Your Guide to Dental Implants in Las Cruces

Tooth loss affects our day-to-day lives in so many ways. It impacts what we can eat and when, how we speak, and even how others think of us. It’s not an easy condition to live with and it affects almost half of Americans.

Dental implants provide a long-term solution that comes closer than any other treatment to restoring not just the aesthetics of the tooth, but the functionality as well. An implant can protect your jawbone and provide the restoration with the strength and support of a natural root. In fact, your body accepts it as organic and anchors it in place with natural bone tissue.

Isn’t that remarkable?

How do Dental Implants Work?

Dental implants take away from the frustrations of dentures because they don’t slip or fall out. Instead, implants are placed along the jaw and held in place by the body, which accepts the implant as if it were a natural tooth root, generating bone that weaves through the implant and holds it tightly in place.

Once you’ve decided on the right treatment plan, you’ll come back to our office for the surgery. Depending on your oral health needs and your treatment plan, we’ll place the implants along the jaw during a single visit.

The Dental Implant Process

Dental implants are the most effective way to restore missing teeth, and we’ll make sure you’re completely satisfied with your results. That’s why Dr. Borham will get to know you and find out your oral needs during your first consultation with him. We’ll take a 3D digital impression of your mouth using an i-CAT CBCT machine. 

After you’ve chosen one of our implant solutions, you’ll come back to our office to have your new restorations placed. We make sure your implants are as functional as possible, which is why we place them into your jawbone through a process called osseointegration.

Once your implant fixtures have fully healed, Dr. Borham will attach your stunning porcelain crowns to them using titanium abutment connecting pieces.

Before

After

Immediate, Same-Day Dental Implants

Implants integrate with the jawbone through a process known as osseointegration, into which we go into greater depth further down the page.

Traditionally, the area of the implant is left uncovered by a dental crown until the surgery site heals. Same-day implants allow you to walk out of our office on the day of the surgery with a temporary dental crown that looks and feels organic and natural.

Candidacy for the treatment must be determined during an initial consultation.

While same-day implants allow you to walk out with a crown on the same day as the surgery, this does come with risks as undue pressure on, or movement of, the implant can cause it to fail.

Implant-Retained Hybrid Dentures

Do your dentures slip and slide? Is your jawline beginning to appear sunken?

Loose and ill-fitting removable dentures are uncomfortable and aren’t doing your oral health any favors. Likewise, they can slur or impair your speech, restrict what you can eat, and cause the jawbone to weaken.

A hybrid, or snap-on, denture, also commonly referred to as an overdenture, offers the flexibility of removable dentures with the strength, robustness, and longevity of dental implants. Using implants to anchor the dentures into place along the jaw, these dentures firmly “snap” into place, providing a greater rate of functionality and comfort.

Furthermore, because they use dental implants to remain in place, hybrid dentures help restore your jawbone’s health and prevent premature wrinkling around the jawline.

Before

After

Dental Sedation with Implants

Most people suffer from dental anxiety to one degree or another. It’s a perfectly reasonable feeling and there are solutions that can make the procedure more comfortable.

We offer nitrous oxide and oral conscious sedation. Nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, works by combining a sedative with oxygen and delivering it through a mask. Oral conscious sedation is typically delivered in the form of a pill. Both are safe and effective options.

While sedated, you’ll still be awake and able to respond to the dentist. You’ll simply feel more relaxed and at ease while we perform the treatment.

Dental sedation is an especially fantastic option for patients who require multiple procedures, since it allows us to perform more work in the same day, reducing the total number of dental visits you’ll make to our office.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do dental implants feel like?
Dental implants function exactly like your natural teeth. You never have to worry about taking special care of them or finding some special solution to soak them in. If you’ve spent several years without teeth, you’ll come out of the implant procedure feeling like a new, more confident person. To get started, give us a call at (575) 523-5589 or fill out a contact form and we’ll schedule your free consultation with Dr. Borham.

How do I care for my new implants?
Caring for your dental implants is as simple as taking care of your natural teeth. Brush your teeth at least twice a day with a soft-bristled brush, floss daily, and schedule a routine dental exam and cleaning every six months. This will ensure healthy teeth and gums to last for years to come. Should you decide to get implants, it’s important to follow a healthy diet that is limited in sugar so that surrounding teeth, bone, and gums don’t decay.

Am I a candidate for dental implants?
An ideal candidate for dental implants should be relatively healthy, sufficient jaw bone density, and have any pre-existing issues, like periodontal (gum) disease, addressed before surgery. The only way to find out if you’re a candidate is to schedule an appointment with Dr. Borham. He’ll review your medical history, examine your oral health, and determine whether dental implants are right for you.

Does insurance cover dental implants?
Some dental insurance companies provide partial coverage for the dental implant process, but few companies don’t. We recommend contacting your provider to get a better understanding of your coverage before your initial consultation. We are providers for multiple dental insurances and offer various flexible financing options. If you’d like, a member of our staff can call them for you to ensure you receive the maximum benefits possible. Contact our Las Cruces practice at  (575) 523-5589 to get started today.