Single implant
A titanium shaft replaces the root; a custom crown replaces the tooth. It does not stress the surrounding teeth for support, and if the crown wears out, another can simply be replaced on the shaft.
Permanent solutionA dental implant rebuilds what a lost tooth takes with it — the root. A small titanium shaft is set into the jawbone, the bone grows around it, and a custom crown finishes the restoration. Dr. Karidas, a member of the International Congress of Oral Implants, has cared for Stamford patients since 1990.
The purpose of an implant is to replace your missing tooth’s roots — and roots matter more than most people realize. They stimulate the jawbone and promote the development of new bone cells, which prevents bone loss.
In this procedure, a small titanium shaft is surgically implanted into the bone and allowed to set. The bone grows around it, forming a tight connection — one that additionally slows or stops the bone loss that occurs when the root of a natural tooth is missing. Once the implant is firmly set in the mouth, Dr. Karidas attaches the replacement tooth onto the top of the shaft.
This permanent solution has two advantages over bridge work: it does not stress the surrounding teeth for support, and, should the tooth wear out, another can simply be replaced on the shaft.
Our team has worked with countless Stamford patients who have lost permanent teeth to infection, decay, or trauma. Dr. Karidas is a member of the International Congress of Oral Implants (ICOI), and the placement surgery is performed right here in our Summer Street office. If you are weighing implants against dentures or other advanced procedures, we can walk you through every option.
Standard implant treatment unfolds over several months — most of it quiet healing time while bone and titanium fuse. Mini implants are the exception: they can be placed in one appointment and used immediately.
We first determine whether you are a good candidate for implants, using digital X-rays that emit 50–70% less radiation than traditional film. Once confirmed, we schedule your first surgery.
This minor surgery is performed right here in our office under local anesthesia, so the area we treat is completely numb. We open the gums where your missing tooth used to be, drill a small hole into the revealed jawbone, and place the implant.
It takes several months for everything to heal — and during that recovery, something pretty incredible happens. The bone and tissue surrounding the implant fuse with the titanium structure to become one.
An abutment serves one purpose: to connect the implant with the artificial tooth. Depending on the type of implant, it may already be built in; if not, a second minor surgery attaches it, followed by several weeks for the gums to heal.
We secure your custom-made dental crown over the abutment to complete your restoration.
Implants do more than replace a single tooth. They can anchor a bridge, and — in miniature form — stabilize a lower denture in a single visit.
A titanium shaft replaces the root; a custom crown replaces the tooth. It does not stress the surrounding teeth for support, and if the crown wears out, another can simply be replaced on the shaft.
Permanent solutionImplants can support an implant bridge — an alternative to partial dentures. There is no adjustment period: you only feel teeth, not metal supports. It slows bone loss, there is no discomfort or difficulty eating, and it never has to be taken out.
Alternative to partialsAbout half the diameter of traditional implants, used mainly to stabilize lower dentures. They can be placed in one appointment and used immediately, at 50–70% of the cost of standard implants.
Free consultIf a gap is not treated, the surrounding teeth begin to shift inward — setting off a chain reaction.
A lighter-footprint way to stabilize a lower denture — and the consultation is free.
One doctor, one office on Summer Street, and a front desk that answers. Call and we will find a time that works.