A: We ask our new patients to bring their dental insurance cards if they have any. Also, fill out the new patient forms on the patient resource tab on our website.
Choosing the right prosthodontist in Houston for dental implants takes a fair amount of due diligence on your part. It’s comparable to any other investment such as a car or buying a new home.
The difference here is, that you’re making a decision that is going to positively impact all aspects of your life via your smile. So, if you want the best results from your smile restoration, you need a top prosthodontist in Houston.
We know you have many options to choose from, and we’re honored that you’d visit us for your free consultation. It is during your visit that we will get to know your situation, and your expectations and also answer any questions you may have.
To Get The Best Prosthodontist In Houston, Ask The Right Questions
To make the most of your consultation you’ll need to ask some critical questions regarding the procedure. It’s important to ask these questions so that you can make a well-informed decision and know what to expect.
When you’re making the rounds and researching the best prosthodontist in Houston for your needs, make sure you get an answer you’re satisfied with from the following:
Are My Jaw and Gums Healthy Enough For Dental Implants?
When you’re seeking dental implants, you’re looking for a permanent solution that is superior to dentures. Dental implants actually reinforce your jawbone and retain facial structure, but you need to start with a healthy baseline.
Not every patient will meet the following requirements to get dental implants. Even though we have the best prosthodontist in Houston, implants will fail if we overlook conditions that aren’t favorable.
Your oral health should meet these minimum criteria to proceed with dental implants:
- At least one missing tooth
- Your jawbone health and bone density are sufficient to host the implant
- If not, be willing, if you qualify, to get a bone graft procedure to bolster your jawbone
- Your gums are healthy and free of gingivitis
- You don’t have a chronic illness such as uncontrolled diabetes that impedes healing
- You don’t use or are willing to stop using tobacco
If you don’t meet these minimum guidelines listed above, you need to reconsider your options or make the adjustments necessary. This may include smoking cessation tools, dental prep work to improve oral health, and treatments for other conditions.
What Will My Treatment Plan Involve?
We don’t use a blanket treatment plan for all patients because everyone’s situation is unique. We instead, customize your treatment plan to target specific problems in your smile with real, permanent solutions. These solutions may or may not be right for others, because it’s custom-tailored to your circumstances. For example, if you’re only needing one tooth replaced, your solution will be more streamlined than someone needing a full arch.
That being said there are some common components to a treatment plan which include:
- Extracting decayed or damaged teeth
- Treatment of gum disease
- Bone grafts for implant surgery
- Crowns on existing teeth with damage that can be repaired
- Dental implants
- All on Four full mouth reconstruction
Don’t hesitate to ask follow-up questions or seek clarification on specific treatments. Even when dealing with the best prosthodontist in Houston, there’s topics we may overlook that you have concerns about.
Can You Replace All The Teeth In My Mouth?
You may be coming to see us because you have one or both arches of teeth failing. This can naturally be quite a traumatic life event. However, one of the benefits of seeing the top prosthodontist in Houston, is that we offer advanced implant solutions.
When needing to replace all the teeth in your mouth, we specialize in the All on Four method for full mouth reconstruction.
This procedure streamlines replacing all of your teeth into a one-day procedure. You walk in with decaying teeth and walk out the same day with a brand new smile.
All on Four uses a hybrid solution of dental implants and an advanced prosthetic denture. Unlike traditional dentures, this prosthesis is lifelike and is permanently attached via four strategically placed implants.
This not only preserves your jaw but also allows the same functionality as natural teeth with the same oral hygiene routine as well. No messy adhesives, no fizzy cleaning solution, and best of all no effect on your speech or chewing. All of this progress in a single day.
What Are My Payment Options?
There’s not one prosthodontist in Houston that can claim the best dental implants are cheap. As the old saying goes— cheap is never good, and good is never cheap. However, we’re talking about an investment into something for your smile. It’s life-changing, boosts your health, improves self-esteem, and gives you the best quality of life. It’s not like buying a luxury item that’s overindulgent. Fact is, dental implants should be considered a medical necessity by insurance companies, but they aren’t unfortunately.
However, we offer many attractive financing options such as CareCredit which offers very reasonable no-interest payment plans. Additionally, check with your dental insurance provider as some of the better policies offer some assistance with dental implants.
How Do I Prepare for Dental Implant Surgery?
Preparing for dental implant surgery will vary from patient to patient based on individual circumstances. It’s important to ask the prosthodontist what you can expect. Although your preparation procedures may differ, below is a generic example:
- Tooth extractions— If there’s any decayed or damaged teeth remaining, we extract them so we can make room for your dental implants.
- Bone grafting— If there’s not enough bone mass in the jaw to secure the implants, we will take some bone material from another area of your body and graft it into the jawbone. This is an additional procedure that will significantly delay the implant procedure until sufficient bone mass grows.
- Gum disease treatment— We tackle any instances of gingivitis that if left untreated, will ultimately cause implant failure if implants were installed with that condition. Your gums must be free of disease or we cannot push forward.
Will My Dental Implant Procedure Hurt?
Again, this is where every patient will have a different experience. However, overall since implant surgery is done with the use of anesthesia, the surgery is painless.
Now, post-op, during recovery some patients feel slight discomfort as the site heals, however it’s easily mitigated with OTC pain medication. Our team will work with you to make the best decision for your comfort level with surgery.
Implant surgery also requires a strict recovery regimen, you must follow all the instructions given to you. Ignoring the advice of the doctor can lead to implant failure which is a huge step backward.
Although the pain is minimal, during post-op be prepared that you will likely experience the following after surgery:
- Bleeding
- Bruising around the surgery site
- Discomfort
- Swelling
- Low-grade fever
These are completely normal consequences and usually subside after a few days. Their impact on your life is mitigated through rest and the use of pain medication.
Generally, we recommend the following guidelines during recovery and healing:
- Do not use any tobacco products. Now is a good time to go ahead and remove these products from your life. You will be in a much better position in terms of overall health if you do.
- Be vigilant with oral hygiene
- Stick to soft, non-sticky/sugary foods
- Limit physical exertion
The Best Dental Implants In Houston Are Here
If you want to ensure the greatest chance of a successful dental implant procedure, you need the best in the field.
Dr. Hanna at Comprehensive Dental Group of Houston has performed thousands of successful procedures for clients that come from around the world.
To schedule your free consultation for dental implants, contact us today!
