Pines are right for you. If you still have a few questions on your mind, however, that’s okay! That’s why we’ve responded to a few of the most frequently asked questions below. If you’d prefer to speak directly with our team or can’t find the answer you’re looking for, don’t hesitate to get in touch!
Since getting dental implants requires oral surgery, many patients are nervous that restoring their smile will hurt. If the same reservation has held you back, you’ll be happy to know that the first step of the process is always the same: numbing your mouth. That way, the most you will feel is some pressure from our implant dentist in Pembroke Pines completing the procedure. Furthermore, you’ll be given an extensive list of aftercare instructions designed to mitigate any discomfort, including sticking to soft foods, using a cold compress, and taking OTC pain medication as directed.
Dental implant failure typically is a result of peri-implantitis or failed osseointegration. Peri-implantitis is a form of gum disease that damages the bone and gums supporting the implant, causing it to loosen or fall out altogether. Failed osseointegration refers to the unsuccessful fusion of the implant post to the jawbone. Other common causes of dental implant failure include chronic teeth grinding, tobacco use, and certain autoimmune disorders. Don’t worry – our implant dentist in Pembroke Pines will review all of the leading causes during your initial consultation to ensure you are a candidate and set you up for success.
Think you’re too old for dental implants? Think again! This state-of-the-art tooth replacement option can help patients who are 35, 65, or 95! With that being said, some preliminary treatments may be needed for senior patients, like a bone graft or gum disease therapy. Fortunately, these can be worked into your treatment plan beforehand to ensure a complete, healthy smile isn’t out of reach.
Dental implants in Pembroke Pines are incredibly lifelike for a number of reasons. To start, they are custom-made for each patient. By taking into account your features, smile goals, and dental needs, our phenomenal dental team can ensure your dental implants turn heads for all the right reasons. Next, the sturdy implant posts ensure there is no unwanted movement when you speak, laugh, or chew, making them natural-looking in feel and function. Lastly, they are crafted from high-quality materials that are available in a variety of shades, ensuring your dental crown blends in flawlessly with any natural teeth.