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Nineteen Things You Didn’t Know about Dental Implants

1. What Do Implants Taste Like?

Titanium implants are non-corrosive and do not leave behind any metallic taste. The bridges, or the prosthetic teeth fixed to your implants, are malodorous, meaning they are tasteless. After New Teeth Now, you can fully enjoy the flavor of your food without the lingering aftertaste of infection left by decaying or unhealthy teeth. Our patients often share with us how having the procedure done greatly improves their enjoyment of food.

2. Can You Feel Zygomatic Implants in Your Cheeks?

The region of the cheekbone that supports a zygomatic implant does not have nerve receptors, meaning you won’t feel the implants when they’re in place. Placed by a qualified oral and maxillofacial surgeon, zygomatic implants will not cause any pain. The placing of zygomatic implants is much less complicated for the patient than alternatives that require more surgeries and more visits.

You also won’t feel the implants with your fingers. They are anchored within the tissue of the jaw and the cheekbones. There is no protrusion changing the shape or texture of the face.

3. Can You Go Through a Metal Detector with Dental Implants?

Titanium implants are not magnetic. This means they won’t set off a metal detector. This means you can safely travel through security checks at the airport without sounding off an alarm because of dental work at New Teeth Now.

4. Is It Hard to Floss with Full Mouth Dental Implants?

The difficulty of flossing depends on how the teeth are made. New Teeth Now prosthetics are milled at our dedicated lab in Lakeland, FL. Because each bridge is one sleek and solid unit, there is no need for traditional flossing. New Teeth Now patients use a water flosser to wash away buildup that can collect between the bridge and the gums.

5. Can Dental Implants Cause Tinnitus?

Tinnitus, or the ringing in the ears, is not caused by dental implants or prosthetics. However, any loud or strong vibration near enough to the ears can cause trauma to the cochlear nerve. Since the mouth is close to that part of the body, any dental work that requires instruments can agitate the sensitive anatomy of the ear.

6. Do Implants Change a Person’s Sense of Smell or Taste?

Many patients come to New Teeth Now to cure their periodontal disease once and for all. They often report being better able to taste and smell after the procedure because of the removal of bacteria following their extractions. This is also another benefit of New Teeth Now over dentures, as most dentures and partials will cover a portion of the palate, greatly reducing a person’s sense of taste. 

7. Do Implants Increase a Person’s Chance of Developing Sinusitis or Sinus Infections?

This is an infrequent question in our office. Some patients are concerned that zygomatic implants or maxillary (upper jaw) implants pose a risk of sinus complications. However, when our oral surgeons place the upper implants, they do not breach the sinuses. In short, implants will not cause any new issues with a patient’s sinuses. 

8. Can Zygomatic Implants Affect Vision?

No. While the zygomatic bone (cheekbone) is near sensitive nerves in the eye, zygomatic implants will not affect this area.

In recent years, it has become more common to see general dentists advertise zygomatic implants. Please be aware that this procedure is very sensitive and specialized, and it should only be performed by a qualified oral surgeon. We strongly advise against having zygomatic implants placed by your general dentist. For your safety and to avoid unnecessary complications, zygomatic implants should only be placed by a qualified oral surgeon.

9. Do Implants Change the Shape of Your Face?

Full mouth implants can improve your bite alignment, which can significantly change the shape of the face. You can see how radical this transformation can be in our before-and-after gallery. Single dental implants can also have an impact on your bite, though it’s less likely to make a dramatic difference in a patient’s appearance.

For patients transitioning from a denture to full mouth implants, or any patient with severe bone loss, the New Teeth now procedure can improve the volume and contours of the face. Many of our patients have been excited by this

10. Can I Get Implants If I Have Osteoporosis?

Maybe. This depends on your prescription history. If you have questions about your medical history, give us a call. We can help you determine if you qualify for this type of procedure.

11. Can I Scuba Dive with Dental Implants?

 Yes. Titanium implants are a lightweight, solid metal. They are extraordinarily resistant to pressure changes.

12. Can Professional Athletes in Contact Sports Get Dental Implants?

They can. If you are experiencing regular tooth loss or your sports activities are the direct cause of having dental implants fail (from blunt trauma, for example), then that would be a separate concern. You can’t get a new dental implant at the same site every few months. But as a general rule, a fully healed and integrated dental implant is a safe option for contact sports. Take care to protect your dental health by using the recommended gear.

13. Can You Go to Outer Space If You Have Dental Implants?

 Yes. If you have an opportunity to go to outer space, your dental implants won’t stop you.

14. Are Dental Implants Sensitive to Hot or Cold Food and Drink?

There is no increased sensitivity to hot or cold food and drink caused by dental prosthetics. The prosthetic has no nerve connectivity, and the thermal conductivity of zirconia is very low, meaning changing temperature does not travel quickly through the material.

15. Can You Feel Implants When Riding a Roller Coaster?

Can you feel your natural teeth when you are riding a roller coaster? The same rules apply. Dental implants will heal and fuse with the bone in a process called osseointegration. A healthy implant won’t wiggle around or rattle any more easily than a healthy tooth would.

16. Do Dental Implants Have Fake Gums on Them?

Some do. At New Teeth Now, the upper and lower bridge fixed to your implants will include prosthetic gum. This gives your final teeth a much more comfortable feel and a more realistic look, as the gums are specially crafted to fit above the unique anatomy of your gum ridge. Not to worry. No one can tell they aren’t your natural gums.

17. Do You Ever Need a Root Canal If You Have Full Mouth Dental Implants?

No. You no longer have natural teeth. A root canal procedure is intended to preserve the function of natural teeth.

18. Can Dental Implants Change the Sound of My Singing Voice?

This is possible. To have anything new permanently placed in your mouth can cause you to sound differently than you did before. New Teeth Now is much sleeker and less obstructive than other options such as dentures. However, it is non-removable.

In the embedded video below, Dr. Kirkpatrick answers in greater detail the question, “How common are speech difficulties after full mouth dental implants?”

19. What Is the Cut-off Age for New Teeth Now?

You must be 18 years or older to qualify for the New Teeth Now procedure. Over the years, we have seen a mix of adult patients of all ages and backgrounds. Young adults in their mid-twenties and early thirties will often first connect with us on social media to find out if New Teeth Now is right for them. It’s also not that uncommon for an octogenarian or an even older patient to qualify for New Teeth Now, because, like anyone else, they deserve to better enjoy their favorite foods.

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Oral Surgeon vs. General Dentist

What’s the difference between going to a general dentist or to an oral surgeon to have dental implants placed? While it may be more convenient and, at first, more inexpensive to receive implants from a dentist, an oral surgeon has years of education and experience at performing surgical procedures. A surgeon is also the only implant provider licensed to have general anesthesia administered in their facility. If a case becomes complex, which is especially common for dental implant procedures involving severe bone loss, then the dentist will eventually refer their patients into the care of an oral surgeon.

Why Education Matters

There is a big difference in the level of training required to be an oral surgeon, a periodontist and a general dentist. Across the gamut, the oral surgeon is the most qualified to perform complex dental implant procedures, as they have had the most education to prepare them for the procedure. Our oral surgeons have…

Graduated from dental school

Completed 4-6 years of training in residency

Board-certified or board eligible status

To become an oral surgeon, the doctor must complete an additional four-to-six years of training after dental school. On the other hand, a general dentist can be certified to place dental implants at a weekend course. The latter represents the minimum requirement among dental implant providers.

The next level of expertise for oral surgeons is board certification. The American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, or ABOMS, will certify a surgeon only after they’ve demonstrated their competence through a history of surgical cases and extensive oral and written exams. When a surgeon is board certified, it is truly a badge of confidence that proves to the patient that they are in capable hands.

If you are working with an oral surgeon who is not yet board certified, it is also appropriate to find out if they are board eligible. A board-eligible surgeon is on the path to becoming certified. Like their board-certified peers, they value positive patient outcomes, quality care and ongoing self-improvement.

Experience and Education Are Not the Same Thing

While education is an excellent assurance that you’re in good hands, nothing is a better indicator of quality than a history of very happy patients.

As previously mentioned, board certification includes proof of successful case history. In addition to that, you should research real patient feedback to learn how they feel after receiving service from their provider. In most cases, you can request to speak with a former patient.

Not every board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon will specialize in the same procedure. Some will not specialize in dental implants at all. The oral surgeons at New Teeth Now are specialized in a procedure that they have developed together over decades of real patient care.

Another great way to gauge an oral surgeon’s ability is to review their online testimonials. Do they position their patients first in their communication? While it is normal to have some negative reviews online, how does your surgeon respond to a negative review?

Will You Still Need Extractions?

Only an oral surgeon is licensed to have general anesthesia administered in their office. This offers a big advantage for patients who will need teeth extractions before their procedure.

Under the care of an oral surgeon, a patient who qualifies for New Teeth Now can have any remaining teeth extracted while they’re asleep under the supervision of an entire team of anesthetists. This is both a very safe approach to restoring the patient’s oral health, and a far more comfortable one from the patient’s perspective.

New Teeth Now does not charge additional fees for extractions, which means that having teeth removed beforehand is an unnecessary expense. It can also be an avoidable traumatic experience.

What Happens If Something Fails While Having Your Full Mouth Restored by a General Dentist?

Unfortunately, dental implant failure can happen. It is very rare at New Teeth Now. Unexpected complications are also likely to arise during or after a dental implant procedure. The oral surgeon is best equipped to help a patient recover from complications and failures, which is why at this point the patients will be referred to an oral surgeon by their general dentist. Patients who arrive in our office after going through this process will often lament, “Why did I not come to you first?”

Overview

In review, let’s look at a breakdown of how an oral surgeon compares to a general dentist.

ORAL SURGEON

4-6 additional years of training after dental school

Specializes in dental implant placement

Long-term proven success rate with implants

Licensed to administer general anesthesia

Ability to navigate all complications

Wealth of knowledge and expertise

GENERAL DENTIST

Can be certified after a weekend course

Not the main service provided. Typically places a few implants a month.

Not able to administer general anesthesia, and most aren’t certified to administer IV sedation

Will refer to an oral surgeon for complicated cases

We strive for the highest level of quality in the industry. For that reason, a New Teeth Now oral surgeon must pass their oral and written board-certification exams, or be board eligible and working toward board certification.

Other Considerations When Choosing Your Implant Provider

Patients cite three priorities when researching dental implant providers. They are normally ranked in this order:

Quality

Cost

Convenience

Quality is a consistent priority for patients who choose New Teeth Now. How much of your health and safety are you willing to sacrifice in exchange for a shorter drive or a bargain? When researching their options, patients can find it difficult to recognize quality.

You might assume higher fees are proof of better quality, for example. This is not always the case. Paying more for dental implants will not guarantee better quality surgical care, and vice versa. At New Teeth Now, we pride ourselves on offering the fairest possible price without sacrificing high standards of quality care.

Being transparent with our patients about what they can expect at every point in the New Teeth Now process is our testament to quality. Having only the best staff and surgeons working together for is how we inspire confidence in our patients.

How else can patients feel confident they won’t be sacrificing quality when choosing their implant provider?

Treat Your Consultation Like an Interview

While being a board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon is a reliable badge of quality, it is still important to get to know all of the people who will be involved in your procedure. What are their values and goals? How do they communicate with their patients, both past and present?

The perfect approach to vet a provider’s services is to ask great questions when you’re first getting to know each other.

After you make an appointment to discuss the procedure, get prepared for that in-person consultation. If you can, bring a list of questions that address your biggest concerns and dreams. What motivated you to schedule a consultation. We want to know!

The consult is an opportunity to learn about the procedure, and also to get a feel for the office and the professionals who will be there with you throughout the entire process.

At New Teeth Now, much of the consultation will be dedicated to giving the patient time with their oral surgeon. We’ve been told that not everyone prioritizes the patient-surgeon relationship in this way. We ask our patients a lot of questions at this point to make sure they qualify for the full mouth procedure. Our surgeons would prefer you salvage your natural teeth if that’s an option for you.

Need help preparing for your consultation. Here are several questions we’ve received from patients in the past:

Are you an oral surgeon or a dentist?

Will you be the oral surgeon providing my care?

Are you a board-certified oral surgeon?

How long have you been performing this procedure?

What do your patients say about the quality of care in this facility?

Can you put me in touch with a recent patient who can answer more of my questions about the procedure?

We welcome any and all questions as long as they’re relevant to the procedure. And this doesn’t stop after you’ve left the consultation. Sometimes people forget to ask things during that hour-long session, or they get distracted while learning something brand new from their surgeon.

We encourage you to stay in touch with us after you’ve left the office. You can email or call back with any questions. We are here to help.

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