Can’t Afford All on Four or Other Expensive Dental Implants?

Here Are Your Top 5 Alternatives

Tooth replacement procedures have been around a long time. In the 40’s we discovered that titanium is biocompatible, which means it is highly resistant to corrosion from bodily fluids, has great capacity for osseointegration, and has a high endurance limit.

In simple words, titanium is one of those few abundant elements that can naturally match the requirements for implantation in the human body. So, orthodontists started using it for dental implant procedures and the field of dental implantology advanced greatly. Dental implants are a safe and successful way of permanently restoring missing teeth. For many orthodontists and even patients, dental implants are the best choice because they look, feel and function exactly like natural teeth and help prevent jawbone loss. They also restore full chewing power of the mouth and patients can eat, brush, and floss normally with them. While dental implants are a good and long-lasting choice, sometimes a different procedure might make more sense. This can be due to a variety of reasons but is normally driven by cost.

Root Canal Therapy

This treatment is usually needed when a prevailing gum disease isn’t treated and has started decaying the gums and the tooth severely. When the infection aggravates, the tooth starts dying and the surrounding gums begin to rot. If this happens, it is an indicative sign for a Root Canal Treatment or RCT, also known as an Endodontic treatment. RCT is a type of endodontic treatment that cleans out the tooth and stabilizes its health. It can also be used as an alternative to dental implants when the infection and damage in the decaying tooth can possibly be removed and replaced with fillings. A Root Canal Treatment helps to preserve natural teeth, which is good because natural teeth help to promote the regeneration of bone loss due to infection. RCT often delays and sometimes even eliminates the need to replace the tooth with prosthetics or implants. This treatment is usually performed when there is dental trauma or death of the nerve. A dental trauma is referred to as a painful dental injury in which the pulp is exposed or damaged after a crown fracture and the patient may need an emergency root canal treatment. The procedure begins with the removal of the nerve that is positioned in the middle of the tooth. The root canals and infection are cleaned out with surgical tools and medication is applied to ensure no infection is left to cause problems. By removing the living root or the nerve, a root canal treatment extends the lifespan of a natural tooth. It also helps to maintain the function of the tooth and its adjoining tissue, including the bone. Patients often fear a Root Canal Treatment, but it’s not that uncomfortable. And if you take proper care of your teeth, even a RCT can last you a lifetime.

Classic Dental Bridge

If you’re missing a tooth but the thought of going through a dental implant surgery dreads you, a dental bridge could be the right kind of alternative treatment for you. This restoration treatment is perfect if you need to get a single missing tooth replaced, ideally one that is positioned between two naturally healthy teeth. This treatment features a pontic, which is an artificial replacement tooth on a dental bridge between two dental crowns. The artificial tooth goes in place of the missing tooth and is supported by the dental crowns that hold it. When all is done, a successful dental bridge looks pretty much like a dental implant. Although this treatment is less expensive than a dental implant and doesn’t involve any surgery, it is not very durable. A dental bridge is not strong enough to endure the everyday activities of the mouth for a long time. Sooner or later, it will chip or loosen because of biting, chewing on hard foods, etc. Also, you will have to keep an eye out for your gums as a dental bridge comes with an increased risk of gum disease. But regular dental cleanings, brushing and flossing can help reduce this risk.

Partial or Full Mouth Dentures

Dentures are also an option when implants and crowns aren’t how you’d like to improve your smile. These are full or partial arched sets of replacements that fit over your gums, just how your normal teeth do. Oftentimes this treatment is associated with aging adults, but patients from different walks of life can benefit from it. If you are missing all your teeth or it has become imperative to get your teeth removed because of damage or gum disease, full mouth dentures are an excellent choice. Dentures look like a full set of straight teeth and can exactly be matched to look like your current gums. They can also be customized to fit perfectly in your mouth, so they look and feel just like your natural teeth. When most of your teeth are healthy, but some of your teeth in a row are missing or need replacement, partial dentures can be used. In case of partial dentures, the artificial teeth are fixed to a plastic base that is customized to match with the color of your gums. Of course, dentures are better than having severely damaged teeth or having no teeth at all. But they don’t feel like a part of your mouth or jawbone and are not as effective when it comes to chewing, as dental implants usually are.

Maryland Dental Bridge

Just like the traditional or classic dental bridge, a Maryland Dental Bridge uses two naturally healthy teeth on each side of the gap to support the pontic or the false tooth. But the difference between both procedures is that the traditional treatment uses dental crowns on the abutment teeth, but in the Maryland procedure, a framework of metallic or porcelain material is resin-bonded onto the lingual surfaces of the teeth adjacent to the gap. The pontic is fixed to this resin bond. This procedure may require your dentist to abrase a small amount of tooth enamel so that the new bridge can adhere better. A Maryland bridge is suitable for replacing the front teeth that aren’t used for excessive biting or chewing as this type of dental bridge isn’t strong enough to withhold extreme strength and pressure. Although it is a decent alternative to a removable denture, it is neither as solid as a classic dental bridge, nor as long lasting as a dental implant. Usually, such a bridge is used as a method for temporary restoration in the dental implant procedure: to restore the missing tooth until an implant supported crown is ready to permanently replace it.

Mini Dental Implants

MDIs or Mini Dental Implants are a good alternative for people who are unable to have traditional dental implants. But they are not suitable to treat all kinds of tooth loss. In some cases, they can be used to restore a single missing tooth, or multiple teeth, or even to stabilize dentures. Some benefits of Mini Dental Implants are:

• Surgery is less invasive
• Recovery time is faster
• Cost associated is lower
• Lesser jawbone density is needed
• Can be performed without bone grafting
• Produces faster results
• Can fit into smaller areas of the mouth
• Better than bridges or dentures
• Less painful to place and repair
• Stabilizes the jawbone

Mini dental implants use a smaller screw as compared to traditional dental implants. While they are not a good fit for all kinds of people, they can provide natural-looking results and improve your overall dental health.

Financing Dental Implants

Extensive dental treatments like All on Four Dental Implants or Implant Restorations can cost considerably more than basic dental checkups and cleanings. And often, it gets hard, financially, to manage things when the treatment is needed suddenly or unexpectedly. For situations like these, most have insurance policies or dental benefits, but unfortunately most won’t cover these types of dental procedures as they are considered “cosmetic”. Fortunately, at Georgian Dental we have a direct in-house financing option for our patients who are looking for assistance to cover treatments that may not be covered by other dental benefits plans or insurance policies. After an approved credit check, we can provide a range of treatments to our patients at a 0% financing rate. These treatments include, but are not limited to braces, bridges & crowns, gum restoration, full-mouth reconstructions, All-on-4 and other dental implant procedures. In addition, we work with third-party financing companies that offer reasonable rates that can help spread the costs into manageable monthly payments. To learn more about these options, call and book your no-obligation consultation. We would be happy to go over all your options, including the available treatment options, costs, and of course what financing options you have available based on your current situation. This would be a no-pressure meeting, and gives you an opportunity to meet your dentist and check out our clinic if you’ve never been to either our Barrie or Orillia locations.

Implant Consultations – What to Expect

Our consultations provide you and us, an opportunity to learn about your unique situation, why you’re seeking implants or other similar treatment, perform an oral exam that includes the use of state-of-the-art digital x-rays, and sometimes the use of our new digital dental scanners. This expedites the diagnostic stage and helps us reach clear conclusions in less time. Note that there are charges for dental imagery, which varies based on what the dentist recommends after conducting your oral exam. We offer a $300 discount towards this for all dental implant consultations. Once the overall diagnosis has been made, we’ll provide all the treatment options and work with you to develop a comprehensive treatment plan that will deal with each issue and help spread the costs out over whatever time frame works for you. When we’re covering costs, we can also discuss financing options. Then you have all the facts and can compare our recommendations to another clinic, and make a decision on how you want to proceed.

Why Implants are Better Than Other Options for Replacing Missing Teeth?

Many orthodontists believe that dental implants are a superior choice for replacing missing teeth. They are more effective than dentures or bridgework. Because when you’re missing one or more tooth and its root, a dental implant can serve as a long-term healthier replacement option. Georgian Dental also believes that dental implants make a better choice for replacing missing teeth. Here are 5 reasons why:

• • They look and feel more natural, just like real teeth. You can hardly tell the difference between a natural tooth and an implant. Dental implants restore the chewing power of your mouth and jawbone, at the same time you can brush and floss normally.
  • They are stronger, sturdier, and provide a solid base for your new tooth or dental crown. The titanium root of a dental implant has the capacity to fuse with your jawbone, providing a foundation similar to the one that roots provide for natural teeth.
  • They have the capability to last a lifetime, barring accidents. Dental Implants are a permanent treatment of tooth replacement, unlike dentures or bridgework. If you manage to keep an excellent oral hygiene, they can last for a very long time.
  • They don’t affect any other teeth, unlike dental bridges. To fill the space formed by the missing tooth, dental bridges are supposed to be attached to teeth on both sides of the gap. But implants don’t need any grinding and preparing the adjacent teeth for stabilization. They are independent and unaffected by other teeth.
  • They can also help prevent bone loss. Because the jawbone begins to deteriorate when there is no tooth, it can lose its volume. Dental implants replace both the tooth and the root, which helps in preserving the jawbone.

If you have missing teeth and are looking for replacement options, call us today to schedule a free initial consultation. Our team of expert orthodontists will guide you through the different procedures of tooth replacement and can help you decide what is the right choice for you. From All-on-Four Dental Implants to Implant Supported Dentures to Implant Restoration, we have state-of-the-art dental implant procedures – call the number below and let’s see how we can get your smile in style!