Dental Implants – Hingham, MA

Day-to-Day Benefits

• Boosted confidence – Your new teeth will stay in place at all times; unlike with traditional dentures, there’s no inopportune slipping to worry about! Additionally, the dental crowns, bridges, or dentures that we install on top of your implants are virtually indistinguishable from natural teeth. Casual observers shouldn’t notice a difference.
• Varied diet – While dentures often make it challenging to chew your favorite foods, dental implants restore the strength that you had with your original tooth roots. As a result, you’ll be able to enjoy a variety of chewy, crunchy, and delicious foods.
• Easy maintenance – Tired of the complicated daily routine of cleaning a regular denture? Dental implants in Hingham make your oral hygiene much easier. All you have to do is brush and floss them as you would real teeth.

Health Benefits

• Oral health – Because dental implants are so easy to care for, they naturally lower your risk of oral health issues like gum disease. Plus, they don’t require healthy tooth enamel to be removed like dental bridges do.
• Whole-body health – Poor oral health (and gum disease in particular) has been linked to a higher risk of diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, and a host of other general health problems. Since dental implants lower the risk of gum disease, they may also improve your overall health as well. Furthermore, they make it easier to chew nutritious fruits and vegetables that may give denture wearers a hard time.
• Jawbone health – When natural teeth are lost, the jawbone loses the stimulation it received from the tooth roots, causing it to weaken over time. Eventually, the remaining teeth lose support, increasing the risk that they’re fall out as well. Not to mention, jawbone loss can make your face look sunken and aged! However, dental implants stimulate the jawbone so that it continues receiving the nutrients and blood flow that it needs to remain healthy.

Long-Term Benefits

• Reliability – You may feel worried knowing that dental implants require oral surgery. However, the procedure is completely safe, especially when performed by an experienced implant dentist in Hingham like Dr. Hegazi. In fact, dental implants are successful in more than 95% of cases!
• Lasting results – Traditional dental bridges and dentures tend to break down after five to ten years at most. Dental implants, on the other hand, have an average lifespan of 30 years or longer with minimal maintenance.
• Saved money – Although they cost more initially, dental implants can actually save you money over time. Because they can last for decades, you won’t have to spend money getting your prosthetic replaced every few years.

Initial Dental Implant Consultation

Your journey to a new smile begins with a consultation with Dr. Hegazi. During this appointment, he’ll talk to you about the specific things you wish to accomplish with dental implants and then thoroughly examine your mouth and jaw to make sure you’re eligible for implants. He’ll outline what you can expect at every step of the treatment process. You’ll also have an opportunity to ask him any questions you may have about how dental implants work in Hingham.

There’s a chance that you might need to undergo one or more preparatory procedures before your implants can be surgically placed. For example, you may require bone grafting if your jawbone has weakened after tooth loss. Dr. Hegazi will guide you through these procedures, which are designed to give your implants the healthy foundation they need to last for life.

Dental Implant Surgery

Once your mouth and jaw are ready, Dr. Hegazi can place the implant posts in your jaw. The surgery itself is fairly straightforward, and it shouldn’t be painful due to the modern anesthetic techniques we use. After making small incisions in your gums, Dr. Hegazi will access your jawbone and insert the implants at precise angles and locations that will allow them to fulfill the functions of real teeth. Then, your gums are stitched closed, and you’re sent home to heal.

Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment

The next step is osseointegration – the process by which the biocompatible implant posts merge with the bone and tissue in your jaw, creating a sturdy foundation for your replacement teeth. For most patients, osseointegration takes somewhere between three and six months.

When you’ve sufficiently healed, you’ll return to our office to have your abutments installed. Abutments are small metal connectors that are responsible for connecting your implants to your final restorations. After abutment placement, you’ll be given another couple of weeks to heal.

Delivery of Dental Implant Restoration(s)

Once you’ve healed from getting your abutments, it’s finally time to receive your brand-new teeth! Your implant dentist in Hingham will secure your personalized crown, bridge, or denture on top of your abutments. After checking your bite to make sure everything feels natural, you’re free to enjoy your newly complete smile!

Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery

If you need any preliminary treatments before getting your dental implants, such as a bone graft, tooth extraction, or periodontal therapy, they will naturally add to the overall cost of rebuilding your smile. Then, the implant placement surgery itself, including the use of sedation, will incur its own price. Dr. Hegazi will be performing your implant surgery right here in-house, so you won’t need to spend extra time or money on seeing an outside specialist.

The Parts of Your Dental Implant

Next, there’s the cost of your dental implant itself to consider, including:

• Number of dental implants: The more dental implants you need, the higher your cost will be.
• Type of restoration: Replacing one tooth with a small crown will be less expensive than replacing all your teeth with a full implant denture. However, remember that replacing many teeth with an implant denture will be more cost-effective than replacing each one individually.
• Size or material: Some dental implants are bigger or smaller depending on where they’ll be placed in the mouth, and they may be made of titanium or zirconia. These variables will influence the price of your treatment as well.
• Brand of dental implant: Dr. Hegazi only uses high-quality materials and trusted brands for his dental implants. Remember, cheaper is not better when it comes to replacing your missing teeth for life! If you’d like to learn more about the specific brand of dental implant Dr. Hegazi has chosen for you, feel free to ask!

How Dental Implants Can Save You Money

Dental implants may cost more than traditional dentures and bridges at first, but it’s important to remember what you’re investing in. Dental implants are more comfortable and functional than other options, so you are essentially investing in your health, confidence, and quality of life.

Additionally, dental implants can potentially save you thousands of dollars over the years. With dentures and dental bridges, you’ll need to pay for replacements every 5-7 years, plus readjustments, repairs, and extra cleaning products throughout that time. In comparison, the one-time cost of dental implants can easily last you a lifetime without repairs or replacements. What’s more, dental implants promote better oral health and prevent jawbone deterioration, which will save you money on your oral healthcare costs.

Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?

Unfortunately, most dental insurance plans do not fully cover the cost of dental implant treatment. However, every policy is different, so we’ll be happy to review your coverage with you. Many times, insurance companies will pay for parts or percentages of your treatment, such as the consultation, sedation, or restoration. Our experienced team will be happy to file claims for you and ensure that your benefits are being maximized.

Making Dental Implants Affordable

Don’t have dental insurance? Unhappy with your policy’s coverage for your treatment? Not to worry! We never want cost to stand between our patients and the healthy smiles they deserve. That’s why we’re proud to offer a FREE, no-obligation dental implant consultation! Then, if you decide to move forward with dental implants, flexible financing options through CareCredit can help. With one of their low- to no-interest payment plans, you can break up the cost of your dental implant treatment into smaller chunks that fit into your monthly budget.

Are Dental Implants Safe?

For most patients who are in decent health, dental implants are quite safe, especially when placed by a trained implant dentist in Hingham like Dr. Hegazi. The posts are made of biocompatible materials, so there is almost no chance of your body rejecting them.

While dental implant surgery may be unsuccessful or unsafe if you have gum disease or low jawbone density, Dr. Hegazi will make sure to address these issues before your procedure. If you have certain medical conditions that could complicate surgery or healing, such as diabetes, he can discuss ways to minimize risks.

Am I Too Old to Get Dental Implants?

It is possible to be too young for dental implants (it can take until your mid-twenties for your jawbone to finish developing), but there isn’t really an upper age limit for the treatment. The only thing to keep in mind is that seniors are more likely to have other medical issues, or take certain medications, that could complicate the treatment. However, Dr. Hegazi will go over your medical history and current medications to develop a plan that makes dental implants as safe and successful as possible.

Do Dental Implants Make You Look Younger?

Yes! Every time you bite or chew, that force spreads through the implant posts to stimulate your jawbone in a way that traditional dentures and bridges cannot. Without the stimulation from natural tooth roots or dental implants, the jawbone begins to deteriorate. Eventually, it becomes unable to support your facial structure. You may develop a sunken, wrinkled appearance that ages you. Fortunately, dental implants in Hingham make you look younger by strengthening the jawbone just like real teeth do.

Is There Anything I Shouldn’t Eat with Dental Implants?

After you’ve recovered from dental implant surgery, there is virtually nothing that you can’t eat with dental implants. They function like natural teeth, restoring almost all of the chewing power that you used to have.

That said, some foods that are particularly sticky or chewy, such as gummy candies, can loosen or dislodge the restoration on top of your implants. Extremely hard foods, like nuts and popcorn kernels, can damage implants in the same way as natural teeth. Be careful with these foods.