Dental Implants – West Monroe, LA
Rebuilding West Monroe Smiles
If you’re tired of living with missing teeth, we cannot recommend dental implants enough. As the most reliable option for replacing missing teeth, dental implants do not slip or slide, and if cared for properly, they can last a lifetime. In addition, dental implant patients never have to grapple with messy denture adhesives or unreliable natural suction. Instead, implant restorations are held solidly in place with small, titanium posts anchored in the jawbone. Give us a call today to find out how dental implants in West Monroe, LA can change your smile and your life!
Why Choose L. King Scott, DDS for Dental Implants?
- Entire Dental Implant Process Completed Under One Roof
- Master of the Academy of General Dentistry
- Low-Interest Dental Financing Available
What Are Dental Implants?
A dental implant is a small, biocompatible post (usually made from titanium) that resembles a screw. Dr. L. King Scott surgically places this post into the socket left behind by your missing tooth. Then, the post actually merges with the jawbone thanks to a natural process called osseointegration. Once osseointegration is complete, Dr. Scott will affix a metal abutment on top of the implant, which allows him to install a custom-made, lifelike dental crown. Multiple implant posts can also be restored with a dental bridge or denture.
Compared to traditional tooth replacements, dental implants have a unique structure that replicates every part of the lost tooth. As a result, they’re able to last longer and feel more natural than any alternative solution. It’s no wonder Dr. Scott recommends dental implants to most patients suffering from tooth loss!
The 4-Step Dental Implant Process
Unlike the process of getting a dental bridge or a denture, receiving dental implants requires several appointments. Your treatment may span the course of a few months. However, their potential to last a lifetime makes them worth the wait! Additionally, Dr. Scott can place and restore dental implants right here in our dental office, making the process more convenient. Your treatment might look slightly different from the next patient, but the four basic steps are the same: your consultation, implant surgery, osseointegration, and the placement of your restorations.
Benefits of Dental Implants
When you get dental implants in West Monroe, you can look forward to replacement teeth that resemble your natural ones in virtually every way. They solve most of the common complaints of traditional tooth replacements like dentures and dental bridges. Essentially, they act so much like your natural teeth that you might even forget you ever lost any teeth at all! If you’re considering dental implants, take a moment to read about a few of the ways they can change your life!
Day-to-Day Benefits
Since you use your teeth every single day, you’ll be sure to enjoy all of the ways in which dental implants improve the quality of your everyday life:
- Greater confidence – Your new teeth will remain firmly in place at all times, so you won’t have to worry about slippage like you would with dentures alone. The restorations are also customized to mimic your original teeth, allowing you to smile as if your smile had never been incomplete.
- Easier eating – When the roots of the teeth are restored, you gain more chewing power. This makes eating your favorite foods a breeze.
- Simple daily maintenance – Taking care of dental implants is basically the same as caring for natural teeth. Instead of learning a complicated oral hygiene routine as is necessary for dentures, all you have to do is brush and floss as normal (and visit our dental office for routine checkups!).
Health Benefits
In addition to bosting your confidence, the benefits of dental implants in West Monroe also extend to your health in the following ways:
- Healthy lifestyle – Since you can eat virtually anything you want with dental implants, you can maintain a balanced diet full of the nutrients your body needs to thrive.
- Jawbone preservation – Without the roots of natural teeth, the jawbone begins to weaken over time. As a result, your remaining teeth lose support, increasing the risk that you’ll lose even more teeth in the future. Dental implants keep your jawbone strong and preserve as much of your natural smile as possible.
- No removal of healthy tooth structure – Conventional dental bridges rely on two of your natural teeth, which requires that some enamel be removed from these teeth. Eventually, they become weaker and more prone to cavities and breakage. In contrast, dental implants can fully support themselves, so you don’t have to sacrifice any of your remaining enamel.
Long-Term Benefits
Dental implants do more than just help you in the present. They also provide numerous long-term benefits, such as:
- Long lifespan – When cared for properly, dental implants can last for a lifetime. Other tooth replacements require periodic replacing, which can rack up quite a bit of money over time. Dental implants, on the other hand, should be a one-time investment that eventually pays for itself.
- High success rate – As long as they’re placed by an experienced implant dentist in West Monroe like Dr. Scott, dental implants are successful in more than 95% of cases.
- Younger appearance – Because dental implants stimulate blood flow to the jaw, they prevent the bone from deteriorating as it normally would after tooth loss. This helps you maintain a youthful glow, as your facial structures don’t collapse and prematurely age you.
Who Dental Implants Can Help
There are multiple options available for implant restoration, depending on the extent of the patient’s tooth loss and the goals they have in mind for their new “teeth.”
Missing One Tooth
If only one tooth needs to be replaced, an all-porcelain crown is the ideal addition, as it won’t threaten the health of surrounding natural teeth.
Missing Multiple Teeth
Several consecutive missing teeth can be replenished by placing two dental implants on either side of the gap to support an implant bridge.
Missing All Teeth
Dental implants are so versatile that they can even be used to recreate an entire arch of teeth with exceptional aesthetic and functional value! This method is typically more cost-effective for patients with significant tooth loss, as Dr. Scott will be able to anchor the new prosthetic to a small number of strategically placed implants instead of restoring each implant individually. Your new denture can be permanently fixed in place or designed to remain removable for patients who are used to their previous habits.
Learn More About Implant Dentures
All-on-4/Teeth-in-a-Day
Beyond the traditional model of dental implants, All-on-4 (also referred to as “Teeth-in-a-Day”) is another excellent reconstructive option that can replenish an entire arch of missing teeth in record time. Like the name implies, your prosthetic will be held in place over just four implants that are angled at strategic positions throughout the bone to provide optimal stability. Better yet, the denture can be attached immediately following the surgery, which means you’ll leave our dental office that same day with a brand-new smile.
Mini Dental Implants
There are a few prerequisites to being able to successfully receive dental implants, including a healthy amount of jawbone density in the requested area. Unfortunately, years of prolonged tooth loss can cause the tissue to deteriorate. Miniature dental implants are a valuable alternative for patients who cannot have traditional implants placed but would still like to reap the health and longevity benefits of the implant model.
Understanding the Cost of Dental Implants
Multiple variables must be considered when planning your implant treatment, such as the number of posts you need, where they are located in the mouth, and what type of restoration you receive. Therefore, there is no fixed cost of dental implants. Our team can help you navigate your financial options, such as dental insurance and CareCredit financing, so that you can fit your new smile into your budget.
Keep in mind that dental implants can last several times longer than traditional tooth replacements. Rather than paying for repairs and replacements every few years, you’d be making a one-time investment that should last a lifetime. Ultimately, dental implants are the more cost-effective solution in the long run.