Missing teeth affect more than your smile. They can make it harder to chew, speak clearly, and feel confident. At Advanced Smiles PC in Croydon, we provide dental implants consultations to help patients understand whether implant-supported tooth replacement is right for them.
Call 215-788-4918 to request a dental implant consultation, or request an appointment online.
Quick Answer: What Is a Dental Implant?
A dental implant is a small biocompatible post, typically titanium, placed in the jawbone to replace a missing tooth root. Once the implant has healed and bonded with the bone, it can support a crown, bridge, or denture. Depending on your evaluation, implants may be an option for a single missing tooth, multiple missing teeth, an implant-supported denture, or full-mouth restoration.
Dr. Livia Stancu, DDS can evaluate your oral health and explain whether implant-supported treatment may be appropriate for you, and which stages of treatment would be completed at Advanced Smiles PC or coordinated with another treating clinician.
Why Replacing a Missing Tooth Matters
An unreplaced missing tooth is not just a cosmetic issue. Over time, it can lead to:
- Nearby teeth shifting into the empty space
- Jawbone loss in the area, since it no longer receives normal chewing stimulation
- Changes to your bite, chewing ability, and speech
- More complex and costly treatment down the road
Replacing a missing tooth early generally preserves more options and can help protect your long-term oral health.
Who May Be a Candidate for Dental Implants?
Candidacy is individual and depends on a clinical evaluation. Factors your dentist will consider include:
- Gum health and any active infection
- Available bone in the planned implant area
- Medical history, medications, and healing considerations
- Tobacco use and oral hygiene habits
- Bite forces, grinding, or clenching
- The number and location of missing teeth
- The type of final restoration you are considering
Some patients need periodontal treatment, extraction-site healing, or bone grafting before or during implant treatment. Others may be better served by a bridge or removable option. A full evaluation is the only way to know for sure.
The Dental Implant Process
1. Consultation and Records
We review your goals and complete an exam and imaging appropriate for treatment planning.
2. Treatment Planning
We determine the proposed restoration, implant position, and whether preparatory care, such as a graft or extraction, is needed.
3. Preparatory Care, If Needed
Some patients require bone grafting, a sinus lift, or extractions before implant placement.
4. Implant Placement
An appropriately qualified treating clinician places the implant according to your plan. We will confirm the exact surgical scope for your case during consultation.
5. Healing and Osseointegration
The implant gradually bonds with the jawbone. This typically takes a few months and varies by patient and procedure.
6. Final Restoration
Once the implant is ready, your crown, bridge, or denture component is designed, fitted, and checked.
Daily plaque control and regular professional care remain important for the life of the implant.
Implant-Supported Tooth Replacement Options
Single Tooth Implant
A single tooth implant may replace one missing tooth without using neighboring teeth for support, when clinical conditions allow. It typically includes an implant post, abutment, and custom crown.
Multiple Dental Implants
When several teeth are missing, multiple implants may support individual crowns or an implant-supported bridge. The number and position needed depend on anatomy, bite, and restorative design.
Implant-Supported Dentures
For patients with loose or uncomfortable traditional dentures, an implant-supported denture can offer more stability and reduce slipping when the evaluation supports this option.
Full-Mouth Options, Including All-on-4-Style Treatment
For patients missing most or all teeth, implants may support a fixed full arch or an implant-retained denture, depending on the case. All-on-4-style treatment uses a smaller number of implants to support a full arch; suitability requires a consultation.
Same-Day or Immediate Implants
Some patients may qualify for same-day implant placement with a temporary tooth, most often for a single front tooth with adequate bone and healthy gums. This is not appropriate for every case. Ask about your eligibility at consultation.
Bone Grafting and Preparatory Care
Bone grafting may be recommended when the planned implant site does not have enough bone to support the implant, which can happen after long-term tooth loss, gum disease, or denture wear.
Not every patient needs grafting, and grafting alone does not guarantee candidacy. Your dentist will evaluate your bone structure and explain whether it is needed for your case. Learn more about bone grafting.
Dental Implants vs. Dentures
Feature | Dental Implants | Traditional Dentures |
Stability | Fixed or implant-supported | Removable |
Chewing ability | Generally stronger support | May shift while eating |
Bone health | Helps stimulate the jawbone | Does not stimulate bone the same way |
Maintenance | Brush and care like natural teeth | Remove and clean separately |
Longevity | Can last many years with care | Often needs replacement or relining over time |
Dental Implants vs. Dental Bridges
Feature | Dental Implants | Dental Bridges |
Support | Anchored in the jawbone | Supported by neighboring teeth |
Adjacent teeth | Usually does not require reshaping healthy teeth | Neighboring teeth may need preparation |
Bone health | Helps support jawbone stimulation | Does not replace the missing root |
Best for | Single, multiple, or full-mouth tooth loss | One or several missing teeth |
Neither option is universally better. The right choice depends on your anatomy, the condition of nearby teeth, your health history, and your goals. Learn about porcelain fixed bridges as an alternative.
How Much Do Dental Implants Cost in Croydon, PA?
Implant cost varies by case and can depend on:
- Number of implants and their location
- Single-tooth vs. full-mouth treatment
- Type of final restoration
- Whether extraction, bone grafting, or a sinus lift is needed
- Imaging, surgical care, and lab/material requirements
- Insurance coverage
A generic price cannot represent every case. After an evaluation, we will provide a written treatment plan and can discuss current payment and financing options.
Are Dental Implants Painful?
Local anesthesia is used to keep the treatment area comfortable during placement. Afterward, mild swelling, soreness, or pressure for a few days is common and is usually manageable with aftercare guidance. Contact our office if you have symptoms that concern you.
Recovery, Care and Longevity
Follow your treating clinician’s instructions for hygiene, diet, medication, and follow-up visits. With good daily care and regular checkups, implants can last many years; individual results vary with oral hygiene, bite pressure, gum health, and habits like smoking or teeth grinding.
Ongoing professional maintenance and daily plaque control remain important around implants, just as with natural teeth.
Meet Dr. Livia Stancu
Dr. Livia Stancu, DDS, has more than 17 years of experience providing general and restorative dental care for children and adults, including extractions, root canals, crowns, bridges, dentures, Invisalign, and implant-related treatment planning and restoration.
She will walk you through your evaluation, explain your options in plain language, and let you know which stages of implant treatment are completed in-office versus coordinated with another clinician when appropriate for your case.
Why Patients Choose Advanced Smiles PC
- 4.9-star Google rating from 229 patient reviews
- Personalized treatment planning rather than one-size-fits-all recommendations
- Experience across the full range of restorative and cosmetic dentistry, not implants alone
- Clear, upfront explanation of cost factors before you commit to treatment
- Smile Gallery of real patient results
Serving Croydon and Lower Bucks County
Advanced Smiles PC is located at 1118 State Rd, Croydon, PA, and welcomes patients from Bristol, Levittown, Bensalem Township, Newportville, Hulmeville, North Philadelphia, and the surrounding Lower Bucks County area for dental implant consultations, restorative dentistry, and tooth replacement care.
Related Dental Services
- Bone grafting
- Porcelain fixed bridges
- Financing options
- Dentures
- Tooth extractions
- Cosmetic dentistry
- Root canal therapy
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does dental implant treatment take?
Timing varies with your treatment plan and healing response. The full process often takes several months because the implant needs time to bond with the jawbone before the final restoration is placed. Your dentist can outline the expected sequence after an evaluation.
Can a dental implant replace just one missing tooth?
Yes. An implant-supported crown may replace a single missing tooth without using neighboring teeth as support, when clinical conditions and your treatment plan allow it.
Can implants help when several teeth or all of them are missing?
Implants may support a bridge, an implant-supported denture, a full-mouth restoration, or All-on-4-style treatment, depending on your anatomy, bite, and goals. This requires a full evaluation to determine the right approach.
Do I need bone grafting before a dental implant?
Not everyone does. It may be considered when the planned implant site does not have enough bone, which your dentist can determine through examination and imaging.
Are dental implants better than bridges or dentures?
Neither option is best for every patient. The right choice depends on your bone support, the condition of neighboring teeth, your health, maintenance preferences, treatment time, and budget. See the comparison tables above.
Does Advanced Smiles PC offer same-day implants?
Some patients may qualify for same-day or immediate implant placement, most commonly for a single front tooth with sufficient bone support. Eligibility requires a clinical evaluation. Call to ask about your case.
Does insurance cover dental implants?
Coverage varies by plan and by which parts of treatment, including surgical, restorative, and preparatory stages, are involved. Contact our office and your insurance provider for current information specific to your plan.
Are dental implants painful?
Most patients tolerate the procedure well because local anesthesia keeps the area numb during treatment. Mild soreness or swelling afterward is common and typically manageable with aftercare guidance.
How do I begin dental implant treatment in Croydon, PA?
Call Advanced Smiles PC at 215-788-4918, or request a consultation online, to schedule an evaluation and ask what records to bring.
Website information is educational and does not replace an examination, diagnosis, or individualized treatment recommendation. Implant candidacy, risks, healing, timing, and results vary by patient.
Call: 215-788-4918
Visit: 1118 State Rd, Croydon, PA
Online: advancedsmilespc.com | Request a Consultation