Dental Implants – Hackettstown, NJ
Regain the Confidence to Eat, Speak, & Smile
Tooth loss not only tarnishes your beautiful smile, but it can also lead to jawbone deterioration and shifting of your remaining teeth, not to mention many other health problems. Dr. Ari Kakkar is a trained dental implant specialist. He can perform both the surgical placement and the restoration of your dental implants here at Skylands Dental of New Jersey. By replacing one or more teeth with dental implants at our Hackettstown, NJ dental office, you’ll regain the confidence to eat, speak, and smile. Call us today to set up your initial dental implant consultation!
Why Choose Skylands Dental of New Jersey for Dental Implants?
- Start-to-Finish Dental Implant Treatment Under One Roof
- CT/Cone Beam Scanning Technology
- Flexible Dental Financing Options
What Are Dental Implants?
Dental implants are small titanium rods designed to replicate the roots of your missing teeth – the part hidden beneath the gums. After the implants have been placed in the jaw during a minor surgical procedure, they begin to bond with the surrounding bone and tissue, creating a firm foundation for the prosthetic teeth that are secured on top. Currently, dental implants are the only option that recreates the whole structure of missing teeth, which makes them the closest thing to having your old teeth back.
The 4-Step Dental Implant Process
The process of replacing missing teeth with dental implants typically takes months to complete. Our team can walk you through the various steps involved in order to help you form an accurate idea of what you can expect. The treatment won’t be exactly the same for every patient, but it can generally be broken up into four main parts: the initial consultation, the implant placement surgery, osseointegration, and the delivery of the final restoration.
Initial Dental Implant Consultation
First of all, our team will need to confirm that you’re a good candidate for dental implants. This can be done during a consultation at our office; we can take a close look at your smile and evaluate the relevant facial structures to determine whether implant posts can safely be placed. This will also help us figure out exactly how many implant posts you will require and where they will need to be inserted into the jaw.
Before moving on to the next step, you may need to have certain preliminary procedures performed. For example, bone grafting might be required to reverse any bone loss that you have experienced due to your missing teeth; this ensures that there’s enough bone density for the implant posts.
Dental Implant Surgery
After the initial consultation and the necessary preparations comes dental implant surgery. For the convenience of our patients, we’re able to handle this step in-office. The procedure involves making an incision in your gums to expose the underlying bone. The implant posts will be inserted into the jaw at precisely chosen positions and angles that were determined ahead of time. Then the gums are sutured shut, and special caps are placed on the implants to keep them safe while your mouth heals.
Naturally, we’ll do everything we can to keep you comfortable during the surgery. Before we begin, a local anesthetic will be applied in order to numb your mouth. You might feel pressure during the procedure, but you’ll experience little to no pain.
Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment
Osseointegration is a natural process that lets your dental implants form a lasting bond with your jawbone. This process typically takes 3 to 6 months, and it’s an essential step for ensuring that your dental implants last as long as possible. Once osseointegration has been successfully completed, we can attach a metal connector piece called an abutment to each of your dental implant posts.
Delivery of Dental Implant Restoration(s)
An impression of your mouth can be taken in order to design a crown, bridge, or denture that matches the rest of your smile. Once it is ready, you’ll return to our office for the final part of the dental implant process. Using the abutments placed in the previous step, the prosthesis will be carefully attached to your dental implant posts in order to recomplete your smile. We can make any last-minute adjustments that might be needed to ensure that your new teeth function as they should.
Benefits of Dental Implants
When it comes to tooth replacement, dental implants are in a class all their own. Their unique property of recreating the entire structure of teeth gives them multiple unique benefits, including:
- Stimulation of the jawbone, which prevents your face from prematurely aging.
- Helping you eat your favorite foods.
- Always staying in place.
- Being able to last for 30+ years with the right care.
- Looking and feeling indistinguishable from natural teeth.
Who Dental Implants Can Help
Dental implants can help practically any healthy adult replace any number of missing teeth. As long as you have enough healthy jawbone mass (or can get a bone grafting procedure in order to reach that point), there’s a good chance that you’re a candidate for dental implants. After meeting with Dr. Kakkar, he can let you know which of the following treatment options would be best for you.
Missing One Tooth
A single implant can be vertically placed between two natural teeth and fitted with a dental crown on top. Not only does an implant crown support itself without relying on surrounding teeth, but the crown also blends in with your smile as a whole.
Missing Multiple Teeth
Rather than placing one implant for every missing tooth, we can position a small number of posts at strategic points throughout the mouth to hold a dental bridge or partial denture in place. Compared to their traditional counterparts, these solutions are much sturdier and more reliable.
Missing All Teeth
Tired of your current denture? It rarely takes more than eight implants to bring back an entire row of teeth with an implant denture, which makes eating easier and never slips out of place. We even offer All-on-4 dental implants, which require only four posts per arch.
Understanding the Cost of Dental Implants
When you replace your teeth with dental implants, you’re making an investment that will improve your day-to-day life and keep your mouth healthy for decades to come. Naturally, this higher value is reflected in the cost. No two patients pay the same amount for treatment as complex as dental implants, and with so many factors that come into play for determining the cost of dental implants, you may understandably be overwhelmed with trying to figure out how much you’ll owe. Our team will happily go over these factors affecting the price with you. We’ll also help you come up with ways to fit the cost of dental implants into your budget.
Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery
To start off, if you need gum disease therapy, tooth extraction, or another preliminary procedure, it will add to your overall cost of treatment. Although this pre-work may cost you more, it can substantially increase your chances of successful implants, which means it’s well worth the investment. In addition, the pricing of the implant placement surgery may differ from patient to patient based on the number and location of the posts put into position.
The Parts of Your Dental Implant
There isn’t a set, standard price for purchasing a car. It varies from brand to brand because they can have various features. Just like the car industry, dental implant brands can utilize different quality parts. Each brand has its own advantages and disadvantages as well as individual pricing. After Dr. Kakkar has had the opportunity to review your case and look at your mouth, he can determine which implant brand will best contribute to your new smile.
How Dental Implants Can Save You Money
When you only look at the initial price tag of tooth replacement, dental implants usually cost the most. However, other options have to be replaced much more often than implants. In fact, traditional dentures typically only last about five years! When you factor in the price of replacing your teeth over the years, dental implants can become a more cost-effective option, which is why we encourage our patients to think about their long-term needs and goals.
Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?
Although there are some exceptions, dental insurance can be a tricky area of dentistry to understand. Fortunately, our team at Skyland’s Dental of New Jersey can guide you through the twists and turns. While most insurance companies do not cover the implant placement procedure itself, there may be some parts of treatment that are included in your benefits. For example, the restoration may be partially covered as well as some preliminary procedures like gum disease therapy. Let us help you understand your policy so you know what you’ll need to pay out-of-pocket.
Making Dental Implants Affordable
What if you don’t have dental insurance to reduce the cost? What other ways do we provide to save you money on dental implants? These are fair questions to ask, and we’ll be happy to share your financial options with you. Right now, we are offering a complimentary implant consultation, which means you can learn more about this service and talk about your specific case with Dr. Kakkar for free.
Those without insurance may also want to consider joining our in-house savings plan, which not only provides necessary preventive care but also a 20 percent discount on most other services, including implants. If the amount is too large to pay all at once, we can help you apply for financing through CareCredit, one of the dental and medical industries’ most trusted financiers.
Dental Implant Frequently Asked Questions
Dental implants are an excellent way to replace missing teeth, but they are an investment. It is important that you are well-informed before committing to the procedure. Here are the answers to some of the most common questions we are asked about dental implants in Hackettstown. If you don’t see your question listed below, don’t worry! Just give us a call and we’d be happy to provide you with the information that you’re looking for and get you started with an initial consultation.
How Long Do Dental Implants Last?
The lifespan of dental implants depends on the health and lifestyle choices of the patient. To ensure that dental implants last, it is important to brush, floss, and rinse with a mouthwash on a daily basis. You should be attending regular cleanings and checkups and be sure to avoid foods that are particularly hard or sticky. With proper maintenance, dental implants can last upwards of 30 years. This is several times longer than the average 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 start of the procedure. You will also most likely be sedated, so you shouldn’t feel any pain while the surgery takes place. However, you may feel some soreness for a few days afterward. This can be managed with recommended over-the-counter and prescribed pain relievers as well as cold compresses. If your discomfort worsens instead of improving after two to three days, give us a call!
Will I Have to Take Off from Work for Dental Implant Surgery?
Most patients need to take one or two days off work to get dental implants, but if you have a job that is physically demanding, you should probably take at least three to four days off. This is because heavy exercise can divert blood from the implant site and slow down healing. Before your procedure, Dr. Kakkar will be able to give you a more specific recommendation for your unique case.
Can I Get Dental Implants If I Have Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Depending on your bone density and the health of your gums, you may still be able to get dental implants even if you have rheumatoid arthritis. Because treating rheumatoid arthritis often involves taking immunosuppressant drugs which can affect bone healing and increase your risk of infection, you may need to talk to your doctor about other options in the weeks before and after your surgery. Dr. Kakkar will evaluate your oral and overall health to determine whether or not they are right for you.