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Dental Implants in Monroeville, PA
Restoring Strong, Healthy Smiles Since 1964
- Restorations by a Trusted Dentist | 35+ Years of Experience
- Care Coordinated with Leading Oral Surgeons
- Flexible Financing Available
Why Patients Choose Dr. Narcisi to Restore Their Implants
A Multi-Generational Practice You Can Trust
The Center for Dental Excellence has served Monroeville and the greater Pittsburgh area since 1964. Dr. Edward Narcisi has led the practice since 1988, continuing his father's legacy of care by consistently delivering implant-supported restorations built for comfort and a natural appearance.
Focused, One-on-One Restorative Care
Dr. Narcisi sees a limited number of patients each day so every implant restoration receives his full, unhurried attention. This one-on-one approach, paired with a spa-like office setting, helps patients feel calm, respected, and confident in their care from consultation through final results.
Seamless Care With a Trusted Surgical Team
Dr. Narcisi partners with a qualified, experienced oral surgeon in the Pittsburgh area to place each implant, then personally designs and completes the restoration. His patients get precise, coordinated care thanks to a partnership that has benefited Pittsburgh-area dental patients for many years.
Why Patients Choose Dental Implants to Replace Lost Teeth
Excellent Outcomes
Dental implants are biocompatible and have shown excellent long-term success rates. In many cases, they can last a lifetime.
Unrivaled Support
Implants provide outstanding support for replacement teeth. They also stimulate the jaw to prevent the bone loss that otherwise follows tooth loss.
Lifelike Restorations
Implants hold custom-made restorations firmly in place so your smile looks healthy and complete once again.
A Healthier Diet
Implant-supported dentures give you the ability to enjoy any foods you wish without having to worry that your restoration will shift out of place.
Reduced Adjustments
Because your bone will remain dense and healthy, you can expect to need far fewer adjustments to your dentures.
What Are Dental Implants?
Dental implants are surgically placed directly into your jawbone. The implants then fuse directly with the jaw in a process called osseointegration, providing a permanent solution for missing teeth. These strong tooth root replacements can often last a lifetime with proper care. Alternatively, other restorations may require replacement after several years and may be more prone to damage and additional treatments. While dental implants may be more costly up front, they are often viewed as an investment in your overall oral health.
Implants Can Replace Any Number of Missing Teeth
The primary reason why patients in Monroeville, PA, request dental implants is because they need to restore one or more missing teeth. Dental implants can replace a single missing tooth, several missing teeth, or an entire dental arch. As a result, implants are the gold standard for most dental professionals.
The various types of dental implants, which include single tooth replacement, implant-retained overdentures, All-on-4, and Teeth-in-a-Day, can all help patients achieve a fuller and more functional smile.
Single Missing Tooth
Single missing teeth resulting from facial trauma, periodontal disease, or infection can be restored with an implant-supported dental crown.
Multiple Missing Teeth
If you are missing one, two, or three teeth in a row, an implant-supported bridge can fill in large gaps without affecting surrounding teeth.
Missing All of Your Teeth
For patients who have very few or no remaining teeth, implant-supported restorations are a great alternative to removable dentures.
Our Honest Approach to Determining Your Candidacy
It is our goal to deliver dental implants that will last you for many years and for you to achieve the most optimal results. Therefore, during an evaluation at our Monroeville, PA, dentistry, Dr. Narcisi and his team will give you an honest, professional opinion of your candidacy. If it is determined that you are not a good candidate at this time, we can help you devise a plan to improve your candidacy, or discuss alternative solutions.
Before moving forward with the planning stages and surgery, Dr. Narcisi must first conduct X-ray imaging and take a look at several factors that will help us determine your candidacy for dental implants. These generally include:
Healthy Gums
Patients must be free of periodontal disease or other oral health issues that could interfere with the placement of the implants. If there are concerns pertaining to the health of your gums, we will address these issues first and then design a plan that can improve your candidacy.
Good General Health
Aside from missing teeth, it is important that a patient enjoys good oral health and good overall health as well. Patients should be non-smokers and free from any diseases or disorders that can interfere with their ability to heal, such as advanced diabetes.
Bone Density
Oftentimes when patients experience tooth loss and do not seek immediate treatment, the jawbone begins to deteriorate. Dr. Narcisi can discuss how a technique such as All-on-4® may be a solution, or you may require bone grafting to rebuild areas of your jaw.
Realistic Expectations
It is very important for patients to have a clear understanding of what to expect during the procedure, the different steps required, and the healing process. In some cases, patients may require multiple procedures and over a year to complete treatment.
Dental Implant Candidacy, Treatment, and Results
The Center for Dental Excellence offers dental implants to suitable candidates. The process involves the placement of the implant by a surgical liaison. Patients report higher self-esteem and a restored ability to chew and eat anything they want.
The Dental Implant Treatment Process
If you have severely damaged or decayed teeth, or are missing one or more teeth, dental implants may be right for you. At our Pittsburgh area dental practice in Monroeville, PA, we specialize in dental implant reconstructions and restorations; for the surgical placement of implants, however, we refer patients to an experienced and qualified surgeon in the area.
Surgical Placement
The surgical process (which can be performed under local anesthetic, IV sedation or general anesthesia for the patient's comfort) involves the drilling of a pilot hole in the edentulous site of the jaw (or the location of the dental gap). Once this pilot hole is drilled, it is enlarged so that room can be made for the dental implant.
The dental implant is then screwed into the jaw bone, and the gum tissue is sutured over top of it. As titanium is a neutral element, the bone slowly fuses with the implant post, forming a secure bond. Once the posts have been placed, temporary prosthetics will act as placeholders.
Attaching Your Crown, Bridge, or Denture
When the dental implants have fully fused with the jaw bone and the healing process is complete, you will return to the Center for Dental Excellence in Monroeville, PA, to have your permanent dental implant restorations placed.
We will utilize dental crowns, dental bridges, or dentures, depending on your needs. If you are missing most or all of your teeth, you will likely have just a few implants placed in strategic locations, and these will anchor bridges or implant-supported dentures. This greatly reduces cost and treatment time. If a dental implant is being used to fill in a single dental gap, a crown will be affixed atop the post. Regardless of the prosthetic used, we take great care to ensure that the restoration is functional, comfortable, and aesthetically pleasing.
Downtime and Healing
You should arrange a ride home following your implant placement surgery and plan to rest for the remainder of the day. You can expect some swelling and bruising, which can be controlled with a cold compress and over-the-counter medications. Many patients are able to return to work within a few days of surgery. As the incisions heal, take care when brushing or flossing not to disturb the sutures or tissues. During this time, it is best to eat only soft foods, as well.
After three to six months, Dr. Narcisi will examine your teeth at our Monroeville, PA, dental practice to confirm whether the implants have completely fused with the jaw. If so, you will undergo a second minor surgery in which abutments are attached to the implants. It will take about two weeks for the gum tissue to heal, during which time you should follow the same guidelines as before.
Risks of Dental Implants
In addition to weighing the benefits, it is important for potential patients to consider the risks of dental implants as well before deciding upon treatment. Placing implants is a surgical procedure, and carries with it all the risks of any surgical operation, including infection, bleeding, inflammation, and scarring. However, these risks can be greatly mitigated with experience. For the benefit of our patients, we work with some of the most qualified dental implant surgeons in the Pittsburgh area, and we stand by their results.
Understanding the Cost of Dental Implants
Dental implants are a versatile treatment designed to accommodate a wide range of needs, making it difficult to provide an estimate without first examining a patient's smile in person. However, it is important to understand that in spite of the many practical benefits this procedure can give you, it is not always covered by insurance. While your restoration may qualify for coverage, you will likely have to plan to pay for the implants out-of-pocket. We can help arrange CareCredit financing to help make implants a better fit for your budget.
Although there are many variables that will affect the cost of your treatment, the three most important are:
- Your Choice of Doctor: The more experience your doctor has, the more likely you are to experience an excellent outcome. Experienced doctors charge more, but this extra investment can make all the difference in your satisfaction with your results.
- Number of Implants: The more implants you need, the more treatment will cost.
- Your Restoration: The size of your restoration and the materials used to make it will also affect the cost. For example, a porcelain dental crown typically costs less than a zirconia denture.
