Frequently Asked Questions

If you are still in the information-gathering stage then a ‘no charge’ consultation with one of our treatment coordinators is a great way to find out more about available treatment options. If you are farther along in your decision making and would like to find out if you are a suitable candidate, then an initial consultation with Dr. Currie would be the next best step.

Removal of teeth and placement of dental implants can be completed with local anesthetic with little to no pain or discomfort. However, most patients do opt to have their treatment completed with sedation for an added level of comfort.

Dental insurance plans may cover some costs associated with dental implant treatments, but the reimbursement is typically a small percentage of the overall treatment costs. To find out how much dental insurance compensation you may be eligible for, call Pearl Dental in Burlington today. For more information on the cost of all-on-4 dental implants please visit our dental implant costs page.

Tooth removal and placement of dental implants are oral surgical procedures, and as such have the potential to result in short term discomfort. However, most of our patients report that they are surprised at how little pain they experience and find that any discomfort is easily managed with short term use of pain control medication. In fact, the postoperative experience of patients receiving a same-day fixed bridge on dental implants is much better than a patient receiving a denture, because the denture is constantly rubbing the surgical sites.

Due to the unique anatomical positioning of dental implants for the same-day dental implant procedures, it is now possible to treat many patients who were previously not candidates for dental implants. The most definitive way to find out if you are a candidate is to have a CT scan to assess your particular anatomy.

Removable dentures are certainly the simplest treatment option for missing teeth. However, removable dentures only function at a fraction of the chewing efficiency of natural teeth. In fact, many patients with removable dentures have to change their diet and avoid many of their favourite foods because they simply cannot chew properly. Removable dentures also cause sore spots, because they are always moving around and can even fall out at the most embarrassing moments.

Fixed teeth on dental implants are maintained just like your natural teeth. Brushing the teeth daily and using a WaterPik for homecare will keep plaque levels low. Two dental visits a year are necessary to allow professional cleaning of the teeth and annual radiographs are necessary to monitor the health of the dental implants.

The choice of material for your implant bridge will be based on your clinical needs (eg. are you a tooth grinder?) and your budget. In general terms, a hybrid bridge using a titanium core and acrylic teeth is the most common bridge attached to dental implants. A hybrid bridge offers excellent aesthetic results, but the teeth can be prone to wear over time (approximately 10 years). Zirconia based bridges (of which Prettau is one type) are more expensive but almost totally resistant to wear and chipping.

Pearl Dental in Burlington offers multiple payment options for same-day dental implant procedures: discounted fees for prepayment in advance, 0% interest payments over 12 months, or even third party financing for payment terms of up to 60 months.

A full set of lower teeth can be replaced with as few as three implants, but generally four implants are used. Replacing upper teeth with a fixed bridge on dental implants requires a minimum of four dental implants, but can sometimes require five or rarely six dental implants. The number of implants required to secure an upper or lower bridge depends on each individual’s unique anatomy.

There are two general ways to use dental implants to replace a full set of teeth: fixed solutions and removable solutions. An overdenture is a removable solution; you would have a removable denture that “snaps onto” implant connectors in your mouth. The other treatment concepts involve permanently attaching teeth to your implants so that they are non-removable.