Missing one or more teeth is problematic on several levels, with the gap in your smile being only one of the problems that should concern you. Many people are unaware of how a missing tooth can affect their oral health and how much a dental implant can help.

Dr. Vlad Fedin offers multiple options to replace missing teeth in Chicago, Illinois: single dental implants, multiple dental implants, and All-on-4 implant-supported dentures.

Dental implants not only complete and create a beautiful smile, but they prevent resorption and preserve the health of your jaw. If you are missing several teeth, dental implants are essential.

Are You a Candidate for Dental Implants?

Before you receive dental implants, any infection or gum disease must be treated. If an injury caused you to lose one or more teeth, or you needed a tooth extracted due to extensive decay or root canal therapy failure, and your other teeth and bone are healthy, you can usually receive a dental implant immediately.

For those who have lost teeth because of severe periodontitis, gum disease must be successfully treated. Soft tissue and underlying bone will likely need to be reinforced with grafting before dental implants can be placed.

You should not use tobacco products for several weeks before receiving dental implants and not resume later to maintain your oral health. Nicotine and other harmful chemicals can cause complications during and after your dental implant.

Call (312) 642-6631 to reach our Chicago, Illinois, dental implant provider and schedule a consultation to confirm these comprehensive restorations are right for you.

What Are the Benefits of Dental Implants?

While tooth restoration options like bridges are great, cost-effective options, dental implants offer many important advantages over traditional bridges, including:

  • Permanent and complete tooth replacement (from root to crown)
  • They help prevent resorption
  • Replacement teeth that look, feel, and function like healthy natural teeth
  • Freedom from tooth decay
  • They can be color-matched to newly whitened teeth for a uniformly brighter smile
  • They can be brushed and flossed like natural teeth

Dental implants are the gold standard of tooth replacement because they restore both the root and the visible portion of the tooth. A porcelain crown tops the artificial tooth root to provide a beautiful, natural-looking dental restoration.

What Is Bone Resorption?

Tooth roots serve two primary purposes: securely attaching your teeth to your jaw and stimulating the bone. This stimulation keeps your jaw healthy, and the absence of tooth roots causes the bone to lose density and volume.

Eventually, the jaw becomes thin, leading to the prematurely aged appearance often associated with denture wearers.

Dental implants help prevent this destructive process by replacing the tooth root, thus stimulating the jaw bone.

What Are My Dental Implant Options?

Dental implants can be used in a few different ways:

  • To replace individual teeth
  • To replace a complete set of teeth (full-mouth dental implants)
  • To stabilize removable dentures
  • To permanently secure a fixed bridge or denture (All-On-4 dental implants)

Professional Teeth Whitening and Dental Implants

If you are bothered by discolored teeth, Dr. Fedin may recommend Zoom! professional teeth whitening before he matches the color of your crown. Since ceramic restorations can’t be lightened, it’s best to whiten your teeth before receiving them if the brightness of your teeth is an issue.

How Does Treatment With Dental Implants Work?

There are three basic steps to the dental implant process.

  1. Implant Placement

    Placing the titanium implant post involves a minor surgical procedure. Dr. Fedin uses advanced imaging techniques to ensure the ideal placement of the posts into the jaw. We will provide you with a temporary crown, bridge, or set of dentures.

  2. Integration With the Jawbone

    The implant post fuses with the underlying bone; this can take as little as three months, depending on the health of the jawbone. However, patients requiring tissue grafting before placement can expect to wait about six months before receiving their permanent visible restoration.

  3. Attaching the Crown(s) or Other Restoration

    Dr. Fedin will monitor the progress of jawbone integration and determine when to attach the permanent crown, bridge, or denture. Once this step is done, your dental implant is complete.

What Is Recovery Like After Receiving Dental Implants?

It usually takes about a week for the gums to heal after the implant posts are placed, during which time only liquids or pureed foods should be consumed.

In some cases, patients feel well enough to begin eating soft solid foods within two days following surgery but should not eat crispy or hard-to-chew foods, like steak.

Dr. Fedin may advise you to use toothpaste for sensitive teeth and continue to avoid foods that require extensive chewing.

What Results Can I Expect After Receiving Dental Implants?

Once your dental implants are finished, and your restoration(s) are attached, your complete dental function will be restored, and your teeth will look natural and beautiful.

Just because dental implants don’t decay, it doesn’t mean you can relax your brushing and flossing habits. In fact, it’s vital to maintain a proper oral hygiene routine to prevent gum disease and further dental problems.

Check out these before and after photos of our cosmetic dentistry results.

Your Chicago, IL, Porcelain Dental Implant Provider

When you choose Dr. Fedin as your cosmetic dentist and Chicago dental implant provider, expect to be treated like family. He only recommends the treatments he would suggest to his closest relatives and listens carefully to your dental concerns so he can offer the best solutions to meet your needs.

Learn more about your tooth replacement options in Chicago, Illinois, or schedule your dental implant consultation today by calling (312) 642-6631.

Single tooth implant replacement…from start showing the hopelessly decayed ( gray) tooth to its removal and placement of a custom temporary. Once the implant was placed and healed a custom zirconia ( tooth colored) abutment was screwed down to the implant and a very translucent and natural all porcelain crown was cemented creating a lifelike result.


Porcelain Implant Crown

Photo #1 Tooth #9 fractured…was removed and an implant was placed
Photo #2 A porcelain implant crown and abutment was fabricated for #9 using an angled screw channel
Photo #3 Implant crown #9 was screwed into place, creating an ideal emergence profile
Photo #4 Tooth #8 previously had root canal treatment. A porcelain crown and post core was cemented in place.
Photo #5 The final result shows ideal gum height, contour, and esthetics


Dental Implant & Porcelain Crowns

Picture #1: Patient presented post trauma regarding his top front 7 teeth #6-12. Teeth #7, 8, 9 were missing. Teeth # 8, 11, and 12 needed root canal treatment.

I created a treatment plan for the surgical placement of 3 implants, 3 root canal procedures, 3 post cores and 7 porcelain crowns.

Pictures #2-6: The day the case was finished. 3 Cast posts were cemented in the completed root canal treated teeth. 3 screw down porcelain implant crowns were seated. The final 4 porcelain crowns were cemented. The pictures demonstrate an incredibly natural result. All 7 teeth are now individual. The patient will be able to floss, eat, and function as if they were his natural teeth .


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All-on-4 Treatments

Patients who are missing the majority of their teeth may find that dentures don’t provide them with the comfort and functionality of their original teeth. The All-on-4 treatment is an effective solution for patients missing the majority of their teeth. All-on-4 treatments replace your missing teeth with a full dental bridge supported by only four dental implants. The unique All-on-4 treatments ensure bone stability while maintaining the functional ability of your teeth.

Benefits of All-on-4 Treatments

  • Cost-effective
  • Immediate, life-changing results
  • Faster treatment and healing time
  • Flexible options

Patient presented with severe periodontal disease causing bone loss, tooth mobility, greatly reduced function and most of all decreased self-confidence due to poor cosmetics. As all of the patient’s teeth were hopeless, they were removed. A total of 11 implants were placed. Six implants in the upper arch and five implants in the lower arch. Upper and lower hybrid screw down prosthetic appliances were fabricated using the most natural looking materials available. No acrylic or denture teeth were used. Each hybrid appliance consists of a titanium bar with individual EMAX all-porcelain crowns cemented on to them. The EMAX porcelain crowns possess all of the depth of color and translucency of natural tooth structure and enamel. The final result is beautiful and natural. The patient feels that she was born with these teeth.

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patient-1-2

Photo #1 Patient presented with 18 teeth that required attention.
Photo #2 Patient suffered from poor spacing, tooth damage, as well as severe bone loss.
Photo #3 18 teeth were extracted and 8 implants were placed the same day.
Photo #4 Tooth restoration was achieved through a hybrid, All-on-4 implant prosthesis placed the same day as the extraction.
Photo #5 Patient, the same day as his procedure, presents with some minor swelling, but a fully restored appearance
Photo #6 Patient 5 days post-surgery; almost all major swelling alleviated and a whiter, brighter smile achieved

All the teeth were removed in the upper jaw due to decay and bone loss. 4 implants were placed as seen in the picture of the upper working model. An acrylic full upper appliance was fabricated with a titanium bar inside – this was screwed on to the 4 implants – creating a beautiful and lifelike result.

All on 4 -Teeth in a Day hybrid implant prosthesis

Following cancer therapy, this patient presented with decayed teeth. Once the un-restorable teeth were removed, 8 implants were placed (4 implants were placed in the upper arch, and 4 implants were placed in the the lower arch). Upper and lower hybrid prosthetic appliances were then fabricated, creating a beautiful result and restoring the patient’s ability to smile with confidence.

These 2 photos give an overview of the life changing effects implant and reconstructive dentistry play in a persons life. The before and after pictures are of a young woman born without teeth on top and missing some permanent teeth in the lower. The first picture demonstrates this, as she presents with a full upper denture and lower malposed and poorly shaped dentition. 4 implants were placed in the upper arch after which a hybrid “all on 4” appliance was screwed into place. To restore the lower arch, 3 implants and 12 porcelain crowns were placed. This restored the patient’s function and cosmetics, creating a lifelike result.


Photo #1 demonstrates the lack of visible tooth structure during speech and smiling
Photo #2 this photo demonstrates the loss of vertical dimension.The lower jaw is out in front of the upper jaw allowing the patient to over-close.
Photo #3 This photo demonstrates the very old ,mobile ,and hopeless existing dentition – with decay around all remaining teeth
Photo #4 this is the post-op X-ray taken the day of the surgery after the hopeless teeth were removed and 8 implants were placed
Photo #5,6,7 Demonstrates the final fixed upper and lower appliances supported by the new implants the same day of the surgery- restoring the patients vertical dimension ,correcting his bite, providing lip support,and most important function with a youthful beautiful smile


Dr. Vlad Fedin – Dental Implant Specialist

4 Implant Cases

Interested in learning more about Chicago dental implants? We have all of the information that you need in order to make an informed decision about the future of your smile. With everything from implant history to videos and FAQ’s, you will learn the A to Z’s of prosthetic dentistry in Chicago and how it may benefit you.

History of Dental Implants

Commonly Asked Questions

General Information

Photo 1: Patient presented with fractured and infected central incisors teeth #8 & 9.

Photo 2 & 3: Demonstrate x-ray where hopeless patient’s #8 & 9 teeth were extracted, implants were placed with immediate temporary abutments.

Photo 4: Temporary implant crowns were placed the same day. The patient was instructed to be careful eating. The temporaries were worn for 3 months until the implants integrated in the bone.

Photo 5: Once integrated the final porcelain crowns were cemented, note how healthy the tissue is and how real everything looks.

Patient presents with congenitally missing lateral incisors and the cuspids were moved forward orthodontically and implants were placed completing her smile.

Patient suffered a severe fall, teeth #7 and #9 were severely cracked and #8 was completely lost. 2 porcelain crowns were placed on teeth #7 and #9. An implant and porcelain crown were placed on #8, creating an amazing, natural result.

One implant and four all-porcelain restorations changed this persons life. This allowed her to go from being afraid to smile to smiling constantly.

Before and after implant dentures were placed improving the vertical dimension and lip contour, creating a youthful, natural result. Patient went from smiling without teeth being present to a beautiful smile.


Pre-op x-ray of dentition


Before photo of patient
Future hybrid implant retained dentures


Hybrid dentures with attachments inserted


Post-op showing natural smile line dentition


News and Articles

Changing Lives, One Smile at a Time

Maintaining Dental Implants

Maintaining the quality of your dental implants plays an important role in achieving long-lasting results. You should visit your dentist for cleanings four times per year. Proper at-home hygiene, including brushing and flossing, is important to maintain your oral health. Wearing a night guard to prevent bruxism, or grinding, will protect both implants and natural teeth from breaking down. Vigilant care will ensure the longest-lasting results possible.

Zoom! Teeth Whitening

Many patients will choose to undergo the Zoom! Teeth Whitening process to achieve whiter, brighter teeth during the implant process — once fabricated, the implant crowns will not change color. Teeth whitening prior will ensure that all your teeth are the same color, which provides more natural, flawless results.

If you are looking to permanently replace your missing teeth, schedule your consultation with Dr. Fedin today. Call us at (312) 642-6631 or contact us online.