Why a Crown After a Root Canal Is Part of the Same Treatment
The short answer. If you are wondering why a crown after a root canal is being recommended at all, here it is: the root canal takes the infection out, and the crown is what keeps the tooth in one piece afterwards. They are one treatment delivered across two appointments, not a treatment followed by an […]
When a Filling Needs to Become a Crown
The short answer. A filling replaces the decay that was drilled out. A crown replaces structure the tooth no longer has. The line between them is how much sound tooth is left standing once the old material is gone, not how big the cavity looked on the X-ray. Once a restoration is carrying most of […]
Mini Dental Implants: Who They’re For
The short answer. Mini dental implants are narrow one-piece posts, and their best job by a distance is locking down a lower denture that will not stay put. They go in with less surgery than a standard implant and they frequently work on a ridge that has thinned out over years of denture wear. They […]
Bone Graft for Dental Implants: When You Need One
The short answer. A bone graft for a dental implant is not an upsell and it is not a complication. It is what you do when the jaw has thinned and there is no longer enough bone to hold a post steady. Bone starts shrinking the moment a tooth is gone, so the longer a […]
Are Dental Implants Safe? What the Evidence Actually Says
The short answer. Yes, for most healthy adults, and the reason is not marketing. Dental implants are regulated medical devices. Most are made of titanium or zirconium oxide, the materials are tested for biocompatibility against international standards, and a manufacturer has to show the FDA that a system is as safe and effective as ones […]
How Long Do Dental Implants Last? The Honest Answer, Part by Part
The short answer. A dental implant has two lifespans, not one. The titanium post fused into your jawbone is built to be permanent, and plenty of them are still working twenty and thirty years on. The crown screwed on top is a restoration, and like every restoration it wears out: 10 to 15 years is […]
Do Dental Implants Hurt? What to Actually Expect
The short answer. Placement itself does not hurt: the area is fully numbed, and what you feel is pressure and vibration, not pain. Soreness shows up as the numbness fades, peaks on days 1–3, and is usually managed with over-the-counter pain relievers. Most patients are eating normally again around two weeks, and the months of […]
Implant-Supported Dentures: The Middle Path Between Regular Dentures and Fixed Teeth
The short answer. An implant-supported denture is a denture anchored to two to four implants in the jaw instead of resting on the gums. It will not slip when you eat or talk, it needs no adhesive, and it still lifts out for cleaning. In the Chicago suburbs it runs about $15,000–$25,000 per arch as […]
A Note From Dr. Kim: How Our New Website Took Us From Declining Calls to #1 on Google
The short version: earlier this year, the calls coming to our practice from Google were shrinking, down almost 20% year over year, even though our patients had given us a 4.8-star rating across more than 120 reviews. We replaced our old site-builder website with a purpose-built one; the new site brought in 7 new patient […]
Dental Implants for Seniors: Age, Safety, Bone Loss & Cost
The short answer: there is no upper age limit for dental implants for seniors. Healthy patients in their 70s, 80s, and beyond get implants routinely, with success rates around 95%, essentially the same as younger adults. What matters is bone, gum health, and managed medical conditions, not the number on your birthday cake. The other […]