Dr. Cherry places dental implants in Lone Tree, Colorado, for patients who are missing one tooth, several teeth, or a full arch. As a periodontist, he specializes in the gum and bone that hold an implant in place, which is the part of the treatment that decides whether an implant lasts.
Below is every implant service offered at the practice, and where to read about each one in detail.
Replacing a single missing tooth
A single implant replaces one tooth from the root up, without reshaping the healthy teeth on either side of the gap. It is the option most patients ask about first, and the one that most often replaces an older bridge. Read more about single tooth dental implants and how the placement works.
Replacing a full arch: All-on-4 and full-mouth implants
When most or all of the teeth in an arch are failing, a fixed bridge can be supported on four or more implants rather than replacing each tooth individually. The result stays in the mouth and is cared for like natural teeth. Read more about All-on-4 and full-arch dental implants.
When the jaw needs rebuilding first
An implant needs enough bone to hold it. After a tooth has been missing for a while, that bone often shrinks, which is why some patients are told elsewhere that they are not candidates. Rebuilding the site first is routine periodontal work.
- Bone loss around the teeth, what causes it and how it is treated.
- Sinus lift surgery, which creates room for an implant in the upper back jaw.
- Gum grafting to protect teeth and implants, where the gum tissue around the site is too thin.
Implants placed somewhere else that are giving trouble
Patients are referred here with implants another provider placed. Sometimes the implant can be saved, sometimes it needs to come out and the site needs to heal before anything is placed again. Both start with the same evaluation.
- Failed dental implants, why they fail and what the options are.
- Implant removal, when an implant cannot be kept.
Not sure which one applies to you
If you are still working out what your options are, start with replacing missing teeth, which compares implants against the alternatives.
What treatment looks like
Every case starts with a consultation and imaging, so the plan is based on your own bone and gum tissue rather than an average. From there the implant is placed, the bone is given time to heal around it, and the final crown or bridge is fitted once the foundation is solid. How long that takes depends on the site and on whether any rebuilding was needed first, which is something Dr. Cherry will walk you through at the consultation rather than estimate in advance.
Why a periodontist
Periodontists complete three additional years of education beyond dental school, in the gum and bone that support teeth and in the surgical placement of implants into them. For a straightforward case that training may never come up. For a site with bone loss, thin gum tissue, or an implant that has already failed once, it is the whole job. Read more about Dr. Cherry.
The practice is in Lone Tree and sees patients from across the south Denver metro. To arrange a consultation, get in touch with the practice.