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Questions
Straight answers,
including the
unwelcome ones.
Everything below is written the way it would be said across the desk. Where the honest answer is “it depends”, it says so and then says what it depends on.
Why people come here
- Surgery and the finished teeth done by one dentist, under one roof
- Diplomate of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists
- Fellow of the Misch Institute — and faculty at its successor
- A written, itemized plan before anything is scheduled
Treatment
About the treatment itself.
How painful is having an implant placed?
Placing a single implant is usually less eventful than the extraction that came before it. It is done under local anesthetic, and most people manage on ordinary pain relief for a day or two. Larger cases with grafting are more involved and you will be told that specifically, in advance.
How long does the whole thing take?
For a single tooth: three to six months from placement to the final crown, most of which is quiet healing. Full-arch cases frequently leave with a fixed temporary on surgery day and finish three to four months later.
How long do implants last?
Published survival rates sit above ninety percent at ten years. The implant itself rarely wears out. The crown on top is a normal restoration and may need replacing at some point, like any other crown.
What is the failure rate, honestly?
Low, but not zero. Smoking, uncontrolled diabetes, untreated gum disease and heavy grinding all raise it measurably. Those are discussed before treatment rather than after a problem.
Candidacy
Whether it is for you.
I have been told I do not have enough bone.
That is common and usually solvable. Bone grafting rebuilds a ridge that has resorbed, and in the upper back jaw a sinus elevation creates height. Where the ridge is narrow and you would rather not graft, a mini implant is sometimes the answer instead.
Am I too old for implants?
Age itself is almost never the limiting factor. Health, medications and bone are. Plenty of implant patients here are in their seventies and eighties.
I smoke. Does that rule me out?
No, but it changes the odds and it changes the conversation. Smoking raises implant failure rates, particularly in the healing period, and you deserve to hear that plainly rather than discover it later.
I am terrified of the dentist.
You are in a large club. Dr. Patellis holds advanced training in IV conscious sedation anesthesia and emergency medical procedures. Say so when you call so the first visit can be scheduled longer and slower.
Money
About cost and insurance.
Why will nobody quote me a price on the phone?
Because the honest number depends on what the imaging shows — whether a graft is needed, how many implants the arch requires, whether teeth have to come out first. A number given before an examination is either a guess or a hook.
Does dental insurance cover implants?
More plans cover them than used to, but coverage is generally partial and capped by an annual maximum. The office files a pre-determination so the plan’s answer is in writing before treatment starts.
What if I have no insurance at all?
The practice offers a dental savings plan for uninsured patients. Ask the front desk what it covers and what it costs before you assume treatment is out of reach.
The practice
About us.
Who actually does the surgery?
Dr. Patellis does. He also plans the case and delivers the final restoration, so the same person is responsible from the first scan to the day you chew on it.
What training does he have in implants?
He is a Fellow of the Misch International Implant Institute and, since April 2010, a Diplomate of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists — the ICOI’s highest recognition tier. He teaches implant surgery at the Resnik Implant Institute.
Do you take second opinions?
Yes, and they are genuinely welcome — including on work done elsewhere. Bring whatever records and imaging you have.
Where are you?
208 N. Union Street, Kennett Square, PA 19348. Monday 9–3, Tuesday 7–3, Wednesday 8–6, Thursday 7–3, and Friday by appointment.
Start with an exam and a straight answer.
A consultation includes an examination, 3D imaging and a written, itemized plan. If implants are not the right treatment for you, Dr. Patellis will say so and tell you what is.