A missing tooth is more than a gap you can see. The bone underneath slowly shrinks, and the teeth beside it drift.
A dental implant replaces the root of the missing tooth. Our office plans the case and works with a trusted specialist who places the implant. Then we make and fit the crown that goes on top.
Implant work is part of our restorative dentistry care. Not sure who handles which step? Call during open hours and we will get you in as soon as the schedule allows.
What Is a Dental Implant?
A dental implant is a small post placed into the jawbone. It takes the place of a missing tooth’s root. Once the bone grows around the post, it can hold a crown.
That crown is the visible tooth you chew with. The post is usually titanium, a metal that bone accepts and grows against. That bond is what makes an implant steady.
An implant has two halves to it, and so does the care. A trusted oral surgeon or implant specialist places the post. Our office handles the planning before it and the crown after it.
Being clear about that split matters. Surgical placement does not happen in our office. We plan the case, coordinate with the specialist, and finish the tooth here.
Problems Dental Implants Solve
- A gap that has changed how you chew, speak, or smile.
- Bone shrinking under a space where a tooth used to be.
- Neighboring teeth drifting toward an open space.
- Not wanting healthy teeth reshaped to carry a bridge.
- Wanting a replacement that stays in your mouth all the time.
- Confusion about who handles which step, and where to start.
How Implant Care Works at Our Office
- Our dentist examines the space, the gums, and the teeth on both sides.
- We take a digital X-ray to look at the bone and the roots nearby.
- We build the plan, and we tell you which steps happen here and which happen with the specialist.
- You get the plan and the cost before anything starts.
- If a failing tooth is still in place, we schedule the extraction first. The site then needs healing time.
- The specialist places the implant post. We stay in touch through that step, so nothing gets lost between offices.
- The implant needs months to bond with your bone before it can carry a crown.
- Once it is solid, we take an impression and our dental lab builds your crown.
- We fit the crown, check the bite and the shade, then follow it at your regular visits.
This is a months-long plan with visits in two offices. We keep the plan in one place, so you are not the one coordinating it.
Your Options for Replacing a Missing Tooth
An implant restoration leaves the neighboring teeth alone. That is its biggest advantage, and it is why many people choose it.
It also asks the most of you. It takes the longest, and it involves a second office for the placement. It usually costs the most up front.
A dental bridge is faster and involves no surgery. The trade is that two healthy teeth get reshaped to carry crowns as anchors.
Full or partial dentures replace several missing teeth or a whole arch. They come out for cleaning, and they usually cost less than implant work.
We compare all three with you honestly, including the timelines. Sometimes a bridge or a denture suits your mouth or your budget better. We will say so.
The Benefits of Getting This Done Right
An implant crown stays put. You are not taking anything out at night, and there is no adhesive involved.
The teeth around it stay whole. Nothing healthy has to be shaped down to support the replacement.
The post also gives your jawbone something to work against. That is the job a natural root used to do.
Daily care is refreshingly ordinary. You brush and floss an implant crown the way you treat your own teeth.
And the plan holds together. One office handles the planning and the finished tooth. The specialist’s step slots into a plan you already understand.
How to Know You Need Dental Implants
Start with what you can notice yourself.
- You are missing a tooth, or a few, and want a replacement that stays in place.
- A tooth is beyond saving and an extraction is already on the calendar.
- You would rather not have healthy neighboring teeth reshaped.
- Food catches in the space, or you have started chewing on one side.
- A gap shows when you talk, and you have begun hiding it.
- You wear a partial denture and dislike taking it out.
None of this is an emergency. Pain, swelling, or a tooth that just broke is different. Call during open hours and we will get you in as soon as the schedule allows.
Timing matters more with implants than with most treatments. Here is why.
- Bone begins shrinking soon after a tooth is lost, and implants need bone to hold onto.
- Less bone means fewer options, and the plan gets more involved.
- If too much bone is gone, an implant may not be possible right away. Extra steps may be needed first, and that is a conversation for the specialist.
- The teeth beside the gap keep tipping. A tilted tooth is harder to clean and quicker to decay.
- Your bite shifts, which puts extra load on teeth that were not built for it.
- One missing tooth left alone can turn into two or three teeth needing treatment.
You see a space. Our dentist sees what is under it.
We look at bone level, gum health, and the roots of the teeth beside the gap. We also check how your bite has been wearing. A digital X-ray gives real answers about whether the bone can support an implant.
It also shows problems a mirror never will, like decay under an old filling on a neighboring tooth.
A few questions worth asking yourself:
- How long has the tooth been missing?
- Do I want something fixed in place, or is removable fine with me?
- Am I willing to go through a process that takes months?
- Am I comfortable with part of my care happening at a specialist’s office?
- Are my gums healthy, or do they bleed when I brush?
An implant fits well when your gums are healthy and the bone is there. It suits you if you want the neighboring teeth left untouched.
Something else may fit better in other cases. A bridge often suits a mouth where the neighboring teeth already need crowns. A denture often suits a mouth with several missing teeth or a tighter budget.
If an implant is not your best option, we will tell you straight.
On cost and timing, the honest version is short. Starting sooner usually keeps the plan simpler.
There is more bone to work with and fewer teeth involved. Waiting rarely makes it cheaper, and we will show you what we see without scare tactics.
What Do Dental Implants Cost?
Implant care is priced by the case, not from a list. These are the factors:
- How many teeth you are replacing.
- Whether an extraction and healing time come first.
- The specialist’s placement step, which their office quotes and bills separately.
- The crown that finishes the tooth, and the lab work behind it.
- Follow-up visits and any adjustments to the bite.
We work with most major dental plans. Plans often limit what they will pay toward implants, and some pay nothing. Checking first really matters here.
The front desk checks your benefits before treatment starts. Because two offices are involved, you get our portion clearly, and the specialist’s office gives you theirs.
CareCredit financing spreads larger treatment across monthly payments. We also take cash, check, and credit card.
An implant usually costs more up front than a bridge or a denture. Whether that trade is worth it is your call. We will lay out all three before you decide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you place implants at your office?
No. A trusted oral surgeon or implant specialist places the implant post. Our office plans the case and makes and fits the crown that goes on top.
Why is my care split between two offices?
The placement is a surgical step, so it belongs with a specialist. Planning and the finished tooth stay here, and we coordinate the two.
How long does the whole process take?
Several months, and most of that is healing time while the implant bonds with your bone. We will map out your timeline at the consultation.
Does getting an implant hurt?
The area is fully numbed for the placement, and most people find the recovery easier than expected. Soreness for a few days afterward is normal.
Can an implant replace more than one tooth?
More than one implant can be placed to replace several teeth. What fits your mouth depends on your bone and the spacing. We plan that with the specialist first.
Will my dental plan pay for an implant?
Coverage for implants varies a lot, and many plans limit it. The front desk checks your benefits before treatment starts and tells you your share.
Related Services
- Tooth extractions often come first when a tooth cannot be saved, and we plan the implant around the healing time.
- Teeth whitening can brighten the smile around a finished implant crown.
- The Restorative Dentistry hub covers everything else we offer in this category.
Schedule Your Dental Implant Consultation in Green
A missing tooth does not have to stay that way. Request an appointment and we will look at the space. We explain who handles which step and compare your options honestly, then you decide.