Dental implants are the best way to permanently restore one or more missing teeth. Not only does this restore the natural functionality of your teeth, but it also relieves pain and discomfort, restores your self-confidence in your appearance, and allows you to feel proud of how you look after you’ve lost your teeth. Contact us now to schedule an appointment in Spartanburg with Dr. Paul Gibas, Dr. John Dunbar, or Dr. Adam Brantley at Skylyn Dental Associates and see if you’re a candidate for treatment.
At your dental implant appointment, Dr. Gibas, Dr. Dunbar, or Dr. Brantley will perform a comprehensive oral exam complete with X-rays and digital imaging to determine if you’re a good candidate for an implant. To qualify, you must have a healthy mouth and a strong jaw bone, and be willing to commit to a 6-8 month long implant process.
If your Spartanburg dentist confirms that you’re a good candidate for an implant, he will begin creating your treatment plan and will schedule your initial dental implant placement surgery, which will usually take place a few weeks after your first appointment.
In this process, a small, titanium post will be surgically placed into the jaw bone where your missing tooth’s root used to be. At Skylyn Dental Associates in Spartanburg, we use BioHorizons implants, which use superior design, materials, and technology to provide the best possible patient outcomes.
A dental implant restoration is a prosthetic used to restore your smile, which attaches to your implant. The most common type of restoration is a single dental crown, which is used to replace one missing tooth, but multiple teeth can be replaced with implant-supported bridges and dentures.
We offer implant maintenance and cleaning as part of every six-month oral exam and teeth cleaning at Skylyn Dental Associates, which ensures your implant stays in great shape and lasts as long as possible.
In this type of implant, one dental crown is attached to a single implant, restoring one of your teeth. Single-tooth implants last 30+ years, require no special care beyond routine brushing and flossing, and look and feel completely natural.
Full-arch implants are a great alternative to traditional dentures. In this procedure, 4-6 implants are used to support a specialized implant-supported denture. This treatment can be used for the upper, lower, or both sets of teeth. The dentures will never move or shift because they’re attached to dental implants, so full-arch implants look natural, feel, and function more naturally compared to traditional dentures.
Mini implants are about half of the size of “standard” implants. Because of this, they are less invasive and can be used even in Spartanburg patients who have weaker jaws. They are most commonly used to support a lower set of implant dentures, but may be used to support upper teeth in some cases, as well.
Primarily, this depends on your oral health and whether or not your jaw bone is strong enough to accommodate a dental implant. To get dental implants, you must have a healthy mouth. If you have experienced any issues like gum disease, extensive cavities, or infected teeth, these must be resolved before you get dental implants.
Your jaw bone must also be strong enough for a dental implant. After tooth loss, your jaw bone will begin to weaken in the area where you’ve lost a tooth, since the bone is no longer stimulated by biting and chewing. If your jaw bone is too weak for an implant, you may not qualify for a dental implant at all, or you may require a bone graft before you can get an implant.
This is one of the reasons why it’s important to get dental implants as soon as you can after losing a tooth. Bone loss is a gradual process, so the sooner you get implants, the more likely it is that you can avoid the need for a bone graft. This simplifies the treatment process, and saves you quite a bit of time and money.
Not at all. During the dental implant process, your mouth will be completely numb. You will not feel any discomfort or pain during your surgery as your dental implant is placed into your jaw bone. And at Skylyn Dental Associates, we also offer sedation dentistry in Spartanburg. With nitrous oxide or IV sedation, you can relax and get the treatment you need in comfort.
It is important to note that, just like any other dental surgery, dental implants will typically cause some pain and discomfort for a few days after your treatment. But as long as you follow the recovery instructions provided to you by Dr. Paul Gibas, you can reduce pain and discomfort and heal quickly from your surgery.
The answer is usually “no.” Despite being the best option for replacing missing teeth, most dental insurance policies have not updated their policies to provide coverage for dental implants. This means that you will usually have to pay for them out of pocket. However, your insurance may cover the cost of other necessary procedures that are needed before you get implants, like tooth extractions.
At Skylyn Dental Associates, we also offer payment plans that help you spread the cost of your treatment into low monthly payments. And if you don’t have dental insurance at all, you can join our membership plan, which covers the cost of preventive care and also includes a discount on all other necessary treatments, including dental implants.
One of the best things about dental implants is that you can treat them just like natural teeth. After your dental implant heals and you get your permanent tooth (dental crown), you’ll just need to brush twice a day, floss once a day, and maintain a tooth-healthy diet and lifestyle.
With proper oral hygiene, your dental implant is likely to last a lifetime.It’s also important to visit Dr. Gibas every six months at Skylyn Dental Associates for dental implant maintenance. During your visit, Dr. Gibas will check on your natural teeth and your dental implants to make sure they're in good shape.
