Dental Implants in St. Louis Park, MN

How Do Dental Implants Work? Step-by-Step

You can create a lasting beautiful smile by replacing one or more missing teeth with the latest reliable and aesthetic techniques.

Once a tooth is lost, the bone starts melting down, space between teeth allow the other teeth to shift, creating problems with the gums, bite, and smile. When multiple teeth are lost the problem gets worse. In addition to impacted ability to chew significant bone atrophy (meltdown) leads to loss of facial volume and older appearance.

Replacing missing teeth is much less costly in the long term than correcting the problem once the teeth have shifted. For those who want to replace one or more missing teeth and are in good health, consider implants – a permanent dental replacement system.

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What Are Dental Implants? Types, Parts & Benefits

A dental implant is an artificial tooth implanted into the jaw bone. A dental implant is an artificial tooth implanted into the jaw bone. It is generally made of titanium and covered with a porcelain crown or a bridge to give the appearance of a real tooth.

Historically, dentures or bridge restorations would be used as replacements, but with limited results. Dental implants, however, are natural-looking replacements for missing teeth that also provide the same function as your natural tooth root.

Implants are extremely durable and will last many years, far outlasting other restorative procedures. You cannot get a cavity on an implant. The success rate for implants is extremely high.

It is not surprising that a great number of people with removable, conventional dentures for lower and upper jaws, or removable bridges have opted for implants. They have discovered a significant improvement in their ability to chew food comfortably after their dental implant treatment.

Reasons to Choose Dental Implants

To Replace One or More Teeth

To Provide Support for a Partial Denture

To Increase the Support and Stability of Full Upper or Lower Denture

To Enhance Chewing Comfort

To Increase Confidence While Smiling, Talking and Eating

To Improve Your Overall Psychological Health

To Improve Aesthetic Appearance and Regain Over All Confidence

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Frequently Asked Questions About Dental Implants in St. Louis Park, MN

A dental implant is priced in parts rather than as one number: the implant post placed in the jaw, the abutment that connects it, and the custom crown on top. Any extraction or bone grafting needed beforehand is quoted separately, which is why two patients replacing one tooth can get different estimates. Excel Dentistry reviews your full treatment plan and fees before we begin.

Most single-tooth cases take about four to nine months. First is a consultation with exams and imaging to assess bone. If the tooth is still present or the site needs rebuilding, extraction and bone grafting come next, with roughly three to four months of healing. 

Then the implant post is placed and left to fuse with the jawbone, a process called osseointegration that typically takes three to six months. Lastly, we attach the abutment and your custom crown. Straightforward cases with good bone move faster, and we can discuss a temporary tooth for the interim.

Very often, yes. Once a tooth is lost, the bone begins to melt down, but thin or soft bone does not automatically rule you out. Bone grafting rebuilds the ridge with your own bone or a synthetic or natural substitute, creating the foundation an implant needs. 

Beyond bone, candidacy depends on general health and gum health, so we first treat active gum disease through our periodontal therapy program. Smoking and uncontrolled diabetes lower success rates and are worth discussing openly. Age itself is not a barrier. Dr. Aleksandr Shibko, a member of the International Dental Implant Association, will evaluate your bone at your consultation.

An implant stands on its own, preserves jawbone, and does not require touching the healthy teeth beside it, which is why it is generally the longest-lasting option. A bridge is faster and lower in upfront costs, but it requires reducing the two neighboring teeth, and it does not stop bone loss under the gap. Dentures cost the least and are removable, but they are the least stable and bone continues to shrink beneath them.

Implant placement is done with local anesthetic. Because the implant goes into bone, which has fewer pain receptors than soft tissue, the procedure itself is usually uneventful. 

Afterward, expect mild soreness and some swelling for about two to three days, typically managed with over-the-counter pain relievers and an ice pack for the first day. Our team at Excel Dentistry in St. Louis Park will send you home with clear aftercare instructions and stay reachable if anything feels off during healing.

Treat it like a natural tooth, with one extra emphasis on the gumline. Brush twice a day, clean around the implant daily with floss, an interdental brush, or a water flosser, and keep two professional cleanings a year so we can monitor the bone level around the post. 

If you grind your teeth, a custom nightguard protects the crown from fracture. Avoid smoking, which is the single biggest behavioral risk to implant survival. Annual cleanings and two exams are included at no extra charge in our Dental Savings Plan.

Yes. You do not need an implant for every missing tooth. A small number of strategically placed implants, often four to six per arch, can anchor a full arch of replacement teeth. 

Some patients choose a removable overdenture that snaps onto the implants for dramatically better stability, while others choose a fixed set that stays in permanently. Implants can also add support and retention to an existing partial or full denture. For patients rebuilding an entire smile, we plan this through full mouth reconstruction at our St. Louis Park office.