Dental Implants — Westport, CT

Initial Dental Implant Consultation

First, you will meet with Dr. Kogan or Dr. Romano for an initial consultation. They’ll examine your mouth and take impressions to serve as a guide for the dental lab technicians who will build the prosthetic. At this appointment, they will also explain the process for receiving dental implants.

They may discover that you need preliminary procedures before moving forward with the implant process. If your jawbone isn’t strong enough, you will need a bone graft. Or, if you have periodontal disease, it will be necessary for you to undergo gum disease treatment before getting dental implants.

Dental Implant Surgery

Because dental implant placement is a minor surgical procedure, our team will break down exactly what you can expect step-by-step. We’ll refer you to a local trusted specialist for the placement, which means you’ll speak to them for details on the procedure. The total number of implants that need to be placed will factor into the length of the procedure, as well as the use of anesthesia or sedation.

Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment Placement

Over the next few months, your implant(s) will fuse with the jawbone via osseointegration. This natural biological process will allow your prosthetics to have a sturdy foundation, ensuring they stay firmly in place for years to come. For the restoration to stay fixed to the implant, you will need an abutment. This small appliance is the connector between the implant and custom restoration.

Delivery of Dental Implant Restorations

The last step of the process will be to place your custom dental crown, implant bridge or implant denture. After your abutment has been placed, you’ll return to the office to review your brand-new oral prosthetic! Before you leave, we’ll check to see if your bite is comfortable and make any final adjustments as needed. If everything looks good, you’ll be ready to show off and reap the benefits of your rebuilt smile.  

Day-to-Day Benefits

Although traditional dentures and bridges have their limitations, dental implants allow you to fully enjoy life every day. Here’s how:

• Complete Diet – Dental implants replace the entire structure of a missing tooth, providing greater strength and stability than traditional dental prosthetics. This means you can enjoy any type of food without having to limit your diet.
• Increased Confidence – Implants are designed to complement the appearance of your face, looking and feeling like real teeth. This allows you to confidently show off your smile.
• Clear Speech – Unlike normal dentures that can slip and cause mumbling or slurred speech, dental implants keep your teeth securely in place, enabling clear and easy communication with other people.
• Easy Oral Hygiene – Traditional dentures require cleaning every surface with special products and regular brushing of the gums. In contrast, dental implants are easy to care for – all you have to do is brush and floss as you normally would.

Health Benefits

Dental implants not only enhance the quality of your everyday life, but also offer several health benefits. Some of those include:

• Jawbone Preservation – Dental implants support the jawbone from within, helping to prevent bone loss. Normally, the jawbone begins to resorb after tooth loss, but dental implants can halt this process, maintaining the jaw's strength and shape.
• Protection for Natural Teeth – By filling the gaps in your smile, dental implants act as placeholders, preventing your natural teeth from shifting out of position.
• Systemic Health Benefits – Research has shown a correlation between tooth loss and an increased risk of certain systemic diseases. Because dental implants function like natural teeth, many researchers believe they could help reduce these risks.

Long-Term Benefits

As time passes, the true value of dental implants compared to other tooth replacements becomes increasingly apparent in the following ways:

• Longevity – Dental implants can last over 35 years, with many patients enjoying them for a lifetime.
• High Success Rate – With a success rate as high as 95%, dental implants pose minimal risk of needing replacement or removal.
• Cost-Effective – Unlike traditional dentures and bridges that require periodic replacement and associated costs, dental implants rarely need replacement, potentially saving you money over the long term.

Who Is a Good Candidate for Dental Implants?

Practically any healthy adult can be a candidate for dental implants! To qualify, you’ll typically need three key things: 

• Good Overall Health – Since dental implant placement is a minor surgical procedure, you’ll need to be well enough for surgery.
• Great Oral Health – Conditions like cavities or gum disease must be treated first, as they can impact the success of implants.
• Adequate Jawbone Density – Your jawbone must be strong enough to support the implants securely.

If you’re not an ideal candidate at first, don’t worry! Preliminary treatments such as gum disease therapy, tooth extractions, or bone grafting can prepare you for implants. We’ll guide you through each step, and once you’re ready, we’ll design a custom treatment plan based on the number of teeth you’re replacing.

Missing 1 Tooth

A singular dental implant combined with an all-ceramic dental crown offers a natural-looking and durable solution. This custom restoration seamlessly fills the gap without impacting adjacent teeth, preserving the original structure and providing full functionality for chewing, speaking, and smiling confidently. 

Missing Multiple Teeth

Implant bridges are an excellent choice for replacing multiple consecutive missing teeth. Instead of relying on natural teeth for support, these bridges are anchored securely with two strategically placed implants. This approach prevents undue stress on neighboring teeth, ensures greater stability, and offers a longer-lasting alternative to traditional methods. 

Missing All Teeth

For patients missing all teeth in an arch, implant dentures provide an effective and budget-friendly solution. These dentures are anchored to a minimal number of implants, offering exceptional stability. Depending on your lifestyle, they can be permanently fixed for convenience or left removable for flexibility, restoring full functionality and confidence. 

<Learn More About Implant Dentures>

Are Dental Implants Worth the Investment?

More and more people are turning to dental implants to replace their missing teeth. For patients who have lived with traditional dentures for years, many have made the switch to permanent dentures because of their benefits and overall appeal. Some of the additional benefits you’ll find with dental implants include:

• They are easy to clean and maintain, making it possible for them to last decades or longer
• They offer greater stability than your traditional dentures, partials, or a fixed bridge
• Your facial appearance improves, and you don’t have to worry about facial sagging or collapse
• Your confidence level will increase because you have a fully restored smile that is permanent

So, to answer the question, yes, dental implants are absolutely worth the investment.

Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?

Most insurance companies will not cover the cost of your dental implant procedure; however, some portions of your individual plan might constitute your insurance company paying for a portion of the process, including:

• The initial consultation
• Anesthesia or sedation
• Your custom restoration
• Any pre-dental implant work you might need

Make Oral Hygiene a Priority

If you want to gauge how well you practice good oral hygiene at home, think back to why you needed tooth replacement in the first place. If it was because you were putting your oral health on the backburner, it’s time to shift your focus and make brushing, flossing, and rinsing a priority every single day. To do this, make sure you are:

• Brushing your teeth twice a day for two minutes using a soft-bristled toothbrush and non-abrasive toothpaste. Make sure to brush around your gum line to remove plaque-causing bacteria that can cause gum disease.
• Flossing at least once a day using waxed dental floss or a water irrigator. You’ll need to make sure you maneuver the floss or water around the base of your implant as well.
• Rinsing with an antimicrobial mouthwash to flush away any debris left behind after brushing and flossing.

Protect Your Dental Implants

Receiving dental implants in Westport is a timely and costly investment, so you’ll want to do everything you can to safeguard your smile from trauma and/or damage of any kind. Whether it is playing sports or grinding your teeth at night, it is best if you speak to Dr. Romano or Dr. Kogan about effective oral devices you can wear to protect your teeth.

It’s also strongly advised that you avoid hard, crunchy foods, as these can damage both your real and artificial teeth, and you should remember to never use your teeth as tools to open packages or containers. This bad habit can lead to small fractures or breaks in your dental implants that can be a costly venture should you need a replacement.

Schedule Regular Dental Checkups

In addition to prioritizing your oral hygiene and protect your new teeth, seeing your implant dentist in Westport is crucial to ensuring the longevity of your implants. Not only are these six-month appointments beneficial to keeping your natural teeth clean and healthy, but it also gives our team a chance to examine your restoration, making sure it is in good shape. During these visits, we will also check your bone density and make sure your teeth are firmly in place.

Can I Eat What I Want with Dental Implants?

If you are concerned about the foods you can eat while wearing dental implants, you’ll be pleased to know there are very few limitations. Naturally, whether you have real or artificial teeth, hard, crunchy foods can cause damage to your enamel and/or restoration. This is why it is best if you avoid these as much as possible. You can also cut them into smaller pieces to make it easier to consume (i.e. apples, raw vegetables).

Fortunately, with dental implants, you won’t have to worry about accidental slippage, as they are firmly situated within your jawbone. This ensures that you have greater functionality when eating and chewing.

What is Expected in the Days Following Implant Placement?

In the days following your implant placement procedure, you will most likely feel some soreness and discomfort. This is normal, as your gums and bone will need to heal after your surgery. Whether our office provides you with prescribed medication, or you purchase an over-the-counter pain reliever to use at home, make sure to take it as instructed. It is also helpful if you use a cold compress to minimize swelling and discomfort.

Your recovery process will likely take several months and will require that you be cautious of your activity level, the foods you consume, and your oral hygiene habits. After a few weeks, you will be able to resume some of your normal daily tasks.

Is It Possible to Switch to Dental Implants If I’ve Had Dentures?

Many individuals have no problem making the switch to dental implants; however, our team will need to examine your oral and facial structures to determine if your jawbone can fully support your implants and restoration. If not, you will likely need to undergo a bone graft or sinus lift to add bone minerals to the weakened areas of your jawbone.

If you are eligible for dental implants, our team will follow the same process to retrieve impressions and plan for surgical placement.