Considering Dental Implants? The Holidays Are a Great Time to Start

The holidays are a time for fun, family, and smiles. Over the next few weeks, you’ll undoubtedly be showing your grin in photos and laughing at holiday parties. But if you’re missing some or all of your teeth, you may feel self-conscious or worry about what others will think. 

The good news is that you don’t have to cover your mouth or be embarrassed. Dental implants offer a long-term alternative to dentures and can help restore your smile to its near-original condition. Even better, the holiday season is the perfect time to begin the treatment process.

At Gulf Coast Periodontics & Implants in Gulfport, Mississippi, Dr. Caesar Sweidan and Dr. Laura Smith specialize in dental implant placement. 

Here, they explain who should consider dental implants, why the holidays are an ideal time to get started, and what treatment involves. 

What are dental implants, and who can benefit?

Dental implants are small titanium screws that we insert into your empty tooth sockets. 

After placement, they fuse with your upper or lower jaw through a process called osseointegration, providing a strong foundation for dental restorations, like crowns, fixed bridges, or implant-retained dentures.

Implants offer several benefits. They:

• Provide a permanent tooth replacement option compared to dentures 
• Restore confidence and a natural-looking smile
• Support jawbone health and prevent bone loss
• Allow you to speak clearly and chew comfortably

To qualify for dental implants, you need healthy gums and adequate bone volume. If you have gum disease or insufficient bone volume, we address those issues first with periodontal maintenance or bone grafting before moving forward.

Why are the holidays a good time to get dental implants?

Considering how busy the holidays are, you might assume you’d have to wait until the new year to begin the dental implant process. But this time of year is actually ideal for getting started. 

That’s because:

• Extra time off work allows for consultations and the initial placement procedure
• The office is less busy, providing more appointment flexibility
• Dental insurance benefits end on December 31st, so you can take advantage of them
• Seasonal events and gatherings make people more aware of their smiles

What’s more, since many people have vacation time, there’s plenty of time to recover after implant placement. 

Getting dental implants: What to expect

Before recommending dental implants, we review your oral health history, take dental X-rays, and complete a comprehensive oral exam. We also take three-dimensional (3D) scans of your upper and lower jaw to assess bone volume and guide placement.

If you have adequate bone volume and healthy gums, we numb your mouth and place the dental implants. Then, we cover them with temporary restorations, so you can bite and chew comfortably while your mouth heals.

Once the implants finish integrating with your jaw, we replace the temporary restorations with permanent ones. Depending on your needs, this might be a custom crown, a fixed dental bridge, or an implant-retained denture.

The final restorations look and feel like your natural teeth, restoring your smile and your ability to bite and chew.

Learn more about the benefits of dental implants

If you’re missing some or all of your teeth and want to restore your smile, consider dental implants. To learn more about getting started this holiday season, contact us today to make an appointment. Call our Gulfport, Mississippi, office at (228) 868-9615 or request an appointment  online.