Dental Implants – Braintree, MA
Expertly Placed. Skillfully Restored. All Under One Roof.
Dr. Matthew Lann, our board-certified periodontist, and Dr. George Salem, our general dentist with over four decades of experience, collaborate to provide patients with phenomenal results using dental implants in Braintree. Whether you’re missing one, several, or all of your teeth, our talented team can restore your smile to as good as new with this leading-edge, gold standard treatment. Start your journey by calling our office and scheduling a consultation today!
Why Choose Dr. George Salem and Associates, PC for Dental Implants?
- Start-to-Finish Dental Implant Treatment In-House
- We Offer Multiple Flexible Ways to Pay
- Dentist with 40+ Years of Experience
What Are Dental Implants?
Dental implants themselves are small titanium posts that are surgically placed below the gumline and into the jawbone to restore the roots of missing teeth. Due to their biocompatible nature, they’re able to fuse with the bone to provide it with necessary blood flow and stimulation, keeping it from eroding over time. After this process has occurred, known as osseointegration, Dr. Salem will restore the implants with custom-crafted prosthetics, like a dental crown, bridge, or denture, to complete the smile.
The 4-Step Dental Implant Process
Dental implants replace the entirety of the missing teeth, including the root and the crown. This allows for numerous additional benefits that you can’t find with other tooth replacement options. However, dental implants require a multi-step process that spans over the course of several months. Everyone’s treatment littles a little bit different, but here are the four main steps that everyone can expect.
Initial Dental Implant Consultation
The first step of getting dental implants is completing an in-depth consultation. This consists of an evaluation of your teeth and gums, as well as a detailed talk with Dr. Salem about your smile goals. Based on our diagnostic findings, we will outline a treatment plan and walk you through it so you know exactly what to expect throughout the process. You’ll also have an opportunity to ask any questions you may have.
Dental Implant Surgery
The next step of your treatment will be your dental implant placement with our board-certified periodontist, Dr. Matthew Lann. After numbing the area with a local anesthetic, he will make a small incision in the gumline to place the implants into the jawbone. The gums are closed and protective caps are placed over the implants to keep them safe as they heal.
Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment
The next three to six months following your surgery, your implants will undergo a process called osseointegration, where the titanium implants fuse with the jawbone. This will make them a strong support system for your prosthetics. Once this has occurred, we’ll call you back in to place abutments on the tops of your implants, which are small metal connector pieces. Impressions are also taken so your restorations can be custom-crafted in the dental laboratory.
Delivery of Dental Implant Restoration(s)
Finally, once your permanent prosthetic is finished, you will return to the dental office. Dr. George Salem will secure it to your abutments and implants to provide you with a natural-looking and feeling, fully functional set of teeth. If everything looks and feels great, you will be left to show off your beautiful, complete smile!
Benefits of Dental Implants
Dental implants offer a wide array of benefits that distinguish them from traditional tooth loss solutions, like traditional dental bridges. If you’re interested in learning a bit more about why so many patients choose to restore the look, health, and function of their smiles with them, then keep reading!
Day-to-Day Benefits
Below are some of the many day-to-day benefits that you’ll enjoy with dental implants:
- Improved Self-Esteem – Since dental implants are custom-made for each patient and function very similarly to natural teeth, many patients are drawn to how lifelike they are. The fact that they don’t draw any unwanted attention to your smile either will drastically boost your confidence as well as your overall quality of life!
- Strengthened Bite – Dental implants are unique because they don’t rest against your gums or surrounding teeth for support. Instead, they get their strength from your jawbone, which makes the strength of your bite considerably stronger.
- Clearer Communication – Even one missing tooth can negatively impact your enunciation. The good news is that dental implants can restore any number of missing teeth, resulting in clearer communication.
Health Benefits
One of the reasons patients and professionals alike prefer dental implants is because of the health benefits they offer, including:
- Preserve Your Jawbone – Something else that makes dental implants unique is that they are the only tooth-replacement solution that preserves your jawbone. This helps prevent bone loss while also preserving your youthful face shape.
- Prevent Dental Drift – Did you know that the teeth surrounding the gap can start to move? This phenomenon is referred to as “dental drift,” and it can negatively impact the look and function of your smile. Fortunately, dental implants can seamlessly fill the open space, preventing this and other dental problems in the process.
- Avoid Malnutrition – It’s no secret that tooth loss can negatively impact the strength of your bite. As a result, many patients are left eating only soft foods, like applesauce, yogurt, and cottage cheese. Dental implants, however, can help restore the strength of your bite and, in turn, help you eat a more varied, nutrient-dense diet.
Long-Term Benefits
Of course, this list wouldn’t be complete without the long-term benefits of dental implants. Here are two noteworthy ones:
- High Success Rate – Extensive research has been done on dental implants, and they currently have an impressive 95% success rate. It’s actually even higher among non-smoking patients!
- Longevity – If cared for properly, dental implants can last for up to 35 years. The best part is you don’t need to adopt a cumbersome oral hygiene regimen – just use the same best practices that keep your natural teeth healthy!
Who Dental Implants Can Help
Due to this treatment’s versatility, dental implants can help a variety of patients looking to restore their smile affected by missing teeth. At your consultation, Dr. Salem will create a custom-tailored treatment plan to help meet your specific needs and ensure you’re a good candidate moving forward. Some of the qualities we look for include sufficient jawbone density and a dedication to practicing good dental hygiene. From here, we can restore your smile using one of the three methods below.
Missing One Tooth
If you’re missing one tooth, instead of needing to alter your existing teeth with a traditional dental bridge, we can place one dental implant below the gumline and into the jawbone. Once it has undergone osseointegration, it will act as a post to hold a free-standing dental crown securely in place.
Missing Multiple Teeth
If you’re missing multiple teeth, depending on their location within the mouth, we can either support a combination of implant bridges and crowns throughout the arch, or secure an implant bridge to replace anywhere between two and four consecutive teeth.
Missing All of Your Teeth
Unlike traditional dentures, implant dentures are secured to your jawbone, replicating the natural structure of teeth for enhanced stability and strength. To secure a complete denture in the mouth, Dr. Lann will place anywhere from four to six dental implants across the arch to anchor it.
Understanding the Cost of Dental Implants
Every dental implant treatment can vary based on each patient’s unique needs, which is why there’s no set price tag associated with the treatment. At your initial consultation with Dr. Salem, our team will be able to inform you as to whether or not you require any preparatory treatments, like a bone graft or sinus lift, as well as walk you through a detailed cost estimate of your procedure. We will also help you navigate any dental insurance coverage you would like to utilize, as well as walk you through our flexible payment options.