Dental implants

Why many people choose an implant over a bridge

• Neighboring teeth stay intact — a bridge usually requires grinding them down
• The implant helps keep bone in that spot
• You clean it like a regular tooth
• Chewing feels more stable than a removable partial
• The result can look like a natural tooth

A bridge can still be the better choice in some mouths. We will say so.

Dr. Chad M. Curtis trained at Columbia University, where he focused on bone grafting and rebuilding the jaw with growth factors and stem-cell research for implant sites. His oral and maxillofacial surgery training was at the University of Cincinnati.

Implants are for adults missing one tooth, several teeth, or who want more stability than a loose denture. You will need a dentist to restore the implant, or we can coordinate with one.

• A single tooth lost to a crack or a failed root canal
• A space that has been empty long enough for the bone to shrink
• A denture that rocks when you speak or eat
• A treatment plan from another office that you want reviewed

Gum disease, uncontrolled diabetes, heavy smoking, and a thin ridge can change the plan. Some sites need bone grafting first. If the upper jaw has very little remaining bone, zygomatic, pterygoid, or transnasal implants may be discussed instead of a large graft. Some extractions can receive an implant the same day. That is a judgment call, not a promise.

Consultation includes an examination and review of imaging. If you are a good candidate for a dental implant, the surgical plan is closely coordinated with your restorative dentist so that the implant emerges in the correct location in the mouth.

Placement is done in the office, often under IV sedation. A small opening is made, the implant is placed, and a cap is put on the top. This area then heals for 3 to 4 months, after which Dr. Curtis will check the implant for stability. Following clearance by Dr. Curtis, you can get your crown made by your dentist.

Most people are less sore than they expect, especially compared with a difficult extraction. Soft foods and gentle cleaning around the site are usually enough. Swelling is more noticeable if several implants or a graft were done together.

Day by day

• Day of surgery: gauze until bleeding slows. Do not chew on that side. Rest. Ice the first day only, about fifteen minutes at a time.
• Days 1–3: soft food. Start the prescribed rinse the day after surgery. Discomfort is often worst in the first one to two days, then should ease.
• First week: still do not chew on the implant side. Stitches usually dissolve in about a week. Brush the other teeth and be gentle at the site.

The next months

The gum quiets long before the bone finishes growing onto the implant. That wait is often three to four months. Dr. Curtis checks stability before your dentist makes the crown. You will not feel osseointegration happening. You can disturb it by chewing on the site early.

Call us if

• Bleeding does not slow with gauze
• The lip, chin, or tongue is still numb the morning after surgery
• Pain or swelling is worse after day three, or you have a fever
• The cap feels loose, or the implant moves when you touch it with your tongue
• You were given an antibiotic and develop a rash

Read implant aftercare. Download post-operative instructions (PDF).

A single implant is not the same fee as several implants, a graft, or a full arch. The crown, bridge, or denture is usually made by your dentist and billed there. Sedation and new imaging are part of the surgical estimate when they are needed.

What changes the fee is the work itself: whether grafting is needed, which anesthesia is used, the type of restoration your dentist will make, and whether new imaging is required. Dr. Curtis gives an estimate at the consultation, after the exam. This website does not list prices.

The office takes most PPO dental plans. The current in-network list is on patient info. Call (561) 833-6880 if you want to ask about a plan before you come in.