4M Dental Implant Center has locations throughout Southern California and in Las Vegas. Their doctors and dental health professional teams provide general and cosmetic dentistry and specialize in dental implants.
Dental implants have become the standard of care in recent years and 4M Dental Implant Center’s founder Dr. Sean Mohtashami, DDS provides several options for implants, including full-mouth tooth replacement. Dr. Mohtashami also teaches these techniques to other dentists worldwide at his Long Beach, California 4M Institute, 4minstitute.com. Many people have questions about dental implants and wonder how to go about getting them and transforming their lives with a new smile and better quality of life. We caught up with Traci Nervo, executive vice president of 4M Dental Implant Center, for a rundown of what patients should know about this positive life-changing dental procedure.
Q: Who is a good candidate for implants?
A: Anyone with a failing or missing tooth is a candidate for a dental implant; anyone who wants a long-term solution. All other solutions are short term. The bottom line is: Anything that you do – like a root canal or a crown – if you have a tooth that is failing, is a temporary solution. These treatments last about a decade, perhaps longer if you are lucky. It varies from person to person.
We see patients that need implants who have had trauma – car accidents, etc. or people that have missing teeth due to birth defects. We also see patients that need implants with failing teeth because of previous treatment or family history. In any case where a patient has a missing or failing tooth; dental implants are the only permanent solution.
Q: What things should a patient consider before getting dental implants?
A: There are few conditions that would prevent someone from getting a dental implant. Health is usually not a factor. If you have a failing tooth, (an abscesses, failing root canals or other conditions) it can be difficult to keep your mouth free of disease. Ridding your mouth of disease and choosing dental implants is a positive solution and can contribute to better overall health for patients. If a patient loses teeth and they aren’t replaced it in a timely fashion the bone resorbs. That means it just dissipates without a tooth in that space. Tooth replacement is important to keep the bone healthy around the adjacent teeth. Extracting a tooth or losing a tooth and not putting something in its place will cause bone to resorb and could affect the adjacent teeth. That is why we recommend tooth replacement immediately or as soon as possible following an extraction.
Q: What kind of dental implants does 4M Dental Implant Center offer?
A: 4M Dental Implant Center is able to place dental implants for people who have been turned away elsewhere. Dr. Sean does traditional implant placement and full-arch tooth replacement, also referred to as All-on-X. 4M also specializes in pterygoid and zygoma implants for patients, who have had missing teeth for years or perhaps have been wearing a denture for some time. In these cases, the bone is slowly resorbing and shrinking. Sometimes, there is no space to add an implant because patients have lost so much bone. Pterygoid and zygomatic implants are a lot longer and different than traditional implants. Not many doctors do what we do, placing different types of implants, so 4M is very unique in that way. For people who have been turned away elsewhere, we can do their surgeries.
Q: How does a patient decide what kind of implant to get?
A: Decisions regarding treatment are made during the exam and diagnosis with the doctor. The doctor will let the patient know what type of implants they are a candidate for and discuss treatment options.
Q: How long does it take? For single implants? For a full arch?
A: For most full arch cases, we deliver a fixed set of teeth the same day as surgery. They are not your final set, but patients go home with a full set of teeth. You look great, you’re able to return to work and function normally with a beautiful new smile. Then in between three and four months later we deliver your beautiful final set of teeth.
Q: When is it right for a single implant before it is recommended to get a full set?
A: Many patients come to 4M for a full-mouth procedure, which is what we are best known for. The surgery we call All-on-X, which is where we replace patients failing teeth with a full-arch prosthesis fixed on dental implants. 4M also offers cosmetic dentistry, orthodontics, hygiene, and all implant services. We are able to facilitate a patient’s needs no matter what they are.
Q: What’s the price range?
A: Our fixed full-mouth solutions start at $16,000 per arch. There are different solutions for patients to choose from and we work with each patient individually to assist them in reaching their goals.
Q: What does your financing look like? Your website says you have a membership plan that offers free consultations and discounts on all dental services. Can you tell us about the cost-savings features of this?
A: At 4M Dental Implant Center we offer an in-house membership plan that allows for discounted treatment, and we work with several excellent financing partners. It is absolutely free to come in for a consultation, x-rays and exam. Our doctors and treatment coordinators are here to help patients decide on the best solution for them, and then we work together to help facilitate that. There is an option for every patient to become healthier and love their smile again at 4M!
For a location near you, visit https://4mdentalimplants.com.
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