Dental Implants – Fort Worth, TX

Specialty Care to Rehabilitate Smiles Affected by Tooth Loss

Man and woman in their living room smiling

As a board-certified periodontist, Dr. Amjad Almasri has completed years of additional training that make him an expert at placing dental implants as well as completing advanced preparatory treatments like bone grafting. Having placed thousands of dental implants in his 20+ years of experience, he’s able to complete a wide range of cases, from implant crowns to All-on-4. Call our office today to schedule a consultation and learn more about dental implants - often considered the gold standard treatment for replacing missing teeth.

Why Choose Periodontal Associates of Fort Worth for Dental Implant Placement?

  • Board-Certified Periodontist with 20+ Years Experience
  • Serving Fort Worth for Over 60 Years
  • Long-Standing, Friendly & Helpful Dental Team

What Are Dental Implants?

Model of the jaw with two dental implants

Dental implants are small titanium posts that are surgically placed below the gumline and into the jawbone to restore the root structure of missing teeth. Due to their biocompatible nature, they’re able to naturally fuse with the jawbone through a process called osseointegration, allowing them to anchor any type of restoration in place to rehabilitate a smile. Whether you’re missing a single tooth or an entire row, dental implants can be used to restore any number of missing teeth, making them a versatile solution for most patients.

The 4-Step Dental Implant Process

Animated dental implant being placed in the lower jaw

Dental implants offer unique benefits that you can’t get from other tooth replacement options, like dentures or dental bridges. This is due to the multi-step dental implant process that takes several months to complete. At Periodontal Associates of Fort Worth, your dental implants are placed by our very own board-certified periodontist, Dr. Amjad Almasri, so you don’t need to worry about working with a local specialist at another location. Every patient’s treatment looks a little bit different, but here are the four main steps that you can expect.

Initial Dental Implant Consultation

Man at a dental implant consultation

Your consultation is the first step on your journey towards rehabilitating your smile. During this visit, our team (or your general dentist) will collect any necessary diagnostic information, which could include digital X-rays of your mouth. Dr. Almasri will go over your medical and oral health history with you and discuss your expectations for the treatment. Once we determine you’re a good candidate for dental implants, we’ll be able to schedule your surgery date. During this appointment, we will go over the entire step-by-step process, including the cost of your treatment.

Dental Implant Surgery

Dentists performing surgery

Dr. Almasri completes all dental implant placements in-office. First, the area will be numbed with a local anesthetic, so you won’t feel a thing. We also have a few sedation options available to make your treatment more comfortable. To access the bone of your mouth, our team will create a window in your gums where we’ll secure the implants into the jaw. We’ll then suture the tissue to allow it to heal around the dental implants.

Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment Placement

Digital illustration of a dental implant

Over the next three to six months following your surgery, your implants will naturally integrate with the jawbone. Once the healing process is complete, we’ll attach small metal connector pieces atop the implants, called abutments. Your final restoration will be custom-crafted based on impressions we take of your smile.

Delivery of Dental Implant Restorations

Man smiling in the dental chair

Finally, our team will attach your customized dental restoration to your abutments to complete your smile. During this visit, we will check to ensure that your bite is comfortable and that you will be ready to enjoy your newly rebuilt smile!

Benefits of Dental Implants

Close up of smiling senior woman touching her face

Dental implants have a variety of benefits to offer that can be life-changing for patients, including a longevity of 35+ years and a natural look and feel. Going from having gaps in your smile to having a completely functional and full set of teeth can also have advantages for your psychological health. With countless advantages to offer, dental implants have quickly risen to become the gold standard for tooth replacement. Here are just some of the numerous benefits you can experience when you opt for dental implants.

Day-to-Day Benefits

Woman brushing her teeth

As soon as your dental implants have completely fused to the jawbone and your gum tissue has healed, they should feel just like your natural teeth do. You can do pretty much anything you did before you lost your teeth. Here are some of the great benefits that you can experience every single day:

  • Easy Maintenance: Caring for dental implants doesn’t require anything special. You just take care of them as if they were your natural teeth. Brush twice, floss, and rinse with mouthwash every day. Remember to keep up with your regular cleanings and checkups.
  • Improved Bite Force: You can restore your bite force up to 90% with dental implants! This is much more than you can achieve with dentures or dental bridges.
  • Increases Confidence: Confidence translates to every area of your life. By replacing your missing teeth with dental implants, you can show off your pearly whites with pride.

Health Benefits

Illustration of teeth lifting weights

Dental implants have a positive influence on your health. Here are just some of the ways that your entire body can benefit from this procedure:

  • Better Oral Health: Missing your teeth encourages other dental problems to arise. This can include misalignment, gum disease, infection, and additional tooth loss.
  • Improved General Health: Your oral health and general health are very closely related. By keeping up a healthy smile, you can reduce your risk of life-threatening health problems, like diabetes and heart disease.
  • Strong Jawbone: When you lose teeth, you will eventually suffer from jawbone resorption. Implants keep your jawbone stimulated while you chew, keeping it both strong and healthy.

Long-Term Benefits

Piggy bank filled with cash

Dental implants are an investment in your future! Many patients benefit from them for the rest of their life. Here are some of the benefits you can experience for many years down the road:

  • Long Life: Dental implants are intended to be a permanent solution to tooth loss. You can enjoy their benefits for many years down the road.
  • Successful: The success rate of dental implants is over 95%! You are very unlikely to experience a dental implant failure.
  • Financial Benefits: You don’t need to stock up on adhesives or soaking solutions with dental implants. You also don’t have to worry about routine repairs and replacements. Dental implants last a long time, so you can save tons of money.

Who Dental Implants Can Help

Senior dental patient admiring her new smile in a mirror

Dental implants can help a variety of patients, including those missing any number of teeth. Those who have been missing teeth for a longer period of time may require advanced preparatory procedures before being able to undergo dental implant surgery. Based on our initial consultation, our team will recommend one or more of the following pathways to restore your smile.

Missing One Tooth

Animated dental implant with dental crown being placed in the mouth

To replace a single missing tooth, Dr. Almasri will secure one dental implant below the gums and into the jawbone. Once it has fused with the bone, we’ll attach an abutment to the implant, which will hold a free-standing dental crown that will fill the gap in your arch.

Missing Multiple Teeth

Two animated dental implants with dental bridge being placed

Unlike traditional dental bridges that require the alteration of your surrounding healthy teeth to be secured to the mouth, implant bridges are anchored to dental implants. This makes the process less invasive and ensures that the lifespan of the restoration isn’t reliant on your existing teeth.

Missing All of Your Teeth

Six animated dental implants with implant denture being placed

Dr. Almasri offers traditional and All-on-4 implant dentures to replace an entire row of missing teeth. Depending on your needs, your denture can be attached to anywhere from four to eight dental implants placed throughout your arch. Because they’ll have a strong and unwavering foundation that they’ll be attached to, you won’t have to worry about your dentures slipping or shifting.

Understanding the Cost of Dental Implants

Dental implant on a pile of money

If you’ve done any amount of research on tooth replacement options, you’re probably aware that dental implants entail the highest upfront cost among them. While there are very good reasons for this—a mix of the high-quality materials and the surgery, among other factors—it still leads some patients to wonder whether the benefits of dental implants are worth the increased cost.

We understand that finances can be a sticky subject, so we will take the time to make sure that you have the resources necessary to get the care that you need. If you want to know more about why dental implants cost what they do, and how you can make them fit your budget, here’s some information that may be able to help you.

Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery

3 D render of a bone graft

When considering the overall cost of dental implants, there are elements beyond the implant itself that will contribute to their price. For one, there are often preliminary procedures that need to be completed in order to prepare you for dental implants, like bone grafts or tooth extractions.

Then there’s the cost of the surgery. We have a board-certified periodontist on staff, which means that you’re less likely to need the intervention of an outside specialist. Fortunately, this should bring down the overall cost. However, if you do need to see someone outside our office, they’ll likely have their own rates that you’ll need to talk to them about.

The Parts of Your Dental Implant

Model of a dental implant

Then, of course, there are the costs incurred by the dental implants themselves. There are several factors to consider here as well:

  • The number of dental implants you’re getting.
  • The restoration that is being applied to your dental implant. Dental crowns are less expensive than bridges, which are in turn more affordable than dentures.
  • The materials being used for the implant.
  • The brand of dental implant you’re getting.

That all may sound complicated, but don’t worry—we’ll talk you through each of these elements and help you make a decision on them.

How Dental Implants Pay for Themselves

Person putting coins into a jar

It can sometimes be hard to convince patients of the fact that dental implants are worth what they cost, especially considering how wonderful modern bridges and dentures are. However, if you’re looking for the best of the best, dental implants are still worth what they cost.

In fact, there’s a strong argument to be made that dental implants could save you money in the long run. While you can easily get ten or fifteen years out of dentures or bridges, dental implants make that look like child’s play. The average dental implant will last for over 20 years, and many of them will stay in place for a lifetime if you take care of them well. That being the case, dental implants could help you save money on replacements in the long run.

Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?

Wooden block letters that read dental plan

Unfortunately, it’s rare for dental insurance to cover dental implants. However, this isn’t a certainty, which means it’s still usually worth checking with your dental plan. They may even cover a portion of your restoration, even if they don’t pay for the surgery itself. We’ll consult with your insurance company in order to make sure that you’re taking full advantage of your benefits.

Making Dental Implants Affordable 

Money being stuffed into a piggy bank

Given that dental implants aren’t likely to be covered by insurance, you might want to pursue alternative methods of funding the procedure. Thankfully, we often work with Cherry, a financing firm that can allow you to get care now, then pay later. The process is fast, and many of their financing plans include 0% APR.

If you are missing teeth, you don’t need to just live with the gap. We’ll work with you to put dental implants in your reach, and to ensure that they fit into your budget.

Dental Implant Post-Op Instructions

Smiling young man looking over his shoulder

Following your dental implant placement surgery, you will have to go through a recovery period — but it is nothing to be worried about. As long as you carefully follow the provided post-op instructions, there is very little risk that something will go wrong while you are healing. These directions are designed to minimize your discomfort and support your body’s natural ability to mend itself.

What to Do Directly After Dental Implant Surgery

Woman refusing the offer of a cigarette

Within the first few days of your surgery, blood clots should form at your incision sites. The blood clots are an important part of your body’s healing process, so you should protect them by taking some practical precautions:

  • Do not spit. Instead, swallow extra saliva or use tissues to absorb it.
  • Do not drink through a straw.
  • Do not smoke.
  • Do not touch your surgical sites with your tongue or fingers.
  • Do not drink alcohol.

Common Side Effects When Recovering from Dental Implant Placement

Man resting on his sofa at home

In the days after your procedure, you can expect to experience some mild side effects:

  • Intermittent bleeding. This can go on for multiple days. Gauze and light pressure can help to keep it under control.
  • Swelling. This may increase during the first 72 hours of your recovery and could last for more than a week. Cold compresses can help to minimize it.
  • General discomfort. Pain medications and rest can take the edge off your discomfort.

If you experience any unusual or severe side effects, call our office for assistance right away.

Your Diet After Dental Implant Surgery

Close up of bowl of mashed potatoes

During the initial phase of your recovery period, you should consume a no-chew diet, which can include things like protein drinks, yogurt, mashed potatoes, pudding, brothy soups, and ice cream. When you feel up to it, you can graduate to fork-tender foods, such as meatloaf, scrambled eggs, and anything else that is easy to cut with the side of a fork. Eventually, you can return to a normal diet, but you should still be careful to protect your implant sites until your new teeth are in place.

Post-Op Health & Oral Hygiene

Toothbrushes and toothpaste on bathroom counter

You can brush your teeth the day after your surgery, but you should be very gentle around your surgical sites. You can also regularly rinse your mouth with warm salt water to reduce swelling and inflammation, as well as reduce bacteria. If you choose to use mouthwash, do not use one with a high alcohol content, such as classic varieties of Scope and Listerine.

What to Do After Your New Teeth Are Attached

Happy dental patient looking at her teeth in mirror

After your new teeth are attached to your dental implants, your gums might feel a little sore and you may produce more saliva than usual. However, there should be no bleeding and no downtime. You will be able to begin using your new teeth right away, although you should start with soft foods until your mouth adapts to the feeling of your prosthetics.

Dental Implant FAQs

Three dental implants with crowns against white background

Dr. Almasri and our team firmly believe that dental implants are the best way to replace missing teeth. However, you do not have to simply take our word for it! You are always welcome to call us and ask any questions you may have about this treatment. In the meantime, we invite you to read the information below. You will find succinct answers to some frequently asked questions regarding dental implants.

How Long Do Dental Implants Last?

In many cases, dental implants last for 30 years or longer. In fact, it is common for patients to enjoy lifelong function from their implants. Of course, their longevity is not guaranteed. It depends to a large extent on how well you care for your mouth. Good habits, such as thorough oral hygiene and a balanced diet, can do much to reduce the risk that something will go wrong with your new teeth.

Also, it is worth mentioning that, on average, dental implants last several times longer than traditional forms of tooth replacement, such as dentures and bridges.

Does Getting Dental Implants Hurt?

You should feel little to nothing during the surgery. That is because we always thoroughly numb a patient’s mouth before beginning dental implant surgery. We also administer sedation in many cases. After the anesthesia and sedation wear off, you can expect your mouth to be sore for several days. Our team will give you tips to minimize discomfort. For example, you may need to take pain medication, get plenty of rest, and use a cold compress to control swelling.

Are Dental Implants Safe?

Any medical or dental surgery carries at least a small amount of risk, so it is important to be realistic about the pros and cons of any procedure you are thinking about undergoing. However, the potential advantages of dental implants far outweigh the risks associated with them. In fact, implants are successful in more than 95% of cases. They are also made out of biocompatible titanium alloy, which tends to work very well within the human body.

What Can Cause Dental Implants to Fail?

In rare cases, dental implants fail due to:

  • Peri-implantitis. This is an infection of the gum tissue that can eat away at the bone that supports dental implants. Poor oral hygiene is usually a major contributor to peri-implantitis.
  • Teeth grinding, an accident, or other types of injury might compromise your implants’ stability and function.
  • Underlying medical conditions. Some medical conditions can interfere with your jawbone’s ability to integrate with your dental implants.

Our team will provide guidance on how you can keep your risk of dental implant failure as low as possible.