Dental Implants – Collierville, TN
Changing Lives by Replacing Missing Teeth
Dental implants have quickly become the most popularly requested tooth replacement option in America, allowing patients who are missing natural teeth to enjoy a fully functional bite once again. Dr. Joshua Holcomb is a dental implant dentist in Collierville who provides a comprehensive menu of cosmetic dentistry and restorative dentistry services that includes everything you need to restore your smile's beauty and balance, including full mouth reconstructions and dental implantology services. Contact us today to find out if you are eligible for dental implants and how you can get started.
The 4 Step Dental Implant Process
They say the best things in life are worth waiting for, including your dental implants. Unlike dentures and dental bridges, dental implants require a multi-step process that can take several months to complete. While this may seem like a long time, the benefits of dental implants are well worth the wait.
Dr. Holcomb is proud to provide his patients with full-service dental implant procedures from start to finish right here in his office. While each treatment will vary by patient, they all follow the same four main steps: consultation, surgery, osseointegration, and delivery of final restoration.
Initial Dental Implant Consultation
At your initial consultation, Dr. Holcomb will review your oral health and medical history to ensure that you are a good candidate for dental implants. If necessary, he will formulate a treatment plan that may include gum disease treatment, tooth extractions, or bone grafting.
Once your mouth is in healthy condition, Dr. Holcomb can begin to plan the rest of your dental implant treatment including the timeline and cost.
Dental Implant Surgery
Dr. Joshua Holcomb is proud to provide dental implants right here in his Collierville office. In addition to being more convenient for his patients, it also provides the benefit of being completed by your regular dental team who know your dental history and what’s best for your mouth.
During your procedure, Dr. Holcomb will first numb your mouth. Next, he will make an incision in your gums, place the implant posts in your jawbone, close your gums, and then place protective caps over the posts.
Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment Placement
The next step in your dental implant journey is osseointegration. This is when the implant fuses with your jawbone so that it truly becomes a permanent fixture in your mouth. This process can take several months to complete.
Following successful osseointegration, you will need another small surgical procedure to place the abutments on top of your implant posts. Abutments are what hold the crowns (teeth) in place on the implant posts. As you heal over the next few weeks, your final restorations will be customized, and impressions will be taken of your mouth.
Delivery of Dental Implant Restorations
Finally, you’ll return to Dr. Holcomb’s office once again to have your prosthetics placed. These can either be crowns, a bridge, or an implant denture, depending on how many teeth you are replacing. You will discuss the type of restoration at your initial consultation and Dr. Holcomb will happily answer any questions about the pros and cons of each option at that time.
Next, Dr. Holcomb and the team will check to ensure that your bite is comfortable, and your new smile fits together seamlessly. Once this is done, you’ll be free to go enjoy the myriad benefits of your beautifully restored smile!
Benefits of Dental Implants
Dental implants are not like traditional dentures and bridges; they are the only type of tooth replacement that is directly placed in the jawbone. As such, they are able to offer all kinds of unique benefits that make them well worth the investment. Are you trying to figure out whether dental implants are a good fit for you? Here’s a look at some of the advantages that they can provide.
Day-to-Day Benefits
Once the dental implant process is complete, it won’t be long before you notice the impact that your new teeth have on your day-to-day life:
- A More Varied Diet: Dental implants offer chewing power that is comparable to that of natural teeth, allowing you to eat virtually anything you want without issue.
- Clearer Speech: When you try to speak with traditional dentures, there’s a chance that they could slip out of place and cause you to slur your words. This will never be an issue with crowns, bridges, or dentures that are anchored firmly in place with dental implants.
- Improved Confidence: The stability and natural appearance of dental implants can go a long way toward improving your overall confidence. You won’t have to feel self-conscious about sharing your grin with the world.
- Easy to Take Care Of: Dental implants don’t require you to change your oral hygiene routine or buy specialized cleaning products. Instead, you can brush and floss them the same way you would your natural teeth.
Health Benefits
Dental implants don’t just improve your daily routine. They’re also beneficial when it comes to your health:
- Prevention of Bone Loss: Did you know that bone loss often occurs in the jaw after teeth have been lost? Fortunately, the stimulation from dental implants can help stop this from happening, thus allowing you to maintain a stronger, healthier jawbone in the long term.
- Prevention of Dental Drift: Teeth tend to drift out of place when there’s empty space present in your smile. Filling in the gaps with dental implants will help ensure that your teeth stay in their proper alignment.
- Better Nutrition: Since dental implants give you the freedom to eat whatever you want, they can make it much easier to get the nutrition you need for a healthy body.
Long-Term Benefits
As time passes, you’ll be able to appreciate the many long-term benefits that dental implants have to offer:
- High Rate of Success: Statistically speaking, 95 percent of dental implant cases remain successful even 20 years after the posts have been inserted into the jaw. In other words, dental implants are a tooth replacement method that you can depend on for the long term.
- Longevity: If you take care of your dental implants, they can last for decades. Many patients are even able to keep their dental implants for the rest of their lives.
- A More Youthful Appearance: Because dental implants can prevent bone loss, they can help you avoid facial collapse, thus making it easier to maintain a more youthful look.
Who Can Dental Implants Help?
No matter how many teeth are missing from your smile, dental implants offer a unique way to restore your teeth to ensure improved aesthetics and functionality.
Missing Single Tooth
A single titanium implant, metal abutment, and custom-made dental crown are used to recreate the tooth’s structure. Instead of relying on nearby healthy teeth to serve as anchors (like you would for a fixed bridge), a single dental implant only treats the vacated socket left behind by your missing tooth.
Missing Multiple Teeth
When multiple consecutive teeth are missing from an arch, Dr. Holcomb can place two dental implants in the outer sockets to create a firm and stable foundation for your customized bridge. This will ensure your jawbone is continuously stimulated while your restoration restores the look and functionality of your smile.
Missing All Teeth
Instead of believing that a traditional denture is the only way you can replace an entire arch of teeth, Dr. Holcomb can evaluate your oral structure to determine if an implant-retained denture will work. As long as you have sufficient bone to support your implants, he can surgically place between 6 and 8 implants before securing a customized denture for a longer-lasting smile.
Understanding the Cost of Dental Implants
When it comes to paying for your dental implants, it’s important to remember that you are making a worthwhile investment in not only your smile but also your overall health. When you feel good about the way you look, you’ll have significantly more confidence and embrace a better quality of life. From the high-quality materials used to the trusted implant specialist who will bring your new smile to life, it’s better to pay more for optimal results than look for ways to lower the overall cost. There are several factors that must be considered when forming a cost estimate, and you can rest assured, our team will go the extra mile to provide affordable implants that last longer and prove to be life changing.
Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery
If Dr. Holcomb discovers during your initial consultation that you require periodontal therapy, a tooth extraction, or bone grafting, these additional preliminary treatments will be factored into the overall cost of your treatment. While not everyone needs these services, they are necessary if gum disease or a weakened jawbone is present. Also, if a particular tooth is severely decayed or damaged, it may be best to have it removed, especially if you are considering implant dentures.
But preliminary treatments aren’t the only factors that are considered. Your dental implant surgery incurs its own fee as well. Fortunately, Dr. Holcomb offers start-to-finish dental implant placement, which means your costs will be more easily managed because you’ll only be paying one individual to take care of the entire process.
The Parts of Your Dental Implant
Most dental implants are made using titanium. The reason is that this material is known for its proven ability to fuse to the bone. By opting for titanium posts, you can feel confident that your implants will remain firmly in place once osseointegration occurs. Ultimately, it is up to the dentist to choose the materials and manufacturer, but don’t worry, Dr. Holcomb will provide complete transparency during your consultation about the brand and materials used to create your new smile. While these are part of the overall cost, remember, the higher the quality, the greater your chances of enjoying a longer-lasting smile.
Final Dental Implant Restoration
The type of restoration you will receive is one of the large cost factors for dental implants. This is based on how many teeth need to be replaced with implants. Naturally, a single implant dental crown will cost much less than an implant bridge or implant dentures. Because these restorations must be created by lab technicians, it does raise the price tag of your treatment. These individuals make sure your custom restoration is fabricated in such a way that its size, shape, and color will fit seamlessly when put into place, effectively blending with the rest of your smile and giving you a natural appearance.
Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?
Having dental insurance cover all or part of your dental implant placement would be nice; however, most insurance companies do not provide coverage for this type of restorative care at this time. While some are beginning to come around, most view dental implants as a “want” and not a “medical necessity.” But you should know it is possible that your insurer might agree to cover a portion of the process (i.e., consultation, restoration, preliminary treatments). You’ll just need to reach out to a representative from your insurance company to find out how much they will agree to pay and what your out-of-pocket expenses will look like.
Making Dental Implants Affordable
Dr. Holcomb and our team understand that the investment in dental implants can be costly, which is why we are pleased to offer, for a limited time, a free implant consultation. This will allow you to learn more about this tooth replacement solution and find out if you are an eligible candidate. Dr. Holcomb will go over the current state of your oral health and determine if you require any preliminary treatments as well as discuss the type of implant restoration you will need to effectively rebuild and restore your smile for a more youthful and complete appearance.
Dental Implant FAQs
Now that you and Dr. Holcomb have decided that dental implants are your best tooth replacement option, you may still be wondering about a few details. (Most patients do!) Here are answers to some of the most commonly asked questions.
What Are Dental Implants Made Of?
Most of the time, dental implants are made of titanium, a biocompatible metal that is used in other operative procedures such as knee and hip replacement. For patients who are allergic or sensitive to metal, there are also implants made of zirconia or ceramic.
Will the Surgery for Implants Hurt?
That’s probably the most frequently asked question. At the start of the procedure, Dr. Holcomb administers a local anesthetic to the site. Once the anesthesia is working, you won’t feel pain. There may be some pressure as the dentist works, but your safety and comfort will be assured throughout the surgery.
If you need help relaxing during the procedure, there is conscious sedation. Dr. Holcomb will prescribe a mild oral sedative for you to take before your appointment. Then, the surgery is performed while you relax in the dentist’s chair.
What is the Recovery Like After Surgery?
If you only have one dental implant placed, then you will likely be able to return to normal daily activities after your appointment. However, if you need more than one implant, then you may need a day or two to rest. While you recover, be sure to drink plenty of fluids, eat soft foods, and brush gently around the surgical site.
How Long Will It Take to Heal?
That depends on how many dental implants you have. For one implant, healing takes between three to six months. If you’ve had more than one then healing runs a few months longer. While you heal, the implant and surrounding bone tissue integrate. Called osseointegration, this process is what anchors the implant, providing a strong foundation for your tooth restoration.
What Happens After Healing?
After your gums have healed and the implant is firmly set in your jawbone, you will return to our office to have the abutment attached to the implant. Then, in about two weeks, we will attach the appropriate tooth restoration.
How Long Can Implants Last?
Dental implants in Collierville may cost more initially, but unlike other tooth replacement options, they are designed to last a lifetime. Stick to a strict oral hygiene routine at home and attend regular dental checkups, so the integrity of your implants can always be assured. Dental implants enjoy a 98 percent success rate. Take care of your implants and they will give you years of smiles!
Schedule Your Dental Implants Consultation
If you are missing one or more teeth and you are considering your tooth replacement options, we invite you to contact us today (901) 612-2477 to schedule a free consultation with Dr. Holcomb and our caring, highly trained team of oral healthcare professionals. We can explain the dental implants process further and determine which oral treatment option best suits your unique needs. Conveniently located at 435 New Byhalia Rd., Collierville, TN, 38017, our state-of-the-art dental practice warmly welcomes patients from all of the surrounding areas, including Pembrook, Germantown, Bartlett, Memphis, Olive Branch, and beyond.