If you are looking into getting dental implants, look no further than Dr. Ira Goldberg at Morris County Dental Associates! Recognized as a dental implant expert, Dr. Goldberg has an entire portion of his practice dedicated to this discipline. We perform all implant treatments under one roof, which means we won’t need to refer you to other dental offices! He holds extensive credentialing within the field, has the latest technology to aid in proper treatment, and even trains other dentists on dental implant treatment.
Dental implants are the gold standard for a variety of tooth replacement situations. Whether you are missing one or more teeth, require one or more tooth extractions, or have dentures that are problematic, dental implants in Succasunna can likely benefit you! Contact us today to schedule a consultation or keep reading below to learn more.
Why Choose Morris County Dental Associates for Dental Implants?
In-Office Printed Surgical Guides for Placement
Robotic Implant Placement for Precision
Expert Implant Dentist with 30 Years of Experience
Uniquely Qualified to Place & Restore Dental Implants
As a Fellow of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry, a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral Implantology, and a Scholar of the Dawson Academy, Dr. Ira Goldberg has completed countless hours of additional training and education to specialize in dental implants. At Morris County Dental Associates, you can rest assured that your future smile is in the hands of renowned and knowledgeable experts that will help you achieve exquisite results.
What Are Dental Implants?
Dental implants are small titanium cylinders that replace the roots of teeth. Think of them as anchors for your new teeth. They come in various widths and lengths and are selected based on the job they are being asked to do.
Some terminology confusion exists regarding the word “implant.” To understand this better, let’s first explain some of the components. The components include:
“Implant” or “fixture”
Abutment
“Crown” or “cap”
The “implant” or “fixture” is the anchor that is placed into your jawbone.
The “crown” or “cap” is the tooth that you see when you look inside your mouth.
The abutment is a component that connects your “implant” or “fixture” to your “crown” or “cap.” You do not see the abutment, but it is a very important component of the system.
Implant Post
A dental implant is a screw-like post that is surgically placed in the jawbone to support a dental prosthesis. They are typically made of titanium, a metal that is well accepted by the body, but they can also be crafted from other materials. Dental implants are very light in weight, yet extremely durable. Once implanted, they will fuse with the jawbone during a process called osseointegration.
Dental implants can be placed in one or two stages. A one-stage implant involves surgical implantation with a healing cap (called a healing abutment) being immediately placed. A two-stage implant involves the implant being placed and the incision is closed up.
Abutment
The purpose of the abutment is to sit right at the gum line and help support a dental prosthesis. This small connector piece is made of metal. With a two-stage implant, it is attached to an implant after it has fully fused with the jawbone. Sometimes, it is placed immediately after the implants.
Prosthesis
The prosthesis is basically just false teeth that feel and function just like natural teeth. The type of prosthesis Dr. Goldberg places depends on how many teeth you are missing and where they are located. A single missing tooth will be replaced by an implant dental crown. Multiple consecutive missing teeth will be replaced by an implant dental bridge.
If you are missing a few teeth on an arch but still have remaining natural teeth, Dr. Goldberg will fill in the gaps with a partial denture that is held in place with several dental implants. For patients missing all of their teeth (either on the top or bottom jaw, or both), he will use the full jaw dental implant solution. Here, Dr. Goldberg may use two to six implants to secure the denture.
The 4-Step Dental Implant Process
Dental Implant Consultation and Examination – During your first implant appointment, Dr. Goldberg will need to determine if dental implants are a viable option for you. He will examine your entire mouth, review your medical history, and ask questions about your current health.
Dr. Goldberg requires that patients have a stable oral foundation that is free of gum disease or decay. To properly support the implants, you must have an adequate amount of jawbone. If not, you may need to undergo a bone graft. A personalized treatment plan will be drafted to meet your unique oral health needs and aesthetic goals if you qualify for dental implants.
Dental Implant Placement – Because Dr. Goldberg treats so many patients with so many different circumstances, he has multiple methods available to place implants and will customize each person’s treatment to their specific needs. This could include freehand placement, robotic placement, or static-guided placement. He may also place a temporary restoration depending on the location of your missing teeth and the type of restoration you need.
Osseointegration and Abutment Placement – Once the posts are placed, they will begin to fuse with your surrounding bone tissues during a process called osseointegration. This typically takes between three and six months. This is a very important step in the implant process because this is what makes the dental restoration able to function like a natural tooth. After osseointegration, a small connector piece called an abutment will be attached to the implant. Impressions of your teeth will be taken and used to fabricate your custom dental restoration.
Dental Restoration Placement – When your new dental restoration is ready, you will return to our dental office in Succasunna, NJ to have it permanently secured. This can be a dental crown if you are missing one tooth or a hybrid denture if you are missing multiple teeth. It will be permanently secured by Dr. Goldberg.
Benefits of Dental Implants
Now that you know more about the dental implant process with Dr. Goldberg, it’s natural to wonder whether they’re right for you. These popular prosthetics are unique because they’re surgically embedded into your jawbone, providing advantages above and beyond alternatives like dentures or dental bridges.
Continue reading to learn more about how dental implants can potentially benefit you, and feel free to contact our office for more information.
Day-to-Day Benefits
Tooth loss can impact your daily quality of life because gaps in your grin make basic tasks like eating, speaking, and smiling much more challenging. Furthermore, the sudden changes in your appearance and abilities can leave you feeling self-conscious.
Dental implants can improve your day-to-day experience by restoring certain abilities like:
Chew Food. Because they fuse with your jawbone, these artificial teeth don’t have many dietary restrictions. You’ll be able to enjoy all your favorite meals that you may have been missing out on,
Enunciate Words. Your teeth play an essential role in your speaking ability; without them, you might develop a lisp or other issues being understood. These restorations allow you to communicate more clearly.
Boost Confidence. These look and act like natural teeth to rebuild your smile’s appearance and functionality, which can increase your self-esteem.
Health Benefits
On top of the more obvious advantages, dental implants can also improve your health in the following ways:
Stimulate Your Jawbone. After tooth loss, your jaw begins to deteriorate because there’s no root in place to stimulate new bone growth when you bite down. Dental implants include a titanium rod that is inserted into your jawbone to keep it active and strong.
Prevent Dental Drifting. Your remaining teeth are prone to shifting out of alignment to fill in any gaps in your grin, which can wear down the enamel unevenly or prematurely. This leaves them more vulnerable to injuries. Having prosthetics placed ensures they remain in their proper places.
Avoid Oral Issues. Maintaining these artificial teeth is as simple as brushing and flossing twice daily, making it easier to keep common problems like cavities and gum disease at bay.
Long-Term Benefits
Dental implants also provide several long-term benefits that you might not be aware of, such as:
Success Rate. This procedure has an incredibly high success rate of over 95%, even up to 10 years after initial placement.
Durability. Unlike dentures and dental bridges, these restorations can last for decades without requiring repairs and replacements, depending on how well you care for them.
Save Money. Although they tend to cost more upfront than dentures or dental bridges, these prosthetics are more resilient. They’re less likely to chip, crack, break, or become dislodged, so you won’t have to pay for expensive resolutions.
Who Dental Implants Can Help
Dental implants can help patients facing a variety of different tooth loss situations because they can support any number of missing teeth. However, the best way to learn whether you’re a good candidate for the procedure is to schedule a consultation with Dr. Goldberg. This will give you additional insight into what your customized treatment will look like as well as allow you to get answers to any lingering questions you may have about, like how many implants you’ll need.
Missing One Tooth
If you’re missing one tooth, we offer implant crowns that are anchored within the mouth by a single dental implant placed into the jawbone. Once it has fused with the bone and an abutment has been attached to the top of it, a custom-crafted dental crown will be secured to it, completing your entire arch.
Missing Multiple Teeth
Instead of having to alter your existing, healthy teeth to anchor a dental bridge within the mouth, we can secure the prosthetic to two dental implants located at either side of the gap in your smile. This method would work to restore two to four consecutive missing teeth.
Missing All of Your Teeth
Dentures are known for being unstable within the mouth, slipping or shifting when you talk and making it difficult to chew crusty or chewier foods. They can be stabilized and strengthened by being secured to a foundation of between four and eight dental implants. This will eliminate any movement and allow them to look and feel like your natural teeth.
Understanding the Cost of Dental Implants
Dental implants can certainly seem a little bit daunting as a procedure, and in many cases the prospect of paying for treatment doesn’t help. That’s why a vital part of making the procedure as easy as possible for patients is making payment simple.
We’ll be sure to give you a complete estimate for what the dental implant services are going to cost when we meet you in person, as well as to provide you options for making them fit your budget. Until then, here’s what you should know about what replacing your teeth will run you.
Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery
First of all, you should know that many patients will need preliminary services before they get their dental implants in order to maximize their likelihood of success. These are important and should be factored into what you’re going to pay overall.
This can include gum disease therapy, tooth extractions, or even bone grafts or sinus lifts. We’ll be able to give you a better sense of that when we meet.
Then there’s the cost of the dental implant surgery itself, which can vary depending on how many implants you’re getting and where they’re located. Thankfully, Dr. Goldberg is more than qualified to handle this procedure, which means that we’ll be able to give you a complete estimate for what the surgery will cost before beginning.
The Parts of Your Dental Implant
Then, of course, there’s the cost of the dental implant itself. You’ll need to pay for the materials used for your restoration as well as for the metal post, which also means that the price of replacing your teeth will go up depending on how many implants you need.
It’s worth noting that the precise restoration also affects cost; replacing more teeth tends to be more expensive, with dentures costing more than bridges or dental crowns.
Of course, we’ll walk you through the options available to you at your consultation and how each of them could influence the cost of care.
How Dental Implants Pay for Themselves
Dental implants have many incredible advantages over other methods of tooth replacement, with one of the most important being how long they last. Dental implants routinely endure for well over 30 years, and can even stick around for a lifetime if taken care of well. This maintenance is also easier than it is other methods of tooth replacements, which means that ensuring their longevity is relatively simple.
Dental implants are more expensive than other methods of tooth replacement, but the fact that you’ll likely never need to replace them means that you might actually save money in the long run!
Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?
Dental implants are a relative newcomer as a treatment, which means that insurance companies won’t always cover them. However, this is also rapidly changing as dental implants become a much more common treatment, which means that it is absolutely worth checking with your dental plan before getting dental implants. Of course, we’ll be happy to help you with this process.
Making Dental Implants Affordable
If you don’t have insurance, you might wonder what you can do to make the dental implants more affordable. For one, we’re currently offering free dental implant consultations. We also have an in-house membership plan that can afford you a 15% discount on the services that you receive from us, in addition to a host of complimentary preventive services.
We also work with both CareCredit and Proceed Finance, both of which can allow you to split the cost of your services across several months. If you qualify, you can receive low-to-no interest financing terms from either of these companies.
Dental implants are a fantastic replacement solution for patients with missing teeth – which is why many of them want their restorations to last for as long as possible! In addition to enabling you to enjoy greater confidence while you eat, speak, and smile, proper dental implant maintenance will save you money on replacements and repairs. We’ve put together a list of helpful tips for getting your implants past the ten year mark, but if you have any questions or would like to learn more, don’t hesitate to contact our office.
Make Oral Hygiene a Priority
Dental implants are highly successful, but when they do fail, it’s often due to poor oral hygiene. Harmful bacteria accumulate in your mouth over the course of your day and while you sleep at night. If you don’t control the build up by brushing your teeth twice daily and getting in between your teeth with dental floss, the bacteria will start to infect your gums with gum disease. This squishy pink tissue helps your implants stay rooted, so if they recede because of gum disease, you could end up losing your dental implant!
Eat a Healthy Diet
Enjoying a sugary treat or a bowl of starches every now and then is okay. In fact, these food groups can boost your mood by sending your brain some more dopamine. When it becomes a problem is if the majority of your diet consists of cake, donuts, steamed dumplings, etc. Sugar and starch ultimately fuel bacteria growth, so to promote your oral health and avoid gum disease, balance your meals with leafy side dishes and snack on fruit or lean protein.
Break Bad Habits
Bad, tooth-oriented habits are more problematic than you might think. Even though your dental implants are durable, they can become worn and damaged given the right circumstances. Biting your nails, chewing on pencils, using your teeth as a bottle opener or impromptu scissors, and other such habits are hard on your implants and likely to result in premature replacements. Smoking is another risk, as the chemicals make you more vulnerable to – you guessed it – gum disease.
Protect Your Dental Implants
Dental damage can result not just from compulsive behavior, but also rough activities. Sports accidents can break an implant just as suddenly as they can break a natural tooth, and teeth grinding can be another source of excessive wear. If either of these two things apply to you, it’s a good idea to invest in a mouthguard for sports or a special oral appliance for teeth grinding.
Schedule Regular Dental Checkups
What’s the best way to avoid health complications? To catch the problem early on, before the situation gets worse! We trust that you can monitor your dental health and report any concerning symptoms, but sometimes it takes a trained eye to spot especially sneaky red flags. That’s why it’s generally recommended to schedule a routine checkup and cleaning every six months. At Morris County Dental Associates, we’ll provide the preventative care and keen observation necessary for keeping your oral health and dental implants in tip top shape!
Dental Implant Post-Op Instructions
Your Morris County Dental Associates team can complete your dental implant treatment from start to finish, which means we’ll be ready to assistant you with post-op recovery too. You can call us if you ever need clarification, encounter a complication, or need a reminder, but it’s nice to have an idea of what you should expect. The instructions below can help you navigate this phase of your dental implant treatment.
What to Do Directly After Dental Implant Surgery
After we place your implant posts, a blood clot will form over the treatment site. Don’t worry – this is a good clot that will help protect you from discomfort and infection. What could present problems is if the blood clot dislodges. To avoid this, refrain from touching your gums or the implant area, don’t drink through straws, and resist smoking or chewing tobacco.
Common Side-Effects When Recovering from Dental Implant Placement
You’ll likely feel sore in the first couple of days of your post-op recovery, and your gums could periodically bleed or swell. Normal discomfort can usually be alleviated with over-the-counter pain relievers; abnormal discomfort includes pain that persists or worsens instead of fading. If you experience severe aches, call us as soon as possible so we can help remedy the situation.
Your Diet After Dental Implant Surgery
You’ll be able to eat almost anything you want once we complete your treatment, but after your placement surgery, you should stick to a soft-food diet. This gives your gums and jaw time to heal, and your dental implants time to integrate with your bone. Here are some ideas for your meals:
Your favorite pudding flavor
Mashed potatoes
Soft pasta
Scrambled eggs
Mild soup with tender meat
Yogurt
Ice cream
Post-Op Health & Oral Hygiene
It’s always important to maintain a good oral hygiene routine. In this case, you’ll want to keep it up so that your dental implants can successfully bond with your jawbone, without interference from bacteria and infection. Brush your teeth twice daily like you normally would, but be gentle near your implants. If you typically rinse with mouthwash, make sure you have a brand that doesn’t contain alcohol, and don’t spit! Instead, allow the wash to cascade out of your open mouth and into the sink.
What to Do After Your New Teeth Are Attached
Once your dental implants and jawbone are fully integrated, we can complete the final step in your treatment and place your implant crowns! The recovery this time around is usually simpler; you might experience sore gums, but over-the-counter pain relievers are often able to ease the aches. Be sure to contact us if you notice any concerning symptoms, such as bleeding or swelling. Otherwise, enjoy your new, full smile!
Our E-Books on Dental Implants
Take a look at the two informative E-books on dental implants by Dr. Goldberg! Please download and read through the material for valuable information on all aspects of implant dentistry. We welcome you to contact our office if you have additional questions. You can also schedule a consultation online.
Will I need to see a separate specialist for dental implant placement?
Dental implants may be placed by any dentist who holds a license. However, some dentists have more training than others. Dr. Goldberg is considered a dental implant specialist in the state of New Jersey, and his credentials speak for themselves. He is Board Certified as a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral Implantology and Implant Dentistry. You will be hard-pressed to find a better trained dental implantologist in the region.
Affordable dental implants are typically placed by general dentists, oral surgeons, and periodontists. What you should know is both oral surgeons and periodontists are not allowed to restore implants, meaning they cannot put the teeth on top of the implants. Dr. Goldberg performs all phases of implant dentistry: placement, restoration, and even regenerative grafting procedures such as bone grafting, sinus grafting, and gum grafting.
Why do dentist fees for dental implants vary?
When comparing fees, be sure you are comparing apples to apples. Every patient’s needs are as unique as they are, and treatment costs will reflect a range of factors.
Some conditions to evaluate include:
1) Is a tooth already present where the implant needs to be placed? This will require more work and materials.
2) Is there enough bone present, or is grafting required to grow the bone?
3) Location in the mouth is very important. An implant in the front of the mouth has a much higher esthetic demand than the back of the mouth. This will affect the cost as well. The more ideal the situation, the lower the cost.
Should I try to keep a damaged or infected tooth?
When a tooth has been diagnosed with a very poor prognosis, it is not always better to hang onto it. Recurring infections can develop which cost time and money, the disease can affect adjacent teeth, and over time, they can cause additional bone loss. Removing infected teeth and placing an implant can eliminate recurring infections, restore health to adjacent teeth, and preserve bone in your jaw.
Should I continue with routine dental care twice a year after receiving implants?
Yes, regular dental care is an important part of maintaining overall health and wellness. Although problems with implants are rare, they require routine observation and maintenance. While uncommon, in some cases, problems typically develop within the first two years. Failure to recognize and correct these problems often lead to implant loss, and worse, loss of adjacent teeth. Expect to return to the dentist three to four times within the first two years for maintenance.
How much do dental implants cost?
Dr. Goldberg always tries to answer a direct question with a direct answer. That’s why we will tell you the placement of a single affordable dental implant costs approximately $2,000. It is critical to note that this is just for the implant post, not for the combination of implant, abutment, and crown/bridge/denture.
There are many variables involved when determining the fee for an implant and its restoration: Are you in need of a standard implant or a mini-implant? How many implants do you need? What is going on top of that implant: a crown, denture, or bridge? Do you require other procedures such as extractions or bone grafting?
As you can see, there are multiple variables that go along with the simple question of “how much does a dental implant cost?” This is why we offer and recommend a free consultation to discuss your particular situation.
When you are comparing costs or receiving consultations, be sure both you and the person you’re having a conversation with are talking about the same thing. If you ask, “how much does an implant cost,” you may then receive an answer to just that: the implant. Not the implant, abutment, and crown.
How much do All-On-4/X implants cost?
The cost of All-On-4 dental implants will vary depending on each patient’s unique situation. The cost of standard All-On-4 dental implants ranges from $20,000 to $27,000 per jaw. Dr. Goldberg understands that managing the cost of dental care is important for patients, so he takes the time to outline all available treatments and their costs during consultations. We offer payment plans and a variety of payment options to help you budget for implants.
