Dental Implants in Colorado Springs
A missing tooth does not stay a single problem. The teeth either side drift toward the gap, the tooth above or below drifts down into it, and the bone that used to hold the root begins to shrink. That is why implants come up in conversations that started somewhere else entirely.
An implant replaces the root as well as the tooth. It is the only option that does, which is why it is the one that keeps the bone.
What a dental implant actually is
Three parts. A titanium post placed into the jawbone, which takes the place of the root. An abutment that connects post to crown. And a porcelain crown made to match the teeth around it. Once it is finished you brush and floss it like a tooth, because functionally that is what it is.
Who is a candidate
Most adults with a missing tooth and enough healthy bone to hold the post. What complicates it: uncontrolled diabetes, active gum disease, heavy smoking, and bone loss where a tooth has been missing long enough for the ridge to resorb.
None of those are automatic disqualifications. Gum disease gets treated first. Bone loss can often be addressed with grafting. Cone Beam 3D imaging is how we tell the difference between not a candidate and not a candidate yet, because it shows bone volume and the position of nerves and sinuses in three dimensions rather than guessing from a flat X-ray.
What the process involves, visit by visit
- Consultation and 3D imaging. Exam, Cone Beam scan, and a plan that says what happens when.
- Extraction and grafting, if needed. Only when the failing tooth is still in place or the ridge needs rebuilding.
- Placing the post. A single appointment under local anesthetic, with sedation available if you want it.
- Healing. The bone fuses to the post over roughly three to six months. A temporary tooth covers the gap meanwhile.
- Abutment and crown. Impressions taken, crown made and fitted.
The honest summary: it is not fast. It is, done properly, the longest-lasting thing dentistry can offer for a missing tooth.
Implants compared with bridges and dentures
A bridge is quicker and costs less up front, but it requires cutting down the healthy teeth either side of the gap to serve as anchors, and it does not stop the bone loss underneath.
Dentures replace many teeth at once and cost least, but they rest on the gums, they move, and the bone continues to shrink beneath them, which is why dentures need relining over time.
Implants cost most up front and take longest. They also do not touch the neighboring teeth, do not move, and preserve the bone. Implant-supported dentures sit between the two: a small number of implants anchoring a full arch, which stops the movement and slows the bone loss without placing an implant per tooth.
If you are weighing this in retirement, our page on dental care for seniors covers how Medicare and Advantage plans treat tooth replacement, and what changes with age.
What implants cost, and how to pay for them
Cost depends on how many teeth, whether extraction or grafting is needed first, and the material of the final crown. A single implant with no groundwork and a full-arch case are very different numbers, which is why we quote after an evaluation rather than over the phone.
Dental insurance increasingly covers part of implant treatment, though many plans still class it as major work with a waiting period and an annual maximum that a single implant can exhaust. We check your plan and tell you what it actually pays before you commit. CareCredit financing is available with an interest-free plan for the first six months, and the Smile 365 VIP Membership includes a treatment discount for patients without insurance.
Caring for an implant
Brushing, flossing, and regular hygiene visits, the same as a natural tooth. The failure mode to know about is peri-implantitis, gum inflammation around the post, which behaves like gum disease and is the main reason implants are lost. It is preventable and it is caught at routine visits.
See real implant results
Cases treated in this office by Dr. Guerra are in our before and after gallery.
Common questions
Does getting an implant hurt?
Placement is done under local anesthetic and most patients describe it as easier than the extraction that preceded it. Oral sedation is available if the idea of the procedure is the obstacle.
How long do implants last?
The post itself is designed to be permanent and frequently is. The crown on top is the part that may need replacing eventually, like any crown, typically after 10 to 15 years.
Can my body reject an implant?
Titanium is biologically inert and true rejection is not really the mechanism. Implants fail when they do not fuse to the bone or when gum infection sets in later, both of which are largely about case selection and maintenance.
How long will I be off work?
Most people return the next day. Extensive grafting or multiple placements may need longer.
What if I have been missing the tooth for years?
Still often possible. The bone will have shrunk, so grafting may be needed first. The 3D scan tells us how much.
Are there more questions?
We keep a fuller list on our dental implant FAQs page.
Talk to us
Call (719) 596-1230 for an implant evaluation, or request an appointment online. We are at 3208 N Academy Blvd, Suite 100, Monday to Thursday, 8am to 5pm.
