How Many Dental Implants Can Be Placed at Once?
If you are looking to maintain good oral health, it is important to replace missing teeth.
Having even one missing tooth can lead to serious issues such as the following:
- Shifting teeth
- Gum disease
- Jawbone deterioration
These and other problems can be prevented with dental implants.
Benefits of Dental Implants
- maintain the health of your jawbone by stimulating the bone under the teeth, which keeps it from deteriorating;
- preserve facial structure, which may be compromised if the jawbone deteriorates, giving your face a sunken look that can make you look older than you are;
- prevent the shifting of teeth, which tend to move to fill empty space, causing problems with your bite and oral health;
- restore ease and comfort of chewing; and
- look, function, and feel like real teeth.
But how many implants can you have?
How Many Implants are Needed?
You might need to replace a single tooth or a large area where multiple teeth are missing.
One or two missing teeth may need a single implant each.
If a person needs a large area restored or the whole jaw, it will require multiple implants to be placed in certain positions where a denture or splinted crowns can be placed. The implants are used as anchors in that situation.
Another factor is the bone density in your jaw. It may be possible to need as few as two implants to support a four-tooth bridge. When discussing implant-supported full arch dentures, the amount can range to as little as four and the maximum being eight implants needed.
Your Dental Health Overall
It is possible to have multiple implants placed at once, but your bone structure and volume must, upon examination, be found to be free of issues.
Periodontal, or gum, disease, can disrupt the healing process. Your dentist will be able to examine your oral and overall health and let you know if dental implants are the right choice for you.
Dental Implants and Insurance
If you have dental insurance, you can look at your policies and see if they cover cosmetic dental procedures or dental implants. Some providers are friendlier than others toward implants.
If your policy covers implants, you will want to check a few things, including:
- Pre-existing conditions. Does your insurance cover pre-existing conditions? If you were missing a tooth before your insurance took effect, for example, your provider might not cover an implant.
- Annual Maximum. Insurers often will base your annual premium on the calendar year. If you are close to hitting your annual maximum, you will have to pay for your treatment out of pocket.
If you need help deciding if a dental implant is right for you or have any questions related to insurance, give us a call, at (716) 333-3333.