You may qualify for dental implants if you have missing, broken or severely decayed teeth and are in relatively good overall health. The only way of determining your eligibility for implants is to consult with an oral care provider to identify whether you have adequate bone support and healthy gums that will support the new tooth structure.
The placement of dental implants is a multi-step process that typically takes between 6 and 9 months to complete. It begins with a surgical procedure during which a titanium rod is placed where a previous natural tooth root once was. The gums are sutured shut over the implant, where is will stay for several months while it heals and begins fusing with the surrounding bone. Due to the nature of implant placement and its average procedure time of between 1 and 2 hours, you’ll be sedated and/or anesthetized for the duration of the treatment. At the conclusion of the healing period, you’ll return to be fitted for permanent crowns and have them placed.
It is normal to experience some discomfort, including bruising and swelling following a dental implant procedure. However, inflammation and pain may be managed with over-the-counter medications, hydrocodone, or codeine. You may be asked to eat only soft foods for approximately 2 weeks until the surgical site heals.
You will need a complete oral examination and dental consultation to determine if “Teeth in a Day” is right for you. It is during this time that you can review your options for prosthetic tooth replacement and ask Dr. Atcha any questions you may have about the procedure.
“Teeth in a Day” is a surgical procedure that is performed under general anesthesia. Once you are sedated, any remaining teeth will be removed, and a series of titanium implants will be placed into the bone beneath the surface of your gums. You will then be fitted with temporary prosthetics that will remain in place until Dr. Atcha determines that you can be fitted with your permanent teeth.
You may experience minimal soreness and discomfort in the days following your procedure. Dr. Atcha will instruct you on any special care instructions or restrictions that you may need to abide by in the hours, days and weeks following your treatment.
All-on-4 implants are revolutionizing the way dentists replace missing teeth. For years, patients have been choosing dental implants as permanent tooth prosthetics. But instead of placing as many as 10 implants into the gums for traditional dental implants, all-on-4 implant therapy makes it possible to secure all of the teeth to just four dental implants. Unlike traditional implants, which are placed vertically, all-on-4 implants are placed at an angle, which increases their strength and allows them to better support multiple prosthetics. The benefits of all-on-4 implants are significant, including a faster single-visit implant placement process that is minimally invasive and usually prevents the need for bone grafting.
You may be a candidate for all-on-4 dental implants if all or nearly all of your teeth are missing or badly damaged. Implants placed early after tooth loss can help prevent bone atrophy and also reduces the need for bone grafting. To find out more about all-on-4 dental implants, schedule a consultation by filling out the form below.
Your damaged teeth will be extracted to make room for your new implants. When the time comes to place your implants, you will be asked to avoid eating and drinking the night before and day of your procedure, as you will be fully sedated for its duration. A minimum of four implants will be strategically placed into the supporting bone beneath your gums. The gums will be sutured closed to allow the implants time to fuse with bone and heal.
Dental implants have a very high success rate, but there are some special care instructions you will need to follow after having them placed. It is normal to experience some pain and swelling after your procedure, though you may treat discomfort with over the counter medications or pain medications prescribed by your dentist. You may also need to rinse the treated area with a special solution several times each day and avoid using a straw. You may also be provided with an antibiotic and a list of temporary diet restrictions that will help you prevent infection.
As with any other doctor’s visit, your dental implant consultation is a chance for you to express your wishes, desires and concerns. It is an opportunity for you to “interview” the surgeon/Cosmetic dentist and vice versa. During the consultation, our Implant surgeon Dr. Atcha will:
- perform a physical exam or assessment of your jaw anatomy and asses your smile and the condition of your teeth.
- take a full medical history
- take a 3D CT scan of your jaw to determine jaw bone quality
- discuss your goals/wants/desires
- devise the appropriate treatment plan to achieve your goal
- answer any questions and/or concerns
- schedule the next steps which is your big day (surgery/procedure)
- team will assist in any financing needed for the care
- clinical/ lab team will start the pre-surgery records and custom smile design for your beautiful new teeth.
The consultation fee is 175 and is NON-REFUNDABLE
It isn’t only physicians who charge a fee for service. Nearly any professional service, such as an attorney or accountant, have some feed involved. Time and expertise is valuable! Surgeons, especially implant surgeons, “have exceeded those individuals’ professional training, so I think it’s just a very natural expectation for that valuable service to have a cost attached,” explains Dr. Atcha.
Implant surgeons go through a tremendous amount of training; Dr. Atcha himself has been in practice for almost 27 years. As he explains, “that collective knowledge and experience doesn’t come easy.” The experience in complex full mouth dental implant cases, Allon4 implant cases, zygomatic implant cases, IV anesthesia administration and monitoring and performing quality smile makeover with porcelain veneers. This makes it of extreme value to the patient. In Dr. Atcha’s opinion, it’s hard to put a price tag on that expertise and patients that value expertise and experience and knowledge are coming to a busy Dr and a busy clinic that is taking care of thousands of patients from the Chicagoland area and from all over the US.
In general, most of the implant surgeons who don’t charge a consultation fee do so because they are afraid of losing business. Sometimes it may be an indication that they are looking for new patients. Perhaps they are just starting out and need to grow their practice in any way possible.
Implant surgeons who do charge a consultation fee, on the other hand, typically already have a very busy practice. In this regard, the fee can actually be an indication that this implant surgeon is established. He or she is experienced and already runs a thriving practice.
Consultation fees are going to vary from surgeon to surgeon and region to region. However, most of the implant surgeons like Dr. Atcha who charge a fee will apply this fee towards the cost of your surgery or procedure if you decide to move forward. So, in the end, the fee doesn’t wind up costing you anything extra! It only guarantees time spent with a true expert who wants to help you achieve your goals.