FAQ’s About Dental Implants

Dental implants are a great way to replace missing teeth, but they can seem a little confusing if you’re not familiar with them.

Whether you’re curious about how they work, if they can get cavities, or how they might change your smile, we’re here to help!

In this article, we’ll answer the most common questions about dental implants, straight from our experienced oral surgeons. So, if you’ve ever wondered if dental implants are right for you, keep reading!

Can they fail?

Overall, dental implants have a success rate of up to 95% (American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery).

With that being said, there are some risk factors that your oral surgeon will discuss with you that could lead to a potential failure such as having low bone density, uncontrolled diabetes, taking certain medications, and smoking.

Does this mean if you are a diabetic or a smoker that you cannot get dental implants? Absolutely not.

However, it does mean that your risk for failure may be increased. At your consultation with your surgeon, they will discuss the plan to ensure the possible chance for success for your implants.

Can they get cavities?

Here’s what Dr. Read has to say about this:

How are implants placed?

Here’s what Dr. Kelsey LaPorte has to say about this:

Placing dental implants is fairly simple from the perspective of the steps taken by your oral surgeon. It is three simple steps:

Create a channel in the jawbone.
Place the implant and allow it to heal so it properly fuses with the bone.
Place the crown on the implant – and enjoy your new tooth!

What do dental implants look like?

The simplest answer is that dental implants look like a regular tooth after the crown is placed! It’s difficult for anybody to pick out an implant versus a regular tooth, even when looking closely.

The actual implant (the portion that goes under the gumline) is a little titanium screw, the same kind of screw that they use in hip and knee replacements and the body loves them.

Then, on top of the implant, an abutment is placed which secures the crown, which is the porcelain tooth that everyone sees in your beautiful new smile.

Are they covered by insurance?

As with any dental procedure, what insurance covers completely depends on your insurance company and plan. Many plans do cover dental implants. If your plan does cover dental implants, they’re often covered between 50-80%.

When you come in for your consultation, we will verify your insurance coverage on your behalf and go over any estimated costs and payment options with you, so you have all the information you need to make an educated decision about your care.

Will dental implants change my face or lift my face?

In the event that you need an implant in the back of your mouth, a dental implant isn’t going to change the look of your face very much, if at all.

Of course, if you’re missing a tooth near the front of your mouth and you get a dental implant, this will change the look of your face just by giving you a full smile.

However, in the event that a patient has lost all of their teeth, getting dental implants can change the contour of their face, filling out their cheeks and lips compared to when they have no teeth.

For most of our patients, this is the desired outcome and they are very happy with how they look with the implants after they are placed in their mouth.

Want to Learn More?

Want to learn more about dental implants at Tennessee Valley Oral Surgery? Check out our free guide to Restore Your Smile with Confidence: A Guide to Dental Implants at Tennessee Valley Oral Surgery.

This guide will walk you through the different options for replacing teeth, how implants are used, the process of getting implants in our office, and more.

If you want to move forward with the dental implant process, feel free to call our office to schedule an appointment in one of our convenient locations, with one of our skilled oral surgeons who will put together a treatment plan for your specific case and help you along the journey to restore your smile with confidence!