Implant Dentistry in Scarsdale

At Scarsdale Smiles, we offer both single-tooth and full-arch implants. Single-tooth implants consist of two parts: a single implant and a restoration (typically a dental crown). The implant functions as an artificial root, and the restoration replaces your missing tooth with a strong, natural-looking false tooth. 
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Full-arch restorations utilize a series of 4-6 implants placed in the upper, lower, or both arches of teeth. These implants are used to support a permanent fixed dental bridge or a removable implant-supported overdenture. Compared to an alternative like traditional dentures, this treatment provides a stronger hold and a more natural appearance. In addition, the dental implants help stimulate your jaw bone, which prevents bone loss. Full-arch restorations are a good option if you are missing most or all of your teeth.

After you’ve been confirmed as a good candidate for an implant, Dr. Cox will take scans and images of your mouth and jaw to develop your implant treatment plan. At your first appointment with a trusted oral surgeon, your implant(s) will be placed.
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Your oral surgeon will begin by numbing your mouth (sedation is also often necessary to keep you comfortable). A small opening will be created in your jaw and gum, and each implant will be precisely placed based on your personalized treatment plan. Then, each implant area will be cleaned, disinfected and sutured shut.
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Initial recovery takes only about a week, but your implants need 3-6 months to osseointegrate and permanently bond with your jaw bone. You’ll come in for a few appointments during this time to check the progress as you heal. During these appointments, Dr. Cox will also take images and impressions of your teeth to begin building your restoration.

Once your implants have healed completely, you’ll come back into our office for a final consultation. Your implant-supported restoration will be checked to ensure a perfect fit, then bonded permanently into place to complete your procedure.

Mini implants are similar to traditional dental implants, but they are much smaller and thinner. They are usually used for patients with a weaker jaw bone, which may not be able to support a larger traditional implant. They are also usually not used for single-tooth implants, but to support bridges and implant-supported dentures. To find out if this type of implant is right for you, schedule a consultation with Dr. Cox today.

During the implant procedure at Scarsdale Smiles, you won’t feel any pain or discomfort. Dr. Cox will numb your mouth to make sure you can stay comfortable and feel safe throughout your surgical procedure.

We also offer sedation dentistry at Scarsdale Smiles. If you’re feeling nervous about your procedure or just want to be more comfortable, we offer both laughing gas sedation and pill-based oral conscious sedation. 

As long as you care for a dental implant properly, it will never wear out or fail. More than 90% of implants are still in place after 30 years, and most patients will be able to keep their implants for the rest of their lives.

To keep your implant in great shape, make sure that you brush and floss regularly, see Dr. Cox for a checkup every six months, and follow all of his instructions on how to care for your implants and implant-supported restorations.
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It’s also important to note that, while the implant itself will last for the rest of your life, the implant restoration may not. This is the crown, bridge, or denture that attaches to your implant(s) and replaces your missing teeth. Implant dentures, bridges, and crowns usually last about 10-20 years. 
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This is because, unlike the implant post, the restoration is exposed to a lot of wear & tear from biting and chewing. Over time, it may come loose, crack, break, or fail. If this happens, the failed restoration can simply be replaced by Dr. Cox at Scarsdale Smiles.

This depends on whether the damage has occurred to the implant itself (the metal post in your gums), or the implant restoration, such as a dental crown. It’s much more common for the implant restoration to become damaged. 
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For example, if you have a dental crown attached to your dental implant, you could crack it if you bite a popcorn kernel, if you slip and fall and hit your mouth, or if you take a hard hit while playing a contact sport. The crown could also come loose from the dental implant.
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The good news is that this is not a big deal, in most cases. Dr. Cox will be able to repair the crown and put it back onto the implant, or will build a new crown and attach it to the implant to restore your smile. Unless you have experienced very severe dental trauma, it’s not likely that the implant has been seriously damaged.
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Damage to your metal implant post is a lot more rare. Damage usually only happens while the implant is healing, and it has not fully bonded with your jaw bone. The implant may also fail or become damaged if the gum tissue around the implant becomes infected. This is known as “peri-implantitis.”
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If your implant feels strange, the crown is loose, or you suspect anything else is wrong with it, we recommend seeing Dr. Cox for an appointment at Scarsdale Smiles right away. It’s always better to be safe than sorry, and make sure your implant stays in great shape.