Dental Implants

Dental Implants in Houston

Dentures & Dental Implants That Will Help You Look Younger and Chew Better

Do You Worry About:

Dentures coming loose as you laugh, cough or sneeze?
A thick layer of nasty-tasting denture adhesives interfering with your enjoyment of food?
Wrinkles from loss of bone and tissue to support the delicate muscles of your lips,
cheeks, the corners of your mouth and your face?

Sores from loose-fitting dentures rubbing your gums?
Being tired of social embarrassment or looking older than you are?
Are you sick and tired of ill-fitting dentures, or missing or worn out teeth?
When you go out to a restaurant, do you order the food you truly want?
Or do you order bland, soft-textured food … just to avoid the frustration and
embarrassment of your dentures in front of family and friends?
Be honest – would you like to sink your teeth into a mouthwatering 16 oz.
Porterhouse steak?
Would you like to be able to eat corn on the cob again?
Or enjoy a juicy Granny Smith apple?

There is a solution that can literally give you teeth that are 90% of the strength of your original teeth.

What are Dental Implants … and How Do They Work?

Today a qualified dentist can fully reconstruct a patient’s mouth. And dental implants are a common procedure in our office. Implants are used to replace one or more missing teeth, to support non-removable permanent bridges for multiple teeth, or to better support a full or partial denture with clasps or retention bars. Because they also help maintain bone, they can help prevent additional tooth loss and a sunken facial appearance.

Three separate pieces are involved: the implant (which fuses to your bone), an abutment that screws on the implant, and a crown that is cemented or screwed on the abutment.

Once the implant, made from titanium, is surgically placed in the bone, it takes about four to six months for it to become integrated into the jaw. A lifelike ceramic porcelain tooth restoration is then matched to the original tooth color and attached to the implant abutment.These feel more natural than conventional replacement bridges or dentures.

To be a candidate for implants, you must be reasonably healthy and have enough bone to support the implants. If you do not have adequate bone, then there are other options, which can be discussed at a consultation.

Types of Dental Implants

Implants usually involve one surgery with the placement of a temporary crown or prosthesis that stays in place for about four to six months until the permanent crown or prosthesis is permanently cemented. Although it may take a few months for the bone to grow around the implant and firmly hold it in place, “immediate load” implants have become popular.

Immediate load implants are just that: If you have excellent bone quality, there is sometimes enough support for the implant to bear the weight of light chewing and a tooth replacement right away.

This is one of the most rewarding parts of our job. There is nothing more exciting than when a patient, who has been wearing dentures for many years, can come into our office and after one long appointment walk out with implanted permanent teeth!

Frequently, patients who have broken a tooth off to the point where the tooth has a poor prognosis can have an implant placed the same day that the tooth is extracted. They walk in the front door of the implant dentist’s office with their own tooth and walk out with a temporary crown cemented on top of an implant. In ONE APPOINTMENT!!!

All-on-4 Dental Implants

Our office provides a special type of dental implant known as All-on-4 or All-on-A6. These implants are strategically placed in your jawbone to support full arches of new, permanent teeth. During the procedure, we place two dental implants in the front portion of the mouth and then diagonally place two implants in the back of your mouth to support your new teeth. The difference between All-on-4 and All-on-6 is the number of implants placed.

All-on-4 is a cost-effective solution to filling your mouth with individual dental implants, and it’s one of our best answers to ill-fitting or floppy dentures.

The All-on-4 solution preserves your jawbone for a lifetime, and because we use only four dental implants for each arch, the recovery time is also very minimal. Patients often enjoy this dental implant method over other full-mouth restorations because the All-on-4 restoration leaves the upper palate open, which gives you more tastes and sensations while enjoying your food.

Mini dental implants work just like traditional dental implants but are smaller in diameter. Mini dental implants are ideal for patients who want to secure their lower denture but are not candidates for regular implants. These implants also can be used for single tooth replacement.

Mini dental implants fuse naturally to the jawbone, just like traditional implants. One of the biggest benefits of mini implants is that we can retrofit the patient’s existing denture to fit the implant. The mini dental implants give patients the chewing ability of conventional dental implants, and patients often experience less postoperative discomfort compared with traditional dental implants.

Implant-Supported and Implant-Retained Dentures

Tired of loose or floppy dentures? Nearly every denture wearer struggles to find the right fit for their dentures because of the constant changes in the jawbone when teeth are lost. Implant-secured dentures solve this problem and provide a stable yet comfortable fit.

The difference between implant-supported and implant-retained dentures is small but important. Implant-supported dentures use a bar attachment to secure your denture, while implant-retained dentures are snapped in using ball attachments. Both restorations can be removed from the dental implants.

You Will Look 10 Years Younger

Dental implants assist you in looking and feeling younger, because they prevent bone loss. By preventing bone loss that would normally occur with the loss of teeth, your facial structures remain normal and intact. The chances of wrinkling and the look of old age before your time is less likely. In other words, every day that you continue to wear dentures or have missing teeth, you are experiencing bone loss, which makes you look much older than you have to. By using dental implants, your facial structures and jaw remain strong, healthy and intact. This is especially important when all the teeth are missing, because the lower one-third of your face begins to collapse if implants are not placed to preserve the bone.

9 Critical Reasons For and Benefits of Dental Implants

Overall quality of life is enhanced with replacement teeth that look, feel and function more like natural teeth. You will look younger and more attractive, which allows you to be even more confident and enjoy smiling, laughing and talking with others.
You might now live longer, because you’ll get to eat better and prevent malnutrition or stomach problems! Fresh vegetables, corn and fruits are back on the menu! You can now eat the foods you like. Also, since your chewing is improved, your digestion will be even better as well!
More confidence in social situations. Patients love their new implants because of their improved appearance, function, comfort and health. When you go out in public, you will never have to cover your mouth with your hand or put off eating out of fear of a denture popping out or gagging you. Also, the improved appearance of your new smile will have people giving you compliments that you’ve never gotten before.
Allows you to relax and not have to worry about your dentures moving around, popping out or gagging you. Eliminate denture adhesives FOREVER! Since implant-supported teeth are securely attached to the implants, there is no need for messy denture adhesives. You’ll never worry about your dentures flying out when you laugh, sneeze, cough or when you eat. Implants are so securely attached that the fear of them falling out will be eliminated!
Your mouth will be restored as closely as possible to its natural state. By replacing the entire tooth, as well as the tooth root, it is possible to replicate the function of natural teeth, with a strong, stable foundation that allows comfortable biting and chewing. Also, nothing in the mouth looks or feels false or artificial!
Increases the amount of enjoyment you get out of eating. You will be able to taste foods more fully. Wearing an upper denture can prevent someone from really tasting food, as the roof of the mouth is covered. With implant-supported replacement teeth, it is not necessary to cover the roof of the mouth, so you can truly enjoy the taste of foods.
Improves overall oral health and decreases the risk of oral cancer and heart disease.
It is much easier to care for implants than dentures. Your chances of bacteria buildup and gum disease decrease when you have implants.
Your other teeth will not be affected because of missing teeth. Since replacing missing teeth with implant-supported crowns and bridges does not involve the adjacent natural teeth, they are not compromised or damaged.

3 Most Common Questions From Patients Considering Dental Implants

Q: How Painful is Getting Dental Implants?

A: Most patients report that they feel very little, if any, pain after the procedure. In fact, many patients do not have to use any pain pills. Your decision to use implants will help you avoid much pain and discomfort in the long term.

Besides, given the overall health care benefits, you should not deny yourself proper treatment out of fear of pain. As with any medical or dental procedure, the implant dentist is equipped to provide you with appropriate treatment, including any pain medicines you need.

There are many options to ensure scared patients can have VERY COMFORTABLE care. If fear is keeping you from getting the dentistry you want or need, “you truly don’t have to be afraid anymore.” There are many alternatives to guarantee your comfort, including dental sedation and anesthesia. With dental sedation, you can often have your dentistry done in one visit, with little or no memory of ever having been in our office. So if you’re especially fearful, phobic or pain-sensitive, you have the option of doing the procedures with sedation dentistry, giving you stronger, more comfortable teeth without any pain or discomfort!

Q: What is the Cost of Implant Treatment?

A: Many people ask, “How much are implants going to cost?” The only real way to determine actual cost is by consulting with an implant dentist to find out if you have bone loss or if you’ll need one, two or more implants.

So yes, you will need to look at implants as an investment, because it really is a significant decision. A cruise or other trip ends after 5-7 days. Or you can purchase more “stuff” for the house, but is that really as important as being able to enjoy chewing your food, having a smile you’re proud of and improved health because of your improved nutrition?

A healthy mouth and a dazzling smile pay dividends in many ways for your entire life. Dental implants are admittedly not the least expensive option. If your primary concern is lowest possible cost, then dental implants are not for you. It is easy to get started, though. Our $100 full-mouth reconstruction and/or implants consultation fee can be applied to the final cost of your treatment if you decide to move forward. Plus, financing and payment plans are available (these are in-house plans depending on your situation), as well as CareCredit.

Q: What Do I Do Now?

A: Dental implants are the fastest way to replace up to 90% of your chewing force. It is the ideal way to get back what has been stolen from you … the magnificent, youthful smile you deserve.

Now every denture complaint has a solution!

You can have a denture that stays firmly in place!
You can go out with friends and eat any food you want; no more worry about what’s on the menu.
You don’t have to get food under your denture.
You no longer have to “think” about your dentures.

Have more confidence in your attractive smile and your ability to chew. No longer do you have to
worry about being embarrassed with something that happens with your dentures. Look younger …
don’t assume you have to accept the lines and wrinkles around your mouth, lips and cheeks …

You don’t have to “settle” for bad dentures anymore!

If you’d like to find out if you are a candidate and qualify as a patient for dental implants, then just give us a call at 281.759.9191. We offer a dental implant evaluation so that patients, like you, can have a no-risk opportunity to have all their questions answered and see if they are a candidate. We will have you come in for a brief time so we can get some X-rays, look at your gums and, most importantly, find out what it is YOU WANT.

Dental Implants Replace Tooth Roots

Because they become integrated into the bone itself, dental implants actually stop the bone loss that inevitably follows tooth loose. Implants won’t loosen over time like dentures or fail like bridges; they look, feel and function just like natural teeth. Preserving bone structure helps preserve your appearance and your confidence.

Real Lifelike Appearance

Dental implants are virtually indistinguishable from your natural teeth, in both aesthetics and function. Plus, they provide a host of benefits that other tooth replacement systems just can’t match. The visible part (crown) is custom made to enhance your smile

Types Of Dental Implants

The kind of dental implant that will be used depends on the structure of the jawbone it will be inserted into. The three types of dental implants are:

Root form dental implants

This is the most common type of dental implant. Root form dental implants are recommended for those with deep and wide jawbones. When a patient has a short and narrow jawbone, he or she will need to undergo bone grafting before the root form dental implant is fitted. Root form dental implants are like screws shaped to look like the root of a tooth. They are inserted directly into the jawbone, beneath the gums. After the surgical procedure to fit the implant is completed and after the three to six month healing process, the implant is exposed and an abutment is affixed.

Plate form dental implants

When the jawbone is too short or too narrow for a root form dental implant, plate form dental implants are used. These implants are long and flat, and are placed directly on top of the jawbone, under the gums. Bone and tissue eventually grow around and affix this type of implant to the bone. Similar to the root form dental implant, the plate form implant is surgically attached. After the healing process, an abutment is affixed and then, later on, the replacement tooth or crown is fastened to the abutment.

Subperiosteal dental implants

These are recommended when the jawbone is too short or not wide enough for the first two types of implants. When there is not enough jawbone, an implant must be custom-made for the patient. This custom-made implant, when attached to the jawbone, increases its surface area and serves as an artificial jawbone itself.