Dental Implants

A dental implant replaces a missing tooth from the root up, so you can chew, laugh, and talk without thinking about it. Dr. White, Dr. Haines, Dr. Rodrigues, and the team at White and Haines Advanced Dentistry plan, place, and restore implants right here in our Cornelius office, which means one team you already know handles the whole process from the first scan to the final crown.

If you've been living with a gap, or with a denture that shifts at the worst possible moment, an implant gives you something that stays put. We'd love to talk it through with you: give us a call at (704) 896-9535 and we'll set up a consultation.

Quick Takeaways

• An implant has three parts: a titanium post placed in the jaw, an abutment that connects to it, and a custom crown on top. Together they stand in for a whole tooth, root included.
• Bring your questions about bone. Ask us whether you have enough bone at the site and, if not, what your options are. This is the single most common reason an implant plan changes.
• It's a process, not a single appointment. Most people are looking at several months from placement to final crown, because the bone needs time to grip the post.
• If nerves are the issue, say so. We offer oral sedation, plus headphones, blankets, and pillows for anyone who'd rather be somewhere else entirely.
• Next step: a consultation with 3D imaging so you see exactly what we see before you commit to anything.

How Dental Implants Work

1. Consultation and 3D imaging

We start by looking, listening, and scanning. Our PaX-i3D system captures 3D and panoramic images of your jaw, so we can measure bone height and width and see where nerves and sinuses sit. Our iTero scanner takes a digital impression of your bite without the goopy trays. You'll see the images with us and we'll walk you through what's realistic.

2. Preparing the site

Sometimes a tooth still needs to come out, or the site needs bone added before it can support an implant. Grafting material acts as a scaffold that holds space while your own bone grows in and around it. Not everyone needs this step; the imaging tells us early rather than midway through.

3. Placing the post

The implant post goes into the jaw during a focused appointment. The area is thoroughly numbed, and oral sedation is available if you'd rather doze through it. Most people describe the day after as pressure and soreness, not the ordeal they braced for.

4. Healing and integration

Over the next few months, bone grows tightly against the post and locks it in place. That's the part you can't rush, and it's also the part that makes an implant feel like a tooth instead of an appliance. We'll check in during this stretch, and in most cases you'll wear a temporary so no one sees a gap.

5. Abutment and crown

Once the post is solid, we attach the abutment and place your final crown, shaped and shaded to blend with the teeth on either side. You bite, we adjust, and you go eat something you've been avoiding.

What Implants Do for You

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• Chewing you don't have to think about. No side of your mouth is off limits, and crusty bread stops being a question mark.
• Bone stimulation where the tooth used to be. An empty socket loses bone over time because nothing is pressing on it. An implant post keeps that area working.
• Neighboring teeth stay where they belong. Teeth drift toward an open space. Filling it keeps your bite and spacing stable.
• Nothing to remove, nothing to glue. You brush and floss it like a tooth. No adhesive, no soaking cup, no slipping mid-sentence.
• Clearer speech and a natural look. A crown that fills the space properly supports the way your lips and cheeks sit, and the way certain sounds form.
• Built to last. With good hygiene and regular checkups, implants are the longest-lasting tooth replacement we offer.

Who Implants Are Right For

Implants suit most healthy adults missing one tooth, several teeth, or a full arch. Good candidates have healthy gums, enough bone to hold a post (or a plan to add it), and the willingness to keep up with brushing, flossing, and cleanings.

Some situations call for a conversation first. Active gum disease needs treating before we place anything, because an implant depends on healthy tissue around it. Uncontrolled diabetes, smoking, and certain medications can slow healing. If your bone has thinned significantly, grafting may open the door, and if it doesn't, we'll talk honestly about implant-supported dentures or a traditional denture instead. Nobody gets pushed toward implants here. If a different restoration is the better fit for your mouth and your life, we'll say so.

Timeline and What to Expect

Every mouth sets its own pace, but here's the shape of it:

• Consultation: one visit, usually about an hour with imaging and planning.
• Extraction or grafting, if needed: add several months of healing before placement.
• Implant placement: a single appointment, often shorter than people expect.
• Integration: roughly three to six months while bone secures the post, with brief check-ins.
• Abutment and final crown: one or two visits to fit, adjust, and finish.

Start to finish, a straightforward single implant commonly runs four to eight months. Cases involving grafting or multiple teeth take longer. We'll give you a personalized timeline at the consultation rather than a guess.

Getting Ready and Caring for Your Implant

Before placement

Let us know every medication and supplement you take, including blood thinners. If you're having oral sedation, you'll need someone to drive you home, and we'll give you clear instructions about eating beforehand. Stock up on soft foods ahead of time so you're not shopping while sore. If you smoke, cutting back before and after genuinely helps healing.

The first week after

Expect some swelling and tenderness. Cold compresses, the pain relief we recommend, and soft foods carry most people through. Skip straws, skip smoking, and rinse gently rather than swishing hard. Keep brushing your other teeth normally and stay away from the surgical site until we tell you it's fine.

Long term

Once your crown is on, care is refreshingly ordinary: brush twice a day, floss or use an interdental brush around the implant, and come see us for cleanings and exams. Gum health around an implant is what determines how long it lasts, so those visits matter more than usual. If you grind your teeth, ask us about a nightguard to protect your investment.

Cost and Payment

Implant cost isn't one number, and any office quoting you a figure before looking at your mouth is guessing. What moves the total:

• How many teeth you're replacing
• Whether extraction or bone grafting is part of the plan
• The type of restoration on top, from a single crown to implant-supported dentures
• Whether sedation is part of your care

We review your full cost in writing at the consultation, itemized by stage, along with the payment options available to you. If insurance is part of your picture, we'll help you understand what your plan is likely to contribute. Plenty of our implant patients don't have dental coverage at all, and we'll talk openly about how to make the treatment work financially. Ask us anything about the numbers; that conversation is part of the appointment, not an awkward add-on at the end.

Why Patients Choose White and Haines

We're an independent practice in Cornelius, not a corporate office running on a script. Three dentists work under one roof here, which means complex implant cases get more than one experienced set of eyes on the plan.

The technology backs that up. Cone beam and 3D imaging for precise placement, iTero digital scanning instead of impression trays, intraoral cameras so you can see what we're describing, and Oral ID screening at your checkups. We restore implant crowns with our in-house AG Ceramill CAD/CAM system.

And the room itself is meant to be calm. Netflix, Pandora, noise-cancelling headphones, blankets, pillows, a beverage if you want one. Patients from Cornelius, Huntersville, and around the Lake Norman area tell us it doesn't feel like a dental office, which is exactly the point. Our promise is simple: exceptional dentistry along with an exceptional experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does getting a dental implant hurt?

The placement itself shouldn't hurt; the area is fully numb, and oral sedation is available if anxiety is the bigger hurdle. Afterward, most people report soreness and pressure for a few days, managed with over-the-counter pain relief. It's typically an easier recovery than an extraction.

How long do dental implants last?

The post is designed to be permanent, and with healthy gums and regular care many implants last decades. The crown on top is the part that may eventually need replacing from normal wear, much like any other crown.

What happens if I just leave the gap alone?

The bone in that area gradually thins without a root stimulating it, and the surrounding teeth start tilting or drifting into the space. That can change your bite, make cleaning harder, and complicate replacing the tooth later. Waiting doesn't make the problem simpler.

Can I get implants if I've been told my bone is too thin?

Often, yes. Bone grafting can rebuild enough support at the site for an implant, and our 3D imaging shows us exactly how much you have to work with. If grafting isn't right for you, implant-supported dentures need fewer posts and may still be an option.

What are implant-supported dentures?

We place a small number of implant posts and secure a denture to them, either ball-retained or bar-retained, removable or fixed. You get much of the stability of implants without replacing every tooth individually. It's a common choice for full-arch replacement.

How do I clean an implant?

Like a natural tooth, with a little extra attention to the gumline. Brush twice daily, clean between the teeth every day, and keep your cleaning appointments so we can monitor the tissue around the post.

Let's Talk About Your Smile

If you've been putting this off, whether it's been months or years, you'll get no lectures from us. We'd rather hear what you want to be able to do again and figure out how to get you there. Bring your questions about cost, healing, or whether you're even a candidate; that's what the consultation is for.

Call White and Haines Advanced Dentistry at (704) 896-9535 to schedule your implant consultation. We're at 9725 Caldwell Commons Circle in Cornelius, open Monday through Thursday, and we'll give you a reason to smile.

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