Ready to permanently replace your missing teeth? The Ivory Dental Co. is here to help with dental implants in East Amherst, NY. Contact your East Amherst dentist today to schedule an appointment. Call (716) 221-0042.
Dental implants are small, metal posts that are surgically placed into your gums and jaw, and can support a wide variety of replacement teeth. We offer both single-tooth implants, which use a dental crown, and full-arch implants, which replace all of your teeth with a new set. We also handle the entire dental implant process in-house, including placements, restorations, and maintenance.
Dental implants look and feel natural, last longer than any other type of replacement tooth, and help support the strength of your jaw bone. They also will never move or shift, unlike dentures.
To begin the process, Dr. Sweeney will perform an oral exam to confirm that you’re a good candidate for treatment. We use CBCT (Cone-Beam Computed Tomography) at The Ivory Dental Co. This technology lets Dr. Sweeney take a 3D image of your jaw while planning your treatment. If you’re a good candidate, Dr. Sweeney will make a custom surgical guide and schedule your surgical appointment. At this appointment, Dr. Sweeney will place your implant and a temporary crown using the custom surgical guide to allow for precise placement and the best result based on your treatment plan.
Initial healing takes only 1-2 weeks. However, it will take up to 3-6 months for the implant to permanently attach to your jaw bone. You will come back for multiple follow-ups during this time so that Dr. Sweeney can check on your healing progress and begin designing your replacement teeth.
Once your mouth has fully healed, your restoration, such as a dental crown, will be attached to your dental implant at your final appointment. You’ll be able to go home with a beautiful, brand-new tooth that will last and look great for decades to come.
Depending on the type of dental implant you receive, the steps to care for your implant may vary, so make sure you follow Dr. Sweeney’s instructions.
After your implant heals fully, you’ll be able to treat it just like a natural tooth and continue brushing and flossing as normal.
Dental implants will last you for the rest of your life with proper care, and 90% of implants remain in place after 30 years.
Before you can get a dental implant, you may need a bone graft to strengthen your jaw bone. An alveoloplasty may also be recommended. This treatment is used to remove bony ridges from around your tooth sockets, which can interfere with implant placement.
Tori removal may also be necessary. Dental tori are bone growths that usually occur behind the teeth in the lower or upper jaw. They are harmless, but can interfere with dental implants, so they are usually removed.
Before you can get a dental implant, you may need a bone graft to strengthen your jaw bone. An alveoloplasty may also be recommended. This treatment is used to remove bony ridges from around your tooth sockets, which can interfere with implant placement.
Tori removal may also be necessary. Dental tori are bone growths that usually occur behind the teeth in the lower or upper jaw. They are harmless, but can interfere with dental implants, so they are usually removed.
Everyone is extremely kind. It had been years since my last dental visit, everyone made me feel welcome and comfortable. No lectures, just healthcare in a compassionate environment.
Such a different experience from any other dentist I’ve been to. They make sure you are comfortable and relaxed as much as you can be (for a dental appointment). The staff is very welcoming and friendly.
Dr. Sweeney has put together a state-of-the-art facility with all of the latest advancements, in a welcoming environment. The staff seems very knowledgeable, and are very thorough in assessing your current dental state, and expected future needs.I recommend a visit if you are looking for a quality dentist.
No, the actual placement of dental implants is not painful because we administer a local anesthetic to numb your mouth before making any incisions, drilling, or implanting the titanium post.
While you may feel some pressure and movement in your mouth, you won’t feel any pain. This is a minor oral surgery but many patients feel more comfortable being sedated so they don’t need to be aware of what’s going on, especially if they have dental anxiety.
For your ultimate comfort, we offer three different types of dental sedation – laughing gas, oral conscious sedation, and IV sedation. This will help reduce your awareness of your surroundings, induce you into a state of relaxation, and prevent you from remembering anything afterward.
After implant surgery, you need to minimize how much you need to chew so that the implant site can heal and you can form a blood clot. You will need to eat a soft food diet for at least a week before returning to chewier and hard foods.
In the first 1-2 days we recommend consuming mostly liquid meals such as meal replacement shakes (without a straw), pudding, applesauce, yogurt, oatmeal, and broth-based soups. After the first couple of days, you can start to eat slightly chewier soft foods like pasta, bread, tofu, beans, potatoes, and soft fruits and vegetables.
Foods that can cause irritation while you are healing include spicy, acidic, hard, sticky, crunchy, and hot foods. Try to chew on the opposite side of the mouth. Call (761) 221-0042 to learn more!
Yes, you can still be a candidate for implants if you have bone loss as a result of gum disease, tooth loss, a misaligned bite, or other causes. However, dental implants require sufficient a=nd healthy bone density to stabilize the implants.
Thankfully, this can be created with the help of a bone graft procedure which transfers bone from elsewhere in the body, from a donor, or with synthetic bone to replace the missing bone structure.
Once you heal from this procedure within a few months, you can have implants placed. If you have severe bone loss, another option is to get all-on-four implants which is a procedure that places implants strategically and at an angle so that they can maximize the existing jawbone support. All-on-four implants do not require bone grafting, unlike traditional implants.
Dental implants can be covered very differently depending on the type of insurance you have. Some insurance plans won’t cover them at all because they categorize them as a cosmetic procedure, while others may cover a portion of the procedure because they fall under the major dental category.
Contact your insurance provider to find out how they cover each step of the dental implant process. If you need extractions because you are replacing damaged teeth with implants, this may be covered by your insurance. However, bone grafts are usually not covered.
The actual placement of the implant and restoration may be covered at up to 50% as a restorative treatment. It all depends on your reason for needing dental implants. If it’s medically necessary, you may get dental and medical insurance to cover it.
At The Ivory Dental Co., we offer multiple financing options to help you fund your implant treatment. If you have more questions, contact us today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Bridget Sweeney.