Dental Implants in Escondido
Smile Confidently with Dental Implants
At Douglas G. Hope, we know that the first step in tooth replacement can be intimidating. Tooth loss can be an emotional experience–you may feel embarrassed, anxious, or less willing to be outgoing or social. That is why our Escondido dental practice works alongside our patients to show them the support, care, and respect that can transform their confidence as we transform their health.
Today’s options in modern dentistry have afforded patients the opportunity to pick from a variety of tooth replacement options that suit their lifestyle and budget. From partial and full dentures, to dental crowns and implants, you are free to choose what is right for you!
Whole Body Health
Your dental health affects your whole body health! If you don’t deal with your dental issues now, you may unintentionally compromise your overall health and create health issues are costly to correct. In addition to gum disease and tooth decay, neglecting to replace missing teeth can lead to tooth loss, a misaligned bite, and a prematurely aged appearance.
In addition, your normal daily routine is severely impacted. Even one missing tooth hampers your ability to chew and speak.
A Superior Solution
Dental implants are a permanent dental solution, where a titanium post that mimics a healthy tooth root is inserted into the jawbone to support a strong dental crown. This option, highly preferred by dentists and patients alike, is not only natural looking, but reliable and durable.
Dental implants do not slip or shift out of place, and are the only tooth replacement option to fuse with the bone in the jaw. You can restore and retain the natural shape of your face and prevent future tooth and bone loss.
Your implant will be custom designed to look, feel and function just like your natural teeth.
Invest In Your Health
Dentures require goopy glue and daily removal for thorough cleaning. What a pain! With proper at home care–brushing twice a day and flossing–and professional care with regular cleanings at your local Escondido dentist, your dental implant can last your entire lifetime.
What to Expect
Dr. Hope will conduct a gentle, comprehensive exam and consultation. He will examine your teeth and gums, discuss treatment options, and answer your questions.
Advancements in technology have created treatments so sophisticated that they eliminate or greatly reduce discomfort. In addition, you can elect a form of dental sedation to guarantee your sense of relaxation and comfort. Dr. Hope will then remove any teeth that need extraction, and then clean and disinfect the area. Your dental implant will then be expertly placed into the jaw bone, where it will bond with the jaw for a period of several weeks before your dental crowns are secured to it.
High Tech, High Touch
At Douglas Hope, DDS, we utilize a Galileos Scanner, a screening tool that provides our expert Escondido team with a 3D scan of your mouth. Imagine: a detailed map of your gums, teeth, bones, and mouth are available for your viewing–it’s no longer an X-ray image that may not make much sense to you!
The precision of our Galileos Scanner also assists us in placing your dental implant placement for a high degree of premium dental care.
How Do Dental Implants Work?
Dental implants work by imitating the natural design of your tooth. By using an artificial root that is surgically implanted into your jaw and gum tissue, dental implants can hold one or more false teeth securely, and restore your smile.
Dental implants consist of two parts. The first part is the implant itself, which is a screw-shaped titanium rod. This implant is designed to be surgically placed into your jaw and gum tissue. Then, after it’s been placed, your implant will begin healing and bonding with your jaw bone.
The second part is the implant-supported restoration. After your mouth has healed, your implant-supported restoration will be attached directly to your implant, restoring your smile. The most common type of implant-supported restoration is a dental crown. A crown can be used with a single dental implant to replace one missing tooth.
However, in some cases, multiple implants can be used to support a dental bridge, which replaces several missing teeth, or a full set of implant-supported dentures, which can replace all of your teeth.
What Can I Expect From The Dental Implant Procedure?
Depending on your oral health, the entire process of having a dental implant placed and restored can take up to 6 months at the office of Dr. Douglas G. Hope. To begin, you’ll need to schedule a consultation with an Escondido dentist to see if you’re a good candidate for a dental implant. If he approves you for treatment, he will begin creating your treatment plan based on your x-rays and other information gathered during your oral exam.
Next, you’ll come in for your dental implant placement surgery. Dr. Hope will clean and numb your mouth, create an opening in your jaw and gum tissue, and place your implant precisely according to your treatment plan. The area will be sanitized and sewn shut to encourage healing.
It takes about 2-3 weeks to heal from implant placement, but it can take up to 6 months for your implant to permanently integrate with your jawbone. You will come into our office for a few follow-up appointments while you heal. Dr. Hope will check your recovery progress, and take impressions and photos of your teeth, which will be used to create your implant-supported restoration.
Once your mouth has healed completely, you’ll come in for your final appointment with Dr. Hope. He’ll check your implant-supported restoration to ensure that it fits properly, and then he will bond it into place, restoring your smile.
How Much Do Dental Implants Cost?
This depends on a number of factors including your overall oral health, whether or not you need pre-implant surgery like bone grafting or alveoloplasty to prepare for your implant, how many teeth you need to have replaced, and much more. Because of this, it’s not possible to provide you with an accurate cost estimate until you come into our office for an appointment.
If you get an implant consultation with Dr. Douglas G. Hope, he can discuss your options for restoring your missing teeth in further detail, and provide you with an estimate for the cost of your implant treatment. Contact us now to get started.
Types Of Dental Implants
Wondering what types of dental implants are used to restore your smile? Let’s take a look at a few common types of implants below.
Endosteal Implants
Endosteal implants are the most commonly-used type of implant. They are made out of titanium, and are designed in a screw shape, which allows the implant to be inserted into your jaw and bond tightly with the surrounding bone and tissue. A single endosteal implant can be used to support a dental crown, or several implants can be used with a dental bridge or a set of implant-supported dentures to replace multiple teeth.
Mini Implants
A subtype of endosteal implants are “mini” implants. These implants are often used in the lower jaw to support a set of implant-retained dentures. They’re only about half the size of endosteal implants, so they can be placed using less invasive surgery, they heal more quickly, and they can usually be placed even if you have lost some of your natural jaw bone due to bone resorption.
Subperiosteal Implants
Subperiosteal implants are not commonly used in dentistry anymore, as they have a higher risk of infection and are more invasive than endosteal implants. This type of implant consists of a metal framework that is surgically placed below your gums, but above your jaw bone. Multiple posts stick through your gums, allowing for the placement of one or more dental restorations.
In the past, subperiosteal implants were often used when jaw bone loss made traditional endosteal implants impractical. Today, though, advances in bone grafting have made this type of implant much less useful, because most patients can opt for bone grafts to restore their jaw bone, and then receive endosteal implants.
Are Dental Implants Safe?
Yes. Dental implants are extremely safe, and have a very high success rate. They typically have a success rate of up to 98%. The only somewhat common complication that may occur is “peri-implantitis,” which is an infection of the gums around the implant site. Proper sanitation during surgery and good at-home dental care can eliminate the risk of peri-implantitis almost entirely.
At our office, Dr. Hope uses the latest surgical tools, digital technology, and advanced techniques to ensure you get the best possible results. If you choose to get dental implants from us, you’ll be in good hands, and can trust our team to provide you with the smile you deserve.
Can Dental Implants Be Removed?
Dental implants can be removed shortly after they have been placed, but this is usually only necessary if a complication like peri-implantitis has caused the implant to fail, or in the rare event that the implant does not bond properly with your jaw bone and gum tissue.
After your dental implants are healed, they will last 30+ years with proper care, and there is no need to remove them. It can be quite difficult to remove an implant after it has gone through the process of “osseointegration,” and has bonded permanently with your jaw. Doing so could damage your jaw bone, so it may not be a good idea.
If you really want to have a permanent dental implant, you should schedule a consultation with the Escondido cosmetic dentists of Dr. Douglas Hope. Dr. Hope can examine your mouth, and determine whether or not dental implant removal is a viable option for you.
Get Your Smile Back With Douglas Hope, DDS!
Are you ready to enjoy life again to its fullest? Give us a call at (760) 480-8883 to schedule your appointment or consultation on dental implants. You may also visit our office at 511 E 2nd Ave in Escondido.
Testimonials
Tara C.
"Dr. Hope has been my dentist for over 7 years. I wouldn't go anywhere else. I trusted him to do significant veneer work several years ago. My smile changed and I have been very happy with the results."
Elizabeth U.
“Dr. Hope and his team are a great mix. They work well together and are very aware on making sure you have as little pain as possible. My family has been going for years and wouldn't go anywhere else.”
Melanie D.
“I've been a patient at Dr. Hope's office for almost 15 years and have referred several of my friends. The hygienists have always been super friendly and gentle. In addition to typical dental work and my regular cleanings, I did Invisalign and was very happy with the whole process. ”
Steve W.
“Dr. Hope and his staff are the best. I have been a patient there since he took over the practice from Dr. Chatton. I'm not sure how long but I've been seeing Dr. Hope for at least 10 years or more. He is a great dentist who is very knowledgeable and has the most up to date equipment.”
Rita G.
“Dr. Hope & his staff are always so welcoming and professional. They make you feel like family and they make it a point to get to know you personally. The reason I decided to give Dr. Hope my business was because I found out that he gave back to our community.”
Kathi T.
“Dr. Hope and his wonderful Staff are just the BEST!!! Dr. Hope and his awesome assistant, George, are very attentive, compassionate, accommodating, caring, funny, but first and foremost HONEST!!!”
Christina W.
“Dr. Hope and his team are wonderful! He is an amazing dentist! Everyone is so nice! I am always welcomed with big smiling faces! I will refer everyone I know to his office!”
Sylvia C.
“I have been going to Dr. Hope for quite some time now, and always feel so at ease. Dr. Hope is funny and just makes you feel relaxed while there! This is a very friendly office and as long as I'm living anywhere near San Diego I will be going to this dental practice, hopefully Dr. Hope won't be retiring any time soon (he's too young)!!!”
Real F.
“We always feel like family when in Dr. Hopes office. Each staff member treats us with professionalism and with the best personalized care. They have helped my sensitivity problem to be non existent with the treatments they provide.”
