Dental Implants – Burbank, CA

Initial Dental Implant Consultation

The first step when getting dental implants is to attend an initial consultation. During this visit, you will meet with Dr. Ruiz to go over your oral and overall health as well as your jawbone density. It will be determined if you are a candidate for treatment and if you require preliminary services beforehand. Once your gum tissue and jawbone appear to be in good shape, we can discuss the rest of the treatment process, including the timeline and the cost. During this time, we will also go over your financial options so that you don’t run into any surprises.

Dental Implant Surgery

Getting dental implants requires a minor surgical procedure. Dr. Ruiz completed this procedure in-house, so you don’t need to worry about working with a local specialist at a separate location. Dr. Ruiz will begin by administering a local anesthetic to numb the surgical site. Then, he will make a small incision into the gum tissue where he will insert one or more implant posts into your jawbone. After closing the gum tissue, he will place protective caps over the ends of the implants to keep them safe throughout the healing process.

Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment

You’ll return home for approximately 3-6 months to allow or complete healing as osseointegration commences. Osseointegration is the process in which the titanium implant posts fuse to the jawbone. This is what makes implants so stable, comfortable, and long-lasting. Once the implants are fully fused with the bone, you’ll return to receive your metal abutments. This is what will secure your restoration to your implants. Impressions are taken of your smile so your customized restoration(s) can be crafted.

Delivery of Dental Implant Restoration(s)

Once your restoration(s) is ready, you’ll return to our dental office. Dr. Ruiz will attach your new dental crown, implant bridge, or implant denture to the abutments to secure it into place. If everything looks and feels great, you will be free to leave the practice to show off your new and improved smile!

Day-to-Day Benefits

Not long after you get dental implants, you should notice their everyday benefits. These include:

• Gorgeous Looks – Modern dental implants use porcelain crowns, so they match your other teeth in shape, color, and size. That means they blend seamlessly with the rest of your smile. They also never slip or fall out, so they look very realistic.
• Simple Oral Care – Dental implants are easier to clean than devices like dentures or dental bridges. All in all, you only need to care for them as you would natural teeth. Just remember to brush them twice daily and floss once daily.
• High Confidence – By filling in your smile’s gaps, dental implants should give you a confidence boost. They’ll help you feel self-assured and less worried about how your grin looks.
• Easier Eating – Since they fuse with your jaw, dental implants restore most of your original bite force. That power will let you chew your favorite tough foods again!

Health Benefits

Aside from their day-to-day perks, you should also note dental implants’ health-related upsides. The most common of these are:

• A Healthier Mouth – Unless they’re treated, smile gaps let harmful bacteria grow in your mouth and raise your risk of oral problems. The good news is that dental implants fill these spaces and thus make your mouth healthier.
• A Sturdy Jaw – Tooth loss will erode your jaw if it isn’t addressed, resulting in facial collapse and similar side effects. However, dental implants prevent and reverse this erosion.
• Support for Teeth – Over time, smile gaps will tilt your other teeth until they fall out. Still, dental implants can prevent this tilting when they’re placed in time.
• Better Nutrition – Due to helping you chew tough foods (see above), dental implants expand your dietary choices. This wider range of food options then boosts your nutritional health.

Long-term Benefits

If they’re well-maintained, your dental implants will have long-term benefits as well. Those upsides are the following:

• High Success – When placed by a qualified dentist, dental implants tend to succeed in the long run. Their ten-year success rate even exceeds a whopping 98%!
• Long-Lasting Results – A typical dental implant has a lifespan of roughly 15-20 years, while a well-maintained one can last 30 years or more. With either number, your treatment results should last a lifetime!
• Cost-Effectiveness – Thanks to their long lifespans (see above), dental implants can save you money over time. Since they hardly ever need repairs or replacements, they don’t tend to involve costly follow-up work.

Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery

Often enough, patients need other services before dental implant surgery. These extra treatments can range from gum disease therapy and tooth extractions to actual bone grafts. If required, they’ll add to your expenses and ensure your implants’ success. Luckily, most of them are partly covered by dental insurance.

Don’t forget that implant surgery incurs its own cost as well. Depending on implant location, sedation needs, and more, its price can go high or low. The good news is that we provide the entire surgery in-house; you won’t have to worry about working with an outside surgeon.

The Parts of Your Dental Implant

Even your dental implants’ parts and features affect the final treatment cost. For that reason, make sure to keep track of the following:

• Number of Implants – As your treatment involves more implants, its cost will increase.
• Implant Material – Some dental implants use pricier materials. For example, those made of zirconia cost more than the standard titanium ones.
• Implant Brand – Since different manufacturers make dental implants differently, it follows that an implant’s brand also affects the price.
• Type of Restoration – The truth is that crowns, bridges, and dentures have different costs.

How Dental Implants Pay for Themselves

Maybe you’re tempted to buy dentures or dental bridges, as these prosthetics have lower initial prices than implant posts. However, the fact is that dental implants are a better long-term investment.

Remember that dental implants can last 30 years (or more) with good care. As a result, they don’t need repair or replacement care every few years. You can care for them like natural teeth and save money otherwise spent on follow-up care. To that extent, dental implants would pay off more than dentures or dental bridges in the long run.

Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?

While dental insurance hardly ever covers dental implants, rare cases exist. There’s a chance your own plan may apply to part of your treatment – a percentage of the restoration, a preliminary service, etc.

In the end, you should consult your insurance provider before committing to anything. Our practice will gladly help you contact them.

Making Dental Implants Affordable

Even without dental insurance, dental implants can still be affordable. Just take a look at one of our helpful payment options! At Dr. Ruiz’s office, we offer flexible financing through CareCredit – a reputable 3rdparty financier. You could rely on them to pay for implants in monthly installments with little or no interest. That way, you could meet the cost of care gradually instead of all at once.

Dental implants can restore your smile without costing a lot, so to speak. Learn to finance them well by visiting us in the coming days.