Dental Implants — Crookston, MN

A Truly Long-Lasting Solution

Dental implants are the only method of tooth replacement that replicates the entire structure of the lost tooth, not just the crown that’s visible in your mouth. The implant itself is placed beneath your gumline in your jawbone, and is topped with a custom-made restoration. Within a few months after placement, the implant has fused to your jawbone, creating a powerful bond that can last for decades to come. It’s also easy to maximize the lifespan of your new teeth. Just brush, floss, and attend dental checkups on a regular basis.

Maintain Your Youthful Appearance

When even one tooth is lost, the root is no longer there to stimulate the jawbone. As a result, the bone starts to shrink. Over time, this can change the shape of your facial muscles as they lose support, resulting in your looking older due to premature drooping and wrinkling. Because implants stimulate bone growth, you can stay looking young for years and years.

Tooth Replacement That Feels As Natural As It Looks

Traditional dentures and bridges only replace the crowns of your teeth, not the roots. So, as natural as they may look, they won’t quite feel like the pearly whites you were born with. Dental implants, on the other hand, replace the root structure of your teeth, eventually becoming attached to your jawbone to the point that’s it’s as if they’re a part of your own anatomy. In addition, your implants will be restored with a dental crown, bridge, or denture designed to perfectly resemble your natural teeth.

No More Embarrassing Slippage

Wearers of conventional dentures may be familiar with the annoying and sometimes embarrassing slippage that can occur when eating or talking. Because of the firm bond with your jawbone, implant dentures won’t do this. Instead, they’ll remain in place as they should. They can even be fixed in your mouth, so all you have to do to clean them is brush and floss like you would with natural teeth.  

Protect Healthy Remaining Teeth

In order to place a dental bridge, two of your remaining natural teeth must be filed down slightly to place crowns over them. Over the years, supporting a bridge can take a toll on these teeth, to the point that they might need root canal therapy down the road. With dental implants, none of your natural teeth have to undergo any stress or damage.

Who Is a Good Candidate for Dental Implants?

Your current oral condition can impact how successful dental implants will be. During your initial appointment, Dr. Applequist will examine your mouth to ensure there are no problems that could interfere with them. Three things she’ll look for are:

• Your overall status. Because there’s a surgical component, our team needs to know more about your general well-being to ensure you’re able to undergo the procedure.
• Good oral health. Cavities and gum disease can lead to implant failure, so if these are present, we’ll work with you to clear them up first.
• Sufficient jawbone strength. Your jaw must be able to support your restoration, so we’ll take images to measure its density.

If we determine that you’re not a good candidate for dental treatment in your current condition, don’t worry! Other treatments, such as tooth extractions, gum disease therapy, or bone grafts, can often get you back on track.

Missing One Tooth

Typically, patients missing a single tooth can easily have it replaced with a dental implant. Dr. Applequist will place one rod into your jaw and cap it with a beautiful, lifelike dental crown that’s customized to match your natural hue. Unlike dental bridges, this is a sturdy, standalone structure that doesn’t rely on its neighbors for support. Plus, there’s no need to remove any enamel from your healthy teeth to anchor it in place.

Missing Multiple Teeth

There are a couple of ways to approach multiple missing teeth. If the gaps are all in a row, two posts can be inserted to support a bridge that refurbishes the empty space. Because the bridge will attach to implants instead of natural teeth, there’s no need to remove any enamel from them.

If your missing teeth are spread out throughout your mouth, then several strategically placed support rods can hold partial dentures that fill in the empty spaces.

Missing All Teeth

If you’ve lost all your teeth, we’ll likely recommend implant dentures. These combine dental implants with a full set of dentures to completely rebuild your smile. This usually requires 4 to 6 posts inserted in your jaw to support prosthetics that are specifically made to attach to them. Unlike traditional dentures, these are considered ‘permanent’ and can’t be removed at home. That makes them much easier to clean and keep track of.

3D Cone-Beam Imaging

Traditional dental X-rays are beneficial in allowing an implant dentist in Crookston to get a better look at various teeth; however, our Sirona Orthophos SL 3D imaging system provides a more in-depth, comprehensive overview of a person’s entire oral and facial structures. When preparing for dental implant surgery, this device is a game-changer.

Once the patient gets into place, the device rotates a full 360 degrees. During its rotation, it captures hundreds of pictures from various angles, producing a complete 3D image of the teeth, gums, jawbone, nerves, tissues, and overall facial structure. Not only does this make it possible to formulate a thorough and precise treatment plan, but it helps our team to identify areas that may require preliminary treatment (i.e., bone grafting) and/or those we will need to avoid during the surgical procedure.

By using this unique technology to prepare and plan for a person’s dental implants in Crookston, we can ensure a more successful procedure that promotes greater patient comfort and satisfaction.

What to Do Directly After Dental Implant Surgery

The main priority during the recovery period is to keep the forming blood clot untouched so the healing happens smoothly. Here are some rules you should follow to prevent the clot from being displaced:

• Don’t spit. Instead, use tissues or swallow your saliva.
• Avoid using straws when you drink.
• Don’t smoke immediately following your procedure.
• Try to keep your fingers and tongue away from the surgical site.

Common Side-Effects When Recovering from Dental Implant Placement

Some mild side effects are common – especially in the first few days following your procedure. These are the most common ones:

• Bleeding: This can go on for several days. To reduce bleeding, use gauze and light pressure.
• Swelling: This is common over the first 72 hours, but it can last longer. Try using a cold compress to reduce inflammation.
• Soreness: It’s normal to experience some discomfort after your procedure. This can be alleviated with over-the-counter pain relievers.

All of these side effects should be temporary and gradually subside. If you notice any of your symptoms worsening or not going away, let us know what’s going on so we can help.

Your Diet After Dental Implant Surgery

For the first few days after your dental implants are placed, we recommend sticking to softer foods. Here are some examples of foods you can enjoy during this period:

• Mashed potatoes 
• Yogurt
• Ice cream
• Pudding
• Soup
• Scrambled eggs
• Pasta

You can return to your normal diet once you feel comfortable. However, it is a good idea to limit particularly crunchy and tough foods for the time being. Avoid chewing directly on the implant site as it continues to heal.

Post-Op Health & Oral Hygiene

As your smile heals, it’s important that you keep it clean. You can brush your teeth as you normally do the day after your surgery. However, you should be very careful near the surgical site. Rinse your mouth after meals with saltwater. During the healing process, avoid mouthwashes that contain high levels of alcohol. This can aggravate the surgical site and delay healing.

What to Do After Your New Teeth Are Attached

Once your replacement teeth have been attached to your implants, the difficult part is over. You may experience some minor sensitivity at first, but this should be short-lived and easy to manage with over-the-counter pain relievers. You shouldn’t experience any swelling, bleeding, or extensive recovery. Now you can show off your beautiful, complete smile!

Does Getting Dental Implants Hurt?

You will need oral surgery to insert a titanium implant post into your jawbone to serve as a new root. Don’t worry, sedation or anesthesia are used during your placement surgery, so you won’t feel any pain. As with any surgery, there will be some discomfort while you heal, but it can be managed with over-the-counter pain relievers.

Can I Get Dental Implants If I Have Gum Disease?

Although gum disease is preventable, at least 50% of adults have a form of it. Not to mention, it’s also the leading cause of tooth loss. If you’ve lost teeth from the infection, you aren’t a candidate for dental implants if you still have gum disease. Thankfully, you can create the healthy foundation your smile needs to thrive with periodontal therapy. We create the personalized treatment plan you need to stop the infection in its tracks. In some cases, you may need additional procedures to repair the damage it’ has caused, like tooth extractions or bone grafting.

Can I Get Dental Implants If I Have Jawbone Loss?

If you’ve lost bone from gum disease or prolonged tooth loss, you may not be a candidate for dental implants because your jaw won’t be able to support the posts. You can create the sturdy framework your new smile needs with bone grafting. This procedure adds thickness to areas of weakened bone to ensure your jaw can support the posts long-term. Although it creates another step in your treatment plan, it’s necessary to promote the success of your new smile.

Can Dental Implants Fail?

Dental implants are the most reliable solution to treat tooth loss. In fact, they have over a 95% success rate. Unfortunately, they can fail, but it is rare. Often, it’s the result of a preventable infection called peri-implantitis. There are several things you can do to lower your risk of complications, like maintaining your oral hygiene and visiting your dentist regularly.

Can I Use My Dental Insurance To Pay For Dental Implants?

Although every insurance policy differs, many plans will cover a portion of the cost of your treatment after paying your annual deductible. We will help you maximize your insurance policy to lower the amount you need to pay out-of-pocket. We offer a variety of payment options to cover any remaining balance, including third-party financing with CareCredit. Our dental office will help you find the solutions you need to pay for your new smile without worrying about a large bill.