Dental Implants in Lafayette, NJ

Dental implants have become many dentists’ go-to procedure for replacing missing teeth. Dental implant surgery replaces tooth roots with metal, screw-like posts and replaces damaged or missing teeth with artificial teeth that look and function much like real ones. This surgery is a great alternative to dentures and can offer an option when a lack of natural tooth roots doesn’t allow building dentures or bridgework tooth replacements.

Risks of Dental Implants

Like any type of surgery, there are a few risks to getting dental implants. However, the problems that come with dental implant surgery are rare, typically minor, and very treatable. The doctors at Lafayette Dental in Lafayette, NJ, work to minimize these risks as much as possible. Risks include:

• Sinus problems, when dental implants placed in the upper jaw protrude into one of your sinus cavities
• Injury or damage to surrounding structures, such as other teeth or blood vessels
• Nerve damage, which can cause pain, numbness, or tingling in your natural teeth, gums, lips, or chin
• Infection at the implant site

Advantages of Dental Implants

Dental implants are one of the most reliable dental procedures, with a 95% success rate. They also offer advantages that other missing teeth solutions do not, such as:

• Appearance – Implants look and feel like your natural teeth.
• Speech – No need to worry about slipping dentures or loose bridges that can cause slurred speech.
• Comfort – Implants are permanent and stable, so no chaffing or discomfort will happen like with dentures.
• Oral health – Implant placement does not require modifying surrounding teeth like a dental bridge. Also, implants stop bone deterioration and stimulate healthy bone tissue growth.

Dental Implant Process

When considering having a dental implant procedure, a patient will typically go through the following steps:

1. First, the patient will undergo a thorough exam and consultation with one of our dentists at Lafayette Dental. The dentist will then create an individualized treatment plan.
2. At the next appointment, the team will place your implant as a substitute tooth root.
3. The tooth is then given time (about 2-3 months) to heal and integrate with the bone tissue.
4. Once the implant has bonded to the bone tissue, a small connector called an abutment is attached to the implant.
5. Impressions are taken of your teeth to create either a custom crown to replace one tooth or an implant-supported bridge or denture for multiple missing teeth. Crown restorations are custom-tinted, so they blend in beautifully with your natural teeth.
6. The finished crown, bridge, or denture is attached to the implant(s).

Once you get the finished implant, your new teeth are ready to use! If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us. We want your implants to look and feel like real teeth and your smile to look its best!

Braces can feel like a bit of a contradiction. You want a clean, straight smile, but you first must wear a highly visible device on your teeth for months. You want a well-aligned bite, but for a while, braces make some day-to-day tasks, such as brushing your teeth and eating some foods, more difficult. Fortunately, for those who want to show off their pretty pearly whites as they go AND show off the results of their realignment as soon as possible, one option is clear plastic removable aligners such as Invisalign aligner systems.

The Benefits of Clear Aligners

As their name suggests, clear aligners are clear plastic devices intended to straighten your teeth over time. They are nearly undetectable by observers. Not only are they more difficult to see (getting you closer to showing off that perfect smile), but they can be taken out temporarily when needed, allowing you to brush your teeth or eat without distraction.

The Clear Aligner Fitting Process

For most clear aligners, including Invisalign® systems, your dentist will take a mold of your teeth and send it in. From there, orthodontic experts will determine the difference in positions between your teeth and where you want them to be and will create several aligners to gradually move your teeth into the desired position. You’ll have to wear the aligners most of the time—about 22 hours a day. As your teeth change position, you’ll move on to the next device, switching them out until your teeth are right where you want them to be.

Alternatively, you can order kits to take a mold of your teeth at home. This is a less expensive process, but you aren’t likely to achieve the same results and lose the benefit of your dentist’s expertise. Clear aligners may not be the best solution for you, so it’s best to consult your dentist beforehand, even if you decide to go this route.

How to Pay for Clear Aligners

Depending on the degree of work your teeth need, Invisalign® clear aligner treatment can cost between $3,000 and $7,000. According to Invisalign’s website, your insurance may be able to pay as much as $3,000 of the cost. You have some options for the amount your insurance doesn’t cover.

Lafayette Dental offers affordable dental membership and external payment plans, allowing you to split a large bill into smaller payments over time. This makes payment much more manageable for some people and can be useful in emergency situations when you don’t have time to save money for the treatment before you begin.

Of course, if you can save the money ahead of time, that’s probably the better option. If you’re planning to save up for an Invisalign clear aligner treatment or something similar, you may want to consider opening a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) or Health Savings Account (HSA). Accounts such as these allow you to take a certain amount of money out of your paycheck, pretax, to pay for some expenses—including, in some cases, clear aligners. The types of accounts you’re allowed to open, and the amount of money you can put into them will vary depending on your situation, so talk to your bank or another financial professional about your options.

For those who can use them, clear aligners such as Invisalign® systems can be the least intrusive solution for straightening teeth. It’s nice not to have to worry about the looks and inconveniences of traditional braces! The initial cost of clear aligners may seem daunting, but options are available to help pay for them. If you have any questions about clear aligners or other teeth straightening methods, please contact us in Lafayette, NJ. We’ll happily walk you through your options and help you find the best possible solution for your smile.