Dental Implants

Permanent Tooth Replacement with Dental Implants

Dr. Matthew Walton has the experience and credentials you should look for when considering a Dental Implant Dentist.

Dr. Walton is a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral Implantology.

Only 10 dentists in Indiana have achieved this.

Photo of Dr. Matthew Walton receiving his American Board of Oral Implantology diploma

Only 609 dentists out of 196,000+ dentists in the USA hold Diplomate of ABOI credentials.

Diplomates of the ABOI are among the top dentists in the country at performing implant dentistry procedures.

Dr. Walton is also one of only a few Indiana dentists who are licensed to provide IV Sedation to his patients.

Be relaxed and comfortable throughout your dental implant procedure.

Plus he offers a wide range of dental implant procedures including single tooth implants, implants for dentures, hybrid implants, All-On-X (Four or Six), snap in dentures, full arch implants and full mouth reconstruction.

Dr. Walton is at the forefront of dental implant technology offering 3D Cone Beam scans for high-precision guided dental implant planning and the use of platelet rich fibrin (PRF) to speed healing.

Located just 15 minutes south of downtown Indianapolis with free parking.

Dedicated to life-long learning, Dr. Walton has averaged 90 continuing education credit hours (per licensing period) throughout his career; the minimum requirements for the state of Indiana are 20 continuing education credit hours per licensing period! Dr. Walton takes great pride in practicing implant dentistry; he performs sinus lifts, bone grafts and complex bone augmentation procedures.

Find information about dental implants below including videos by Dr. Walton, costs of dental implants and more.

Photo of Dr. Walton, dentist in Greenwood, IN

Dr. Matthew Walton, with a high-tech office located in Greenwood, has been serving patients from Indianapolis Metro, Southern Indiana & Central Indiana since 2006.

Video 03:13 | Watch Dr. Walton demonstrate how he uses 3D Cone Beam scans and specialized guided implant software for planning the precise placement of your dental implants.

First steps to your dental implants with Dr. Walton:

1. Conduct your no cost consultation

2. Schedule your examination
A deposit is due when scheduling examination to reserve appointment.

3. Perform your comprehensive exam
3D CT scan (and any other x-rays as necessary) and complete review of mouth (teeth, gums, jaw bone, bite, etc).

4. Review our findings and discuss your options

Dental implants are a permanent and appealing solution to replace missing or extracted teeth. They are better than other alternatives like bridges because no additional teeth need to be altered to place the new tooth.

The entire dental implant process is performed over the course of a few months. The first part of the process is to install the dental implant itself, where a screw is placed into the jaw bone. An incision is made in the gum so that the implant can be inserted. Multiple implants can be placed at once if necessary. After the implants are placed the gums are sutured.

The dental implant must be allowed about 3-6 months to heal, and during this time the jaw bone will form around the implant in a process called osseointegration. During this healing time you can have temporary crowns installed so that you can eat and speak normally and maintain a proper aesthetic appearance for your smile.

After the implant has healed it is time to place an abutment on the implant. The abutment serves as the base for your new tooth. Once this is placed an impression of the abutment is taken and is used to create your permanent restoration. Some offices have an onsite lab to create the crown, but others will have to send it to an outside lab. Once the restoration is completed you can return to the office to attach the restoration permanently. Your smile will look just like it used to, and after a short period of getting used to the implant it will feel just like one of your own teeth.

Image showing dental implant structure

Graphic illustration shows dental implant components including a titanium screw, an abutment and a crown.

Dental Implants Costs Price List

Dental implants prices are exclusive of any insurance plans, which may alter cost.

Single implant, abutment, & crown	$3500
2 implants, and abutments for an existing lower denture (“snap in denture”)	$6500
2 implants, abutments, and new lower denture (“snap in denture”)	$7500
3 implants, abutments for an existing lower denture (“snap in denture”)	$7150
3 implants, abutments, and new lower denture (“snap in denture”)	$8200
4-6 implants and abutments for an existing upper or lower denture (“snap in denture”)	$11100
4-6 implants, abutments, and a new upper or lower denture (“snap in denture”)	$12500
Implant supported bar overdenture (this is a great option for the upper if you want the palate removed from the denture)	$15700
“All-On-X (Four or Six)” fixed hybrid bridge upper or lower (stays in place like teeth & does not come out)	$28000
*Costs are an estimate for patients without insurance.
*Extractions and bone grafting may increase cost.
*Prices do not include any x-rays or surgical guides.
*Prices do not include sedation.

The cause of your missing tooth or teeth could have been an accident or lost to a disease, but whatever the reason the fact of the matter is that you have to replace them. Dental implants are the best option to do, but the final costs can be quite pricey. Here at Walton Family and Implant Dentistry, we want you to get the treatment you deserve. We are happy to meet with you to discuss dental implants, including the procedure, the costs and dental implant insurance coverage during your consultation with us at our Greenwood area practice.

Many other offices take several months and even over a year for dental implants to be completed. At Walton Family and Implant Dentistry, we use advanced techniques and modern technology to get your dentistry completed for you quickly. However, this operation does require time and focus. Materials, implants, crowns, and other factors make up the price that you pay.

Without complications, you are looking anywhere from $1,500 to $3,000 per single implant with a crown. Discounts are given when paying by cash or check and when multiple implants are placed, the cost per implant generally goes down. Payment plans are also available. Bridges and dentures are cheaper alternatives, but the price to maintain them over time will add up and go over the initial price of the implants over time. Dental implants are a much better quality and are built to last.

As you can see from the content above, a dental implant procedure can add up to be a major expense and can be near impossible to pay for if you have to pay upfront without any financial help at all. Dental implant insurance exists to help you pay for this expensive operation and keep out of pocket costs at the lowest price possible.

Unfortunately, although more dental insurance companies are covering dental implants, there are still many plans that will not cover the placement of a dental implant. It is important to research each dental insurance plan thoroughly before signing up for one. It is common for dental insurance companies to advertise that they do not offer financial help to those that specifically want dental implant insurance. There are other companies that do not offer financial help for the actual implants, but can cover some of the costs of the crown (or denture) and laboratory work.

There are generally no insurance companies that will cover the cost of dental implants completely, but there are quite a few that realize that missing teeth can lead to oral problems which is why they can cut costs down by a significant amount.

If you have any questions about the cost of dental implants or wish to inquire about dental implant insurance then give us a call today. We’ll answer any question you have and schedule an appointment for a dental implant examination.

Judy, a smile makeover patient of Dr. Walton, before and after dental implants & crowns.

Smile Makeover showing before and after dental implants

Judy was self-conscious of her smile and was missing front teeth. After placing 2 implants and crowns, the result looks very natural & realistic!

Cost Of Additional Procedures (If Needed)

Sinus Lift (internal)	$300-700
Sinus Lift (lateral window)	$2000-2500
IV Sedation	$1500-2000
Simple Bone Graft	$150-450
Complex Bone Graft	$450-1200
CT ( 3D Cone Beam) Scan	$180 per arch
Extractions	$75-300
When extractions are needed a secondary denture could be necessary after the healing process	$800

Are dental implants worth it?

Your teeth are an aspect of many facets of your life—eating, speaking, first visual impressions and how they fit in to and support your overall facial structure. Beyond how you feel physically, having stable and attractive teeth also affects your confidence and interaction with others. Restoring and replacing your teeth to the best of appearance and function helps you to enjoy life to the fullest.

Though dental implants cost more than other dental restorations including dental bridges, partial dentures, and traditional full dentures, they are a wonderful investment for many of our patients.

Because dental implants can last a lifetime, patients are able to make an initial investment in their smile but reap the benefits of a permanent restoration that can maintain the jaw structure and eliminate the risk of unwanted bone resorption.

Dental implants preserve jaw bone.

Video 00:51 | Watch Dr. Walton demonstrate how dental implants help preserve your jaw bone.

Dental implants are the best solution for tooth loss.

Aside from maintaining bone density in the jaw and keeping the jawbone from shrinking, dental implants have other benefits that patients can consider as well. These restorations are natural-looking and fully functioning, acting just as previous natural teeth did at one time.

This stable, strong, and durable restoration is often touted as the “gold standard” in tooth replacement.

Kammie, a smile makeover patient of Dr. Walton, before and after single tooth dental implant and crowns:

Before and after single tooth dental implants and crowns images

Patient presented with missing upper left canine and small shaped lateral incisor. Treatment consisted of an implant to replace the missing canine tooth, followed by sculpting and shaping the gum tissue with a temporary crown for several weeks.

Finally, a crown was placed on the implant to replace the missing canine, and a crown was placed on the lateral incisor to fill in some of the large void from the missing tooth.

Pat shares her experience getting dental implant

Video 01:45 |”All of a sudden I got this implant and my mouth was solid. That to me, was the most amazing thing!”

Video courtesy of Nobel Biocare.

Dental Implants For Dentures
(Snap-In Dentures)

A great option to replace all of your teeth is an implant retained denture. Some may call this a “Snap-In Denture”.

The advantages of this are simplicity, cost, and hygiene. The denture still comes in and out but is very retentive for chewing and functioning. The patient has the ability to brush clean the implant abutments thoroughly which is an advantage. This is considered implant retained (unlike a fixed option which is completely supported by the implants), so the denture is kept in place by the implants but still rests on the tissue. Therefore, the denture must be relined once a year or so.

A model of false teeth (denture) and 4 dental implants

Photo above shows a model of false teeth (denture) and 4 dental implants to retain and support the denture.

The most common way to hold the denture in place is with something called Locator abutments. On the mandible, you can do as few as 2 implant and Locators in the front of the lower jaw, but this is just the minimum. This works very nicely for the person who has been suffering from a loose lower denture for years and gives them a little bit of stabilization to chew with. It’s also relatively affordable. On the maxillary arch, a minimum of 4 implants with Locators is needed, and the palate still needs to be kept in place for the denture retention and to lessen the forces placed on the implants. If we go up to 5-6 implants, I will consider cutting out the palate.

Eat What You Love!

Video 00:33 | Obtain better stability and retention of your dentures with dental implants. Watch Dr. Walton demonstrate how this works and a few of the benefits to having implants for dentures including the ability to eat steak, corn on the cob and apples.

Steve with his new dental implant retained denture, “I’m gonna have tacos!”

Video 00:45 | Steve is ecstatic after finally getting his new implant retained lower denture and says, “Unbelievable, unbelievable!”

See pricing for Snap-In Dentures above

All-on-X (Four or Six) Dental Implants
(Teeth in a Day)

A minimally invasive solution with a fixed full-arch restoration for high patient satisfaction.

Basically, “Teeth in a day” is when we remove someone’s teeth, place implants and then deliver them a fixed hybrid bridge (an acrylic type of bridge like a denture with the palate cut out) and screw in the bridge the same day. They wear this for approximately 6 months, then come back and have impressions for a final zirconia bridge. This is time-consuming and expensive but is very popular these days because it’s the closest thing to natural teeth that we have, and the patient gets something fixed in place from the get-go.

In 1998 Dr. Paulo Malo successfully treated the first patient with the All-on-X (Four or Six) treatment concept. Since then hundreds of thousands of patients have been treated with this concept.

The All-on-X (Four or Six) treatment concept is a cost-efficient, graftless solution that provides patients with a fixed full-arch prosthesis on the day of surgery.

Full-arch rehabilitation with only four implants
Two straight anterior implants and two implants tilted up to 45º in the posterior

Immediate Function (fixed provisional bridge)
For patients meeting criteria for immediate loading of implants

Graftless procedure
Bone grafting is avoided by tilting the posterior implants, utilizing available bone

Patients with edentulism (toothlessness) are often eligible for the All-on-X (Four or Six) treatment concept. A thorough evaluation of any patient is necessary in order to choose the right treatment and to establish a predictable treatment outcome.

Teresa, a smile makeover patient of Dr. Walton, before and after All-on-X (Four or Six) dental implants “teeth in a day” treatment.

before and after All-on-X (Four or Six) dental implants

She went home the same day with five implants and a new bridge that stays in her mouth. Read and see photos of Teresa’s All-on-5 case.

Video 01:41 | Demonstration of the life changing All-on-X (Four or Six) dental implant treatment concept.

Video courtesy of Nobel Biocare.

See pricing for All-on-X (Four or Six) (Teeth in a Day) above

Frequently Asked Questions

The implant itself is the titanium threaded screw. After this heals, an abutment is placed. Over the top of the abutment, a crown is either cemented or screwed into the abutment. It takes approximately 3-5 months for an implant to integrate into the mandible or maxilla.

It depends on how much stability we have when we place the implant initially. It also depends on the quality of the bone; the posterior maxilla generally has the poorest quality bone (very thin and porous) while the posterior and anterior mandible usually has the thickest, most dense bone.

After a tooth is extracted, the hole or socket fills in with soft tissue. Similar to the other factors stated above, the typical time frame is 3-6 months. I usually wait around 4 months for a single extraction socket.

Very simply, it comes from a human cadaver (allograft), the same person’s mouth (autograft or autogenous) or hip, or comes from a cow or pig (xenograft). By far and away, the allograft is the most commonly used material. This is a very safe substance. The donors are screened for diseases, the material is cleaned and sterilized (usually via radiation), and it is all FDA regulated. They use this material in other areas of medicine such as orthopedic surgery.

Generally speaking, most people will usually say, “It was fairly sore for a week or so, but the ibuprofen helped for the most part.” Maybe 10% say it didn’t hurt at all, and another 10% say it hurt like hell. Most people do fine with ibuprofen and Tylenol.

The large corporate chains have popularized this term with their marketing to get people in the door. Another popular term for this same type of procedure is called “all on four (or six)“. Basically, this is when you would typically remove someone’s teeth, place implants and then deliver them a fixed hybrid bridge (an acrylic type of bridge like a denture with the palate cut out) and screw in the bridge the same day. They wear this for approximately 6 months, then come back and have impressions for a final zirconia bridge. This is time-consuming and expensive but is very popular these days because it’s the closest thing to natural teeth that we have, and the patient gets something fixed in place from the get-go. The bridge here is completely supported by the implants. The patient comes in 2-3 times per year (or more), and depending on their oral hygiene, the dentist then unscrews the bridge and the hygienist cleans around the implant abutments. An H2O pik is a must here and the hygiene must be meticulous.

Another term that we are hearing more and more about since more implants are being placed, is peri-implantitis. This is nothing more than periodontal disease around an implant. Although implants cannot decay, they can and will develop inflammation, pocketing, and destruction of the tissue and bone surrounding them. In fact, they are more susceptible to this than teeth, since there is no true attachment of tissue around an implant like the sulcus around a tooth. So, it is wise to tell someone that if they have destroyed their teeth through neglect, the same thing can and will happen to their expensive implants. Other causes of peri-implantitis include cement stuck around the implant, and occlusal issues (hitting too hard on the implant crown).

A temporary abutment can be placed and a temporary crown can be fabricated to wear during the healing process; this is the best choice. If this cannot be made then an essix style temporary can be made. An essix retainer is just a clear tray (like a bleaching tray) with a resin tooth in it. The last choice would be an acrylic flipper, but I don’t like these because they place pressure on the surgical site, which is a no-no.

The short answer is no. Although many times it is quite necessary and can lead to a better long term outcome, a bone graft is not always necessary prior to placing an implant. There are times when a tooth can be extracted and if there is enough bone present, the implant can be placed immediately. Even in this case, a bone graft is typically added around the implant and then allowed to heal. Sometimes a patient will present with a missing tooth, and there is plenty of residual bone left to just place the implant without the need for a bone graft.

Do you wish you had a bright, healthy smile? Visit Walton Family, Cosmetic & Implant Dentistry in Greenwood, Indiana, to make that goal a reality. Contact us today to learn more about how our state-of-the-art facilities and dental services can improve your smile and oral health!

Before & After Photos
Patient Cases

Middle-aged woman smiling after full dental treatment at Walton Dental Greenwood IN.

Female patient with radiant smile and healthy gum line after dental realignment.

Elderly female patient with restored smile and balanced teeth shade after full arch restoration.

Young woman smiling after full-mouth dental restoration with bright, even teeth.

Elderly woman smiling with restored white teeth after full smile makeover at Walton Dental Greenwood in Greenwood IN.

Close-up of elderly man's bright smile after dental restoration at Walton Dental Greenwood in Greenwood IN.

Elderly woman smiling after dental restoration with full upper dentures or implants.

Cosmetic & Implant Dentistry Photos

See before and after photos of patient cases by Dr. Walton.