Alberta Dental Implants: A Comfortable Solution

Having a missing tooth (or teeth) can be an embarrassing, and sometimes harmful, situation. Dentists offer a wide variety of solutions to fix this problem, but traditional methods like crowns, bridges and dentures can be bulky and uncomfortable. Family Dentists and Cosmetic Dentists have provided another great option in Alberta: dental implants.

What Are Dental Implants?
These wonders of modern dentistry are a fantastic solution to that space in your smile. People lose teeth for many reasons: root loss, accidents, sometimes people are born without a certain adult tooth – the reasons are diverse. A dental implant is a small titanium “tube” that is usually placed in a patient’s jawbone to act as an artificial tooth root. Typically a bridge or denture is then attached.

They are an exciting alternative to traditional crowns, bridges and dentures and are much more long-lasting. Crowns and bridges usually need replacing every 10 years but implants can last a lifetime.

Patients must first find a compatible and competent oral surgeon or cosmetic dentist in Alberta to perform the surgery. Adequate physical health, bone density and height, and oral health are all factors that should be considered before an implant is placed.

How Much Do Dental Implants Cost?
The cost of implants will be based on several factors:

1. How many teeth are missing? How many implants will be placed?
2. What kind of and how much dental imaging needs to be done?
3. What will be placed over it? (crown, bridge, denture, etc.)
4. What is the patient’s physical condition?
5. What is the patient’s oral health condition?

Added on to the above costs are the dentist’s or surgeons labour, anesthetic and any miscellaneous charges that may occur. Remember, each dental professional charges differently for their time, that is why some research into the proper surgeon or cosmetic dentist is crucial.

The average cost for a single dental implant averages $2000-$4000 in Canada and is generally not covered by insurance.

Dental Implant Problems
While this is definitely the procedure with a high success rate, dental implant rejection can occur. Generally, there are a few main problems that can cause an unsuccessful surgery:

• Infection: either caused at the time of surgery or by poor oral hygiene afterwards.
• Smoking increases the likelihood of infection and the bone not fusing properly with the implant.
• Poor bone growth around the implant can also cause an implant failure.

There’s no reason for anyone to go on feeling like they have to hide their smiles. Dental implants are a safe, successful way to perfect those pearly whites.