Restore Your Smile with Reconstructive Dentistry

Walton Family, Cosmetic & Implant Dentistry provides full-scope reconstructive dentistry at 488 IN-135, Greenwood, IN 46142, just minutes from Greenwood Park Mall. Dr. Matthew Walton, DDS, FAAID, DABOI/ID is a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral Implantology, which matters for reconstructive cases because most full rebuilds involve implants, crowns, and bone or gum work under one treatment plan. To ask questions or schedule a consultation, call (317) 885-7006 or request an appointment online. The practice also serves patients from Indianapolis, Bargersville, New Whiteland, Franklin, Beech Grove, Southport, and Martinsville.

Cosmetic dentistry focuses on how your teeth look (whitening, veneers, minor reshaping), while reconstructive dentistry focuses on rebuilding how your mouth actually works when teeth are missing, damaged, or worn to the point they can’t function properly. A veneer to close a small gap is cosmetic; replacing several missing back teeth with implants so you can chew again is reconstructive. Many treatment plans blend both, using reconstructive procedures to restore structure and cosmetic finishing to make the final result look natural. Which category you fall into depends less on what you want changed and more on whether the underlying bite, jaw, and tooth structure need rebuilding.

Full mouth reconstruction is a coordinated treatment plan that rebuilds all or most of the teeth in both the upper and lower jaws, typically using a combination of implants, crowns, bridges, and sometimes gum or bone grafts. It’s usually recommended for patients with widespread tooth loss, severe wear from grinding, extensive decay, a collapsed bite, or trauma affecting multiple teeth. It’s not a single procedure but a sequence of treatments planned together so the final bite, jaw alignment, and appearance work as a whole. During a consultation, Dr. Walton reviews exams and imaging to determine whether a phased full-mouth plan is the right approach for your situation.

Most reconstructive dentistry plans take between 3 months and 18 months from start to finish, depending on complexity. A case involving a few crowns and a single implant may wrap up in 3 to 6 months, while full mouth reconstruction with multiple implants, bone grafting, or gum work often runs 9 to 18 months because implants need 3 to 6 months to fully integrate with bone before final restorations are placed. Temporary crowns or bridges are typically used during longer treatment plans so you can eat, speak, and smile normally throughout the process. Your exact timeline is mapped out at the consultation so you know what’s happening at each stage.

Reconstructive dentistry costs vary widely because the plans do, from a few thousand dollars for a limited case to $30,000 or more for full mouth reconstruction involving multiple implants and grafts. Dental insurance typically covers portions of medically necessary reconstructive work (crowns, bridges, root canals, extractions), while implants and cosmetic finishing are often only partially covered or excluded. The team will verify your specific plan benefits and give you a written estimate before treatment begins. For amounts insurance doesn’t cover, CareCredit and Cherry Financing offer payment plans (including 0% APR options for those who qualify), and the in-office dental plan provides 20% off treatments for uninsured patients.

Well-made dental restorations last a long time with proper care. Porcelain and zirconia crowns typically last 10 to 15 years, and often longer with excellent oral hygiene. Bridges generally last 10 to 15 years as well, though they depend on the health of the supporting teeth. Dental implants have the longest track record, with the titanium implant post itself often lasting 25 years or more, sometimes for life; the crown attached to the implant may need replacement in 15 to 20 years due to normal wear. Longevity depends heavily on daily brushing and flossing, regular checkups, avoiding habits like chewing ice or grinding teeth, and treating any gum disease early.

For a routine filling, a local dentist usually wins on convenience. But for reconstructive work, patients regularly travel to Walton Dental from Carmel, Westfield, Zionsville, Plainfield, Castleton, and Avon because a coordinated rebuild benefits from staying under one credentialed provider throughout. Dr. Walton is a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral Implantology and one of few Indiana dentists licensed to administer in-office IV sedation, which matters because most reconstructive plans involve implants and multi-hour sessions that are far more comfortable with sedation available in-house. From most north-side communities, the drive is typically 30 to 45 minutes off-peak via I-465 and I-65. For a plan involving multiple procedures over many months, most patients say consolidating care is worth the drive.