Dental implants are widely considered to be the best way to replace any number of missing teeth, and Dr. Hoop heartily agrees. Right now, they are the only treatment that restores both the visible crown and hidden root of a tooth, creating a prosthetic that looks natural and is just as strong as the real thing. Thanks to his periodontal specialty training, Dr. Hoop is able to provide every aspect of implant dentistry right here at Total Dental Solutions in North Naples, making it easier than ever for patients to rebuild their smiles. To get started on the road to your renewed oral health and function, contact our dental office today to learn more about dental implants in North Naples, FL.
A dental implant is essentially a prosthetic tooth root made of titanium. Resembling a small screw, it’s placed into the jawbone in the space left by a missing tooth, where it bonds with the surrounding bone through a process called osseointegration. Once this is completed, this new root can be topped with a crown, bridge, or denture to restore the visible portion of a patient’s tooth/teeth.
Why does Dr. Hoop recommend dental implants to all of his patients with missing teeth? Because unlike traditional bridges and dentures, they:
Dental implants are a viable option for any patient no matter how many teeth they are missing. After giving you an exam, Dr. Hoop can go over the various types of implant procedures he offers and let you know which ones would best fit your situation.
A space between two healthy teeth can be filled using an implant root topped with a custom-made porcelain crown. The nearby teeth won’t need to be altered to make room for the prosthetic, and the crown itself will be meticulously shaped and shaded to seamlessly blend with the smile.
Instead of using natural teeth to support a bridge or partial denture that closes larger gaps in the smile, these prosthetics can instead be attached directly to the jawbone using just one or two implants. This makes the new teeth much more stable and long-lasting.
With as little as four to six implants, a full denture can be affixed to the jawbone, giving a patient a prosthetic that is smaller, more comfortable, and more stable than a traditional removable denture. Implant dentures also maintain their fit for much longer and have been proven to bring back more of a patient’s bite force.
Unlike dentures and bridges, dental implants require a unique, multi-step process that spans over months. While this may seem like a long time for dental care, the benefits that you’ll receive after getting dental implants can last for the rest of your life. At Total Dental Solutions, Dr. George A. Hoop has over 30 years of dental experience, including advanced implant training at the world’s most prestigious institutions like the Misch International Implant Institute. He proudly offers the placement and restoration of dental implants all at the same location instead of referring you to a specialist. While every patient’s treatment is slightly different, you can expect 4 main steps for getting dental implants in North Naples.
Dr. Hoop will carefully examine your mouth and review your medical history to see if you’re a good candidate for dental implants. If necessary, he will treat any preexisting issues like gum disease before your surgery to ensure the success of your implants. From there, we’ll be able to plan the rest of the implant process, giving you a more precise estimate for your cost and timeline.
Unlike many other dentists who have to refer their patients to specialists across town, Dr. Hoop provides the entire dental implant process at the same location that you receive your regular dental checkups and cleanings. This is not only convenient, but it makes keeping track of your fees easier. When it’s time for your surgery, Dr. Hoop will ensure that you’re numb and comfortable before making a small incision on your gums to access the bone. Once he creates a tiny hole in the jawbone, and the implant is placed, he will close your gums and protect it with a temporary cap.
Once your implant has been placed, you’ll begin a healing period called osseointegration, which will take at least 3 to 6 months. Dental implants are made of titanium – a biocompatible material that allows them to fuse to your jawbone. During the osseointegration process, the implant will become a permanent part of your body, making it incredibly stable and supportive. Once this is over, you’ll come back into our office, and our implant dentist in North Naples will place an abutment. This is a small connector that goes on top of your implant, which is designed to secure your restoration. During your final weeks of healing, your restoration will be crafted from the impressions taken after your abutment is placed.
Lastly, you’ll return to our office for your final appointment. Dr. Hoop will place your restoration on top of the abutment, ensuring that it fits perfectly for a comfortable, natural-feeling bite. All that’s left to do is for you to walk out of our office with your full, strong, and beautiful set of teeth. Just maintain regular visits to our office so Dr. Hoop can check the health of your implants and your smile.
Sometimes, a patient’s jawbone isn’t thick or strong enough to support implants as is. That’s because they have suffered bone loss as a result of their tooth loss. Rather than having a patient opt for a less effective replacement, Dr. Hoop can perform a variety of advanced procedures designed to build up the jawbone so every patient can enjoy the advantages dental implants have to offer.
A sinus lift involves placing a bone grafting material on the upper back portion of the jaw to make it strong enough to hold dental implants. The procedure gets its name from the fact that the sinus membrane located right above the jaw has to be gently lifted to make room for the new bone.
This procedure involves building up and strengthening the bone that is immediately around a tooth. It is often performed when a failing tooth is extracted so the bone is able to immediately support a dental implant, or it may be needed to fortify an area where a tooth has been missing for a long time.
Bone grafts enable Dr. Hoop to augment specific areas of the jawbone so it is sturdy enough to hold dental implants. He places a bone grafting material where the new teeth will be located, and this stimulates the growth of new, healthy tissue that ensures the implant will stay firmly in place.
Dr. Hoop implements a variety of advanced techniques to increase the success and comfort of the dental implant procedure. These combine his decades of periodontal expertise along with some of the latest technology to improve the patient experience as well as the quality of the outcome. When you come in for a consultation, Dr. Hoop will discuss which of these techniques would best fit your situation.
Using 3-D CBCT technology to find the most appropriate location for an implant increases treatment success and reduces discomfort. We use four computer programs and precise surgical stents to place your implant within .2 mm (the thickness of a couple of sheets of paper).
Most implant dentists use flap surgery for placement, but Dr. Hoop often doesn’t have to make an incision at all. It’s faster (by about 50 percent) and greatly improves recovery. You will experience less swelling and less bleeding.
Using All-on-X, we can angle implants around your maxillary sinus and mandibular nerve to avoid the need for bone grafts.
This method involves Dr. Hoop extracting a broken or decayed tooth and then immediately placing a dental implant, which allows the healing process to begin as quickly as possible so a patient can receive their final restoration(s) with minimal wait.
Patients who have ample bone levels or need failing teeth removed can replace their missing teeth with implants and beautiful restorations on the same day! You don’t have to wait months for your teeth using systems like All-on-4® dental implants, TeethXpress, and Smile-in-a-Day. These options are popular for patients who are edentulous (those without any natural teeth).
Mini dental implants, as their name indicates, are shorter and thinner prosthetic roots compared to regular implants. They are ideal for patients with thin jawbones that can’t support traditional implants. With them, many patients are able to get dental implants without having to undergo some type of bone graft first.
Bioactive modifiers, like L-PRF® (leukocyte-platelet rich fibrin derived from a patient's own blood), rhPDGF, and rhBMP-2 can be placed on an implant surgery site right after the procedure to promote accelerated healing as well as reduce post-surgery discomfort and swelling.
Before we begin your treatment, we need to make sure your mouth is free of any complications or issues that could threaten the success of your dental implant. Depending on your oral health, the cost of your dental implant treatment may include the price of periodontal therapy, a tooth extraction, or a bone graft. During your consultation, Dr. Hoop will be able to give you a more personalized estimate after inspecting your smile, as well as review your options for making it as affordable as possible.
The surgical portion of your dental implant process will incur its own cost as well. Factors like where in the mouth you’re getting implant and what type of sedation or anesthesia you want will influence the price of your surgery. Since Dr. Hoop will be personally performing every step of your dental implant treatment, you’ll save time and money instead of visiting an unfamiliar specialist.
Just like with any other product in life, the cost of your dental implant will depend on which manufacturer makes it. Like cars, shoes, or anything else, some brands of dental implants will be more expensive than others. Some will use slightly different types of abutments or implant posts while others may use different materials such as zirconia. To learn more about where your dental implant is coming from and the type of quality you can expect, feel free to ask Dr. Hoop and he’ll be happy to review your options with you and make recommendations. Regardless of the brand of implant, we’ll make sure your smile is set up to feel natural and secure for many, many years to come.
It goes without saying that the more teeth you need to have replaced, the more expensive your dental implant treatment will be. For example, replacing one missing tooth with a single dental implant post and a small dental crown costs less than replacing many teeth with several implant posts and a larger implant bridge. However, if you’re missing all your teeth, it’s much more cost-effective to replace them with an implant denture than multiple individual implant posts and crowns.
With implants to ground them, your restorations look and feel like real teeth, giving you the confidence to smile, eat, and laugh in front of others again. And what’s more, the implant and the restoration attached to it are designed to go decades without needing replacement, which means you could end up saving quite a bit on your oral healthcare costs in the long run.
Most dental insurance companies unfortunately don’t offer coverage for the cost of dental implants. However, they usually cover certain parts of treatment, such as a percentage of the final restoration or portions of any preliminary treatments. Our talented and experienced team will gladly review the details of your insurance plan to ensure your benefits are being maximized and your out-of-pocket expenses are minimized.
At Total Dental Solutions, we believe that dental implants are truly the gold standard of tooth replacement, which is why we go above and beyond to make treatment as affordable as possible. We accept third-party financing options through CareCredit, which can break up the cost of your treatment into easy payments with little to no interest. We also offer an in-office Direct Dental Savings Plan. For one flat annual fee, you’ll get discounts on a wide variety of treatments and services, including dental implants.
Dr. Hoop has compiled a series of articles that serves as your complete guide to dental implants. With over 50 pages of information, this publication covers everything from the benefits of implants to the advanced technology that Dr. Hoop uses to ensure precise results. Implants can seem like a big investment, and for many patients they are. However, they are the ultimate solution to tooth loss and can have an incredible impact that lasts for many years. These resources provide some helpful information on understanding the cost of dental implants and much more. Take a moment to learn more about the process of implants by clicking the links below!
Introduction to Dental ImplantsMissing a Single ToothMissing Multiple/All Teeth
Dental implants in North Naples are an excellent option to replace your missing teeth. As a nearly perfect replica of your natural smile, you’ll invest in the most realistic treatment that offers predictable results. Although you are excited to treat your tooth loss, we know you have several concerns before you’re ready to commit to the procedure. We’ll explain everything during your initial consultation. While you wait for your visit, we have the answers to a few of the most common questions patients as us about dental implants.
Although gum disease is preventable, it’s the leading cause of tooth loss. If you’ve lost a tooth or two from it, you won’t be a candidate for dental implants until after the infection has been treated. Periodontal therapy will resolve the infection and create the healthy foundation your dental implants need to thrive. While it adds another step to your plan, it’s time well-spent to ensure your new smile lasts.
Age isn’t necessarily a determining factor for dental implants if you’ve finished growing. Instead, we consider several other potential influencers, like your oral and general health, the density of your jawbone, and your lifestyle habits. We’ll perform a thorough consultation to look for any concerning areas to ensure dental implants are the right solution for your needs.
Dental implants are the most reliable option to replace missing teeth, but they can fail in rare cases. Generally, the risk of complications is less than 5%, which is most often caused by a preventable infection called peri-implantitis. There are several steps you can take to safeguard your new smile, such as maintaining your oral hygiene at home and visiting your dentist at least twice a year for a cleaning and checkup. If you develop any concerning signs in between your routine appointments, don’t hesitate to contact our office, like redness or swelling of the gum tissue.
As with any oral surgery, you will have a bit of a recovery ahead of you. It’s normal to have some discomfort for the first few days after your placement surgery; however, it can be managed with an over-the-counter pain reliever. After your jawbone has healed, you shouldn’t experience any pain. If you develop any pain or your dental implant feels loose, contact our office right away.
Every plan is unique, but many insurance policies can be used to help offset the cost of certain steps in your treatment. After reaching your yearly deductible, you can use your plan to lower the fees of various phases in your treatment, like the consultation, periodontal therapy, or restorations. We’ll work on your behalf with your insurance company to file the necessary claim forms to maximize your annual allowance. If there’s any remaining balance, we’ll help you find the solutions you need to keep your dental implants within your budget.