Why implants are the gold standard
A dental implant replaces the root of a missing tooth with a small titanium post that bonds to your jawbone. It holds a crown that looks, feels and chews like a natural tooth, it does not need the neighbouring teeth to be cut down like a bridge, and it helps keep the bone from shrinking where the tooth used to be.
Prosthetic-driven, guided implant surgery
At Creekside Dental Care the plan starts with the final tooth, not the drill: the implant is designed around the position of the replacement tooth, then reverse-engineered to the spot that best supports biting forces and gives the nicest-looking gumline. Dr. Bal takes a 3D cone-beam CT scan and a 3Shape intraoral scan, merges them on the computer and positions the implant where the future crown needs it, clear of nerves and sinuses. The plan is sent to the dental lab, which makes a surgical guide custom-fitted to your teeth. During surgery the guide controls the angle and depth of every step. Dr. Bal also plans with the future in mind, so the same implant can support a bridge or a full-arch All-on-X solution if more teeth are lost later.
Benefits of dental implants
- No need to trim or cut the neighboring teeth for a bridge
- Avoids bridges that are hard to keep clean and can encourage further decay
- Keeps neighboring teeth from tipping over or the opposing tooth from over-erupting
- Helps prevent bone loss, because biting forces pass directly into the jaw
- Can end a long battle with a failing, gum-disease-affected tooth
- Can last a lifetime with routine check-ups
When bone is missing
Teeth that have been missing for a while often leave thin bone behind. Dr. Bal offers bone augmentation in the sinus or the extraction site, and jaw expansion to rebuild the foundation, so more patients can have an implant.
What is a sinus lift?
In the upper jaw, the sinus cavity sits above the back teeth and sometimes limits how long an implant can be. Dr. Bal reaches the sinus with special instruments, gently lifts the tough membrane on the sinus floor hydraulically, places bone graft, and places the implant into that graft at the same visit. It is minimally invasive: the opening made for the implant is the access for the graft, and the implant then seals it so bacteria cannot enter.
Implant options
Creekside Dental Care places BioHorizons dental implants.
- Single-tooth implants with screw-retained or cemented crowns
- Implant bridges for several missing teeth
- All-on-X full-arch teeth (see All-on-X & implant bridges)
Dental implants from $575
Dental implants at Creekside Dental Care start from $575. Your exact cost depends on what your case needs. Text a photo or book a consultation, and Dr. Bal will give you a written plan with every cost before treatment.
