Dental Implants – Tulsa, OK

Initial Dental Implant Consultation

The first step of every dental implant treatment that we complete is a consultation with Dr. Hammond. She’ll speak with you about your oral/medical health history and smile goals, and then she’ll conduct a thorough evaluation of your mouth to outline what the treatment will look like for your unique situation. Based on this, you can decide whether you want to move forward with the dental implant process.

Our team will also need to assess your oral health to ensure you’re free of any growing complications that could risk implant failure, such as decay and infection. If necessary, we can provide preliminary services to get you prepared for the procedure, such as gum disease treatment, bone grafting, and tooth extractions. Once you’re ready, we can begin your surgery.

Dental Implant Surgery

When you consent to the treatment plan, our team will schedule your surgery, which will be completed in-house by Dr. Hammond. She’ll place the implants beneath the gumline and into the jawbone to provide a strong foundation for your replacement teeth to be attached to. Of course, our team will also administer a local anesthetic to keep your mouth pain-free before beginning the procedure. We can also provide various sedation dentistry options to increase your comfort so that you can relax during your appointment. After your implants have been embedded in your jawbone, we’ll suture your gums closed and then place dental caps on top to keep them protected while your mouth heals.

Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment

Following your surgery, it will take anywhere from three to six months for osseointegration to occur, which is when your implants naturally fuse with your jawbone. If healed properly, this will form the stable foundation for your future restoration(s), allowing them to remain in your mouth indefinitely whenever you eat or speak. After this is completed, we can secure small metal connector pieces to them called abutments.

Delivery of Dental Implant Restoration(s)

Once your permanent restoration is crafted by our dental laboratory and your gums have healed from the placement of your abutments, we’ll call you back in to attach your replacement teeth and complete your smile. After we’ve fitted your custom dental crown, bridge, or denture to your mouth, we’ll double-check that your bite is correct and that you’re happy with the results before sending you on your way.

Day-to-Day Benefits

After treatment, you’ll quickly notice implants’ day-to-day upsides. These include:

• Pretty Results – Since they’re capped with dental crowns, implants are beautiful and blend seamlessly with adjacent teeth. In fact, they’re so lifelike that friends and family won’t notice their artificiality.
• High Confidence – By filling your unseemly smile gaps, implants will boost your confidence. As a result, you’ll feel less anxious and more self-assured.
• Easier Eating – Implants restore your bite force when they fuse with your jaw. As such, they’ll help you chew your favorite tough foods!
• Simple Care – Implants don’t need special care, especially when compared to dentures and bridges. Patients can maintain them like natural teeth. Put another way, you must brush them twice daily, floss between them once daily, and rinse them often with mouthwash.

Health Benefits

Over time, implants confer health advantages as well. The most common ones are:

• Stronger Jawbone – Left unchecked, tooth loss will erode your jawbone. (This process will then trigger facial collapse.) However, implants can prevent and reverse this erosion. They’d stimulate your jaw to preserve its bone tissue.
• Better Nutrition  – Once they restore your bite force, implants allow you to eat a wider range of foods. This expansion in dietary choices leads to improved nutritional health.
• Smile Support – Truthfully, smile gaps tilt your surrounding teeth. These tilted chompers could then fall out. When implants fill the spaces, though, your other pearly whites are kept straight.
• Fewer Oral Risks – If your jaw sockets are empty, they’ll become breeding grounds for harmful bacteria. Luckily, implants can fill these gaps and thus reduce your risk of oral issues (gum disease, infections, etc.)

Long-term Benefits

Of course, what really helps implants stand apart are their long-term benefits. These are the following:

• Great Success – So long as they’re placed by a qualified dentist, implants usually succeed in the long run. It’s to the point that their ten-year success rate is about 95%!
• Longevity – A dental implant lasts an average of 15-20 years. When well-maintained, though, it can reach a lifespan of 30 years or more. Either way, these numbers show an implant could help you for a lifetime.
• Cost-Effectiveness – While they can look pricey at first, implants save you money in the long run. Unlike dentures or bridges, they don’t need many replacement or repair visits. That means they can be the most cost-effective restorations.

Missing Single Tooth

If you’re missing just one tooth, it’s still important to replace it. An implant-supported dental crown can seamlessly complete your smile. We custom-craft our dental crowns out of high-quality ceramic to provide you with a strong and beautiful restoration.

Missing Multiple Teeth

Are you missing multiple teeth in a row? We may recommend an implant bridge. This personalized prosthetic literally “bridges” the gap in your smile to create a stable and natural-looking replacement.

Missing All Teeth

If you’re missing all of your teeth, an implant denture is your best option. Combining the best of both worlds, this option allows us to replace your smile all at once, with the stability and health benefits of dental implants.

Understanding the Cost of Dental Implants

The cost of your dental implants will vary depending on a few factors that are specific to your smile, which is why it’s hard to give an estimate without examining your mouth first. The number of teeth that you’re missing, the condition of your overall health, and the strength of your jawbone are the main variables that influence the cost. Also, the type of restoration that you need must be accounted for in addition to the implants themselves. At Glisten Dental Care of Tulsa, we accept insurance and have flexible dental financing to give you quality, affordable dental care.

What to Do Directly After Dental Implant Surgery

After implant surgery, your main task is to leave the forming blood clot alone. (You won’t heal well from treatment otherwise.) Given that fact, make sure to follow these rules:

• Don’t spit. Instead, swallow your saliva or use a tissue for dabbing.
• Don’t use drinking straws. Their suction force might dislodge your blood clot.
• Don’t smoke on the first day after surgery.
• Keep your fingers and tongue away from the surgical site(s).

Common Side Effects When Recovering from Dental Implant Placement

Following implant placement, you’ll likely face some mild side effects. Those that appear may include:

• General Discomfort – Your mouth may ache after the surgery’s anesthesia fades. To manage this soreness, take store-bought pain relievers.
• Intermittent bleeding – Your treatment site(s) might occasionally bleed. If that happens, lessen the effect with gauze and light pressure.
• Gum or Facial Swelling – In the first 72 hours post-surgery, your face and gums could swell a bit. Try using a cold or warm compress to reduce the swelling.

Luckily, these effects are temporary; they’ll subside with time. If that’s ever not the case, please let us know.

Your Diet After Dental Implant Surgery

For a few days after implant surgery, stick to softer and non-abrasive foods. Chewing tougher stuff can interfere with your recovery.

Some softer foods you might like to try are:

• Pasta
• (Non-hot) Soup 
• Yogurt
• Scrambled eggs
• Mashed potatoes 
• Pudding
• Ice cream

You can resume your typical diet when you feel up to it. Still, we recommend that you limit crunchy and tough foods. You should also not chew directly on the implant site(s).

Post-Op Health & Oral Hygiene

Even as you recover from implant surgery, your mouth still needs regular cleaning. So, remember to practice good oral hygiene; just make some changes to ensure smooth healing.

For example, please brush your teeth as usual. (Twice-daily brushing is always crucial!) However, be gentle when you reach the surgical site. You don’t want to dislodge the blood clot.

Meanwhile, make a slight change to your mouth rinse approach. Using a mouthwash with a high alcohol content will cause issues. Instead, try a twice-daily rinse with saltwater. This alternative will reduce your post-surgery inflammation.

What to Do After Your New Teeth Are Attached

With your new crown, bridge, or denture attached, you shouldn’t have difficulties. Some mild sensitivity may be present, but you can manage this symptom with painkillers. Otherwise, this final placement won’t result in abnormal swelling, bleeding, or extensive recovery. On the contrary, it’ll leave you ready to show your complete smile!