Patient Resources and Frequently Asked Questions

The only honest way to know is imaging plus a clinical exam. Most candidacy decisions in implant work come down to bone: how much you have, where it is, and what shape it's in. A cone-beam CT (CBCT) scan shows that in three dimensions; a 2D panoramic X-ray often misses what matters. Once we have the CBCT and a chairside exam, we can usually tell you within an appointment whether you're a candidate for standard implants, a candidate with grafting, a candidate for zygomatic implants, or a better fit for implant-supported dentures. Medical history is the other input. Anticoagulant therapy, bisphosphonate or denosumab history, uncontrolled diabetes, immunosuppression and certain cardiac conditions don't rule out implants. They shape how the surgery is planned. We coordinate with your physician where appropriate. If you've been told elsewhere you aren't a candidate, that's the most common reason patients end up here. A second opinion with current imaging is almost always worthwhile.

A cone-beam CT scan at minimum for any surgical planning. CBCT shows bone volume, bone density, nerve position, sinus anatomy and prior surgical history in three dimensions, all of which matter for safe placement. Periapical or panoramic films are useful supplements but aren't a substitute for CBCT. If you have a recent CBCT from another office (taken within the last 12 months and ideally a full-arch volume), we can usually use it and avoid duplicate imaging. Older scans, partial-volume scans, or scans missing the area of interest typically need to be retaken. Intraoral scans (digital impressions) are also part of our standard planning workflow. They're quick and chairside, and they feed directly into the in-house lab's design system.

Two to six weeks for most cases. The consultation, imaging, and a planning appointment typically fit into one to two visits. After that, depending on case complexity and our surgical calendar, surgery is usually scheduled within a few weeks. Cases requiring grafting before implant placement, medical clearance, or coordination with a physician can take longer. The one thing we don't compress is the planning. Every full-arch case at Revive is digitally planned before surgical day: implant positions, prosthetic design, surgical guide where applicable, and a clear written plan you've seen and signed off on. That's not a step we shortcut.

It depends on what the CBCT shows. Many patients who've been told they need extensive grafting actually have options that avoid it: strategic implant angulation (the principle behind All-on-4 and All-on-X), or zygomatic implants for severe upper-jaw loss. Grafting is the right answer in some cases, the wrong answer in others, and overprescribed across the field generally. When grafting is genuinely required, we'll explain which type (allograft, autograft, xenograft, or synthetic), the timeline (some grafts are placed at the same time as implants; others need months of healing first), and the realistic recovery picture. See the bone grafting page for clinical detail.

Almost never for full-arch or complex cases. Most patients choose IV sedation or general anesthesia, both administered at our facility by anesthesiologists who specialize in outpatient surgical sedation. You will not feel the surgery. Most patients describe the experience as sleeping through it and waking up with teeth. For single-implant cases or shorter procedures, local anesthesia alone is sometimes appropriate. We'll discuss the sedation options at the planning appointment based on the procedure, your medical history and what you're comfortable with.

For a full-arch case with same-day provisional teeth, plan on a full day: six to eight hours from check-in to discharge. The surgery itself runs three to six hours; the rest is sedation recovery, prosthetic try-in and seating, and post-operative review. You cannot drive yourself home after sedation. Bring someone who can drive you, or arrange a ride in advance. Most patients are home by mid-afternoon.

For most full-arch cases, yes: provisional teeth, not the final restoration. The provisional is milled in our in-house lab from the surgical scan and seated the same day. You leave with fixed teeth in place and a functioning bite. The final prosthesis is delivered three to six months later, after the implants have integrated. Some cases, such as extensive grafting, certain medical conditions, and severe parafunctional bite, are not candidates for same-day delivery. We'll tell you before surgery, not on the day of.

We send written pre-operative instructions at the planning appointment that cover this specifically. The short version: no food or water for six to eight hours before sedation; specific guidance on which medications to take or hold; no alcohol the night before; warm clothing because operatories run cool. We confirm everything on the phone the day before surgery.

Less than most patients anticipate. The combination of in-house sedation, careful surgical technique, and the way we manage post-operative pain means most patients report soreness and swelling, not significant pain, for the first 48 to 72 hours. Prescription pain management is provided where appropriate and most patients step down to over-the-counter medication within a few days. If you're experiencing pain beyond what we describe in your post-operative instructions, call us. Real pain is uncommon after well-managed implant surgery and usually points to something that needs attention.

Soft diet for the first six to eight weeks while the implants integrate and the surgical sites heal. That means soups, smoothies, scrambled eggs, soft pasta, fish, well-cooked vegetables, yogurt: anything that doesn't require significant chewing force. The goal is to protect the implants and the provisional prosthesis while bone is integrating around the fixtures. After integration is confirmed and the final prosthesis is in place, most full-arch patients return to a normal diet, including steak, apples, raw vegetables. Fixed implant-supported teeth restore meaningfully more bite force than dentures.

Three to six months for most cases. Lower-jaw implants generally integrate faster than upper-jaw; younger and healthier patients faster than older or medically complex patients. We confirm integration with a clinical check and, where indicated, imaging. During this period you'll wear the provisional prosthesis we delivered on surgical day. It looks and functions like a normal set of teeth. Most patients forget it's transitional within a week or two. The final prosthesis is then designed, milled and seated.

Persistent or escalating pain beyond the first 72 hours. Significant swelling that's worsening rather than improving after day three. Fever, drainage, or a bad taste that doesn't resolve. Mobility in the prosthesis when it should be stable. Bleeding that doesn't stop with light pressure. None of these are common after a well-planned and well-executed case. If any of them appear, call us. We have on-call coverage for surgical patients. Most complications are minor when caught early and disasters only when ignored.

Differently than natural teeth. Fixed full-arch prostheses don't get cavities, but they do collect plaque underneath the prosthesis where it meets the gum tissue, and untreated, that's where peri-implant disease starts. The hygiene routine is mechanical: a water flosser, interdental brushes specifically sized for under-prosthesis access, and a soft toothbrush twice a day. We send you home with the specific tools and a written routine after the final prosthesis is delivered. For single implants or smaller restorations, hygiene is closer to normal: regular brushing, flossing (often with a threader or floss specifically designed for implant work), and routine cleanings.

First year: a few times, typically at 1 week, 2 weeks, 6 weeks, and again at integration confirmation. After that, an annual implant maintenance visit at minimum, and ideally hygiene visits two to four times per year depending on your home care and case complexity. We offer a monthly hygienist program specifically for our full-arch implant patients. It's not for everyone, but for patients with extensive prosthetics or higher peri-implant disease risk, monthly maintenance is genuinely worth it.

The titanium implants themselves are designed to last for decades. Published long-term data shows survival rates above 95% at 10 to 20 years for properly placed and maintained implants. Loss after that point is usually associated with peri-implant disease, parafunctional bite habits, or systemic medical changes. The prosthesis is a separate question. Provisional teeth are transitional by design, replaced after integration. Final zirconia prostheses typically last 10 to 15 years before any meaningful refurbishment is needed, and longer with good hygiene. Hybrid (acrylic on titanium) prostheses may need acrylic refresh sooner. Both are repairable in-house when wear becomes noticeable.

Failure of a well-placed implant years after delivery is uncommon but not impossible. The most common late causes are peri-implant disease (preventable with maintenance), undiagnosed parafunctional bite habits, and certain medical changes (new bisphosphonate therapy, uncontrolled diabetes, head and neck radiation). If a failure occurs, we re-plan from the imaging. Sometimes the implant can be replaced in the same site after a short healing period; sometimes the prosthesis needs to be redesigned around the remaining implants; occasionally a full re-plan is warranted. Patients of record can call directly. We don't outsource our own complications.

Single implant placement plus crown: from $4,800. Full-arch fixed (per arch, including in-house lab and sedation): from $24,900. Zygomatic full-arch: case-by-case, depending on number of zygomatic implants, grafting, and the prosthetic plan. These are published ranges, not bait pricing. Every quote includes surgical placement, IV sedation or general anesthesia, the provisional prosthesis, all in-house lab work, and post-operative follow-up through to the final restoration. There is no separate facility fee, no surprise anesthesiologist invoice, and no third-party lab surcharge. See the cost & financing page for the full breakdown and what's included at each tier.

Most patients finance. We work with established Canadian healthcare financing partners. Pre-qualification takes about a minute and doesn't affect your credit score. 0% intro plans are common, and term lengths can be matched to what fits your budget rather than what the lender prefers. For patients paying out of pocket without financing, we structure payment around the treatment timeline rather than asking for the full amount up front. Specifics are worked out at the planning appointment, after the surgical plan is final.

Some of it, usually. Most Canadian dental insurance plans have an annual maximum that's modest relative to full-arch treatment costs, but they do cover meaningful portions of certain procedures: extractions, imaging, parts of grafting work, sedation in some plans, and selected prosthetic components. We handle pre-authorization paperwork and coordinate directly with your insurer where applicable. We'll never structure a quote to maximize insurance reimbursement at the cost of clinical judgment. The plan is what makes clinical sense; insurance pays what it pays.

Because the cases vary enormously. A single zygomatic case can range from one zygomatic implant with two conventional implants in the upper jaw to a four-zygomatic case with full-arch prosthetic. A full-mouth reconstruction can be a few months of work or close to a year, depending on grafting and staging. Quoting a single number for these cases would be dishonest. At the consultation we walk through the realistic range for your specific case after reviewing the imaging. The number you get in your written plan is the number, not a starting bid.

It means your upper-jaw bone has resorbed past the point where standard implants can be reliably anchored, and that grafting either won't deliver a stable foundation or would take years longer than you want to wait. Zygomatic implants are longer fixtures that anchor into the zygomatic (cheek) bone rather than the upper jaw. They restore fixed teeth in cases that would otherwise require extensive staged grafting. Zygomatic surgery is one of the things we're known for. It's a meaningful share of our complex caseload. The procedure is performed by Dr. Metwally under general anesthesia at our facility. See the zygomatic implants page for the full clinical picture, or the complex implant surgery page for how it fits into our broader practice.

Not necessarily. Revision work is a meaningful part of our practice and the first step is the same as a new case: imaging, an honest assessment of what's salvageable, a written plan. Sometimes the implants are fine and the prosthesis needs to be redesigned. Sometimes an implant has failed and needs removal, healing, and re-placement. Sometimes the original plan was geometrically wrong, with wrong implant positions, wrong number, or wrong angulation, and a different surgical approach is needed. We'll tell you which it is before you commit to anything.

Almost always, with planning. The conditions we coordinate around most often are: anticoagulant therapy (we work with your physician on holding versus continuing), bisphosphonate or denosumab history (case-by-case based on type, dose, duration and route), diabetes (with HbA1c targets), cardiac history (clearance and timing), and immunosuppression. None of these are absolute contraindications. The surgical plan, the anesthesia plan and the post-operative care are tailored around your medical picture, in coordination with your physician where appropriate. We don't run a one-size-fits-all surgical protocol.

For most anxious patients, yes: sedation and general anesthesia are the answer, and both are administered in-house. Most patients with significant anxiety choose general anesthesia for surgical day; many find IV sedation sufficient. The non-surgical visits, including consultations, imaging, and post-operative checks, can be made easier with the right scheduling and a front-desk team that understands the dynamic. Tell us at booking and we'll plan around it.