"Dental implant" is one term for a family of treatments, and the right one depends on how many teeth you are missing, where they are, and how much bone you have to work with. At Mountain State Oral and Facial Surgery in Charleston, WV, our oral and maxillofacial surgeons offer every type described below from our Oakwood Road office in the South Hills area, and we help you choose the one that fits your mouth and your budget.Dental implants all share the same foundation: a titanium post placed in the jawbone that fuses with the bone and supports a replacement tooth, bridge, or full set of teeth. What changes from one type to the next is how many posts are used, what attaches to them, and whether the new teeth are fixed in place or removable.
Here is a plain-language guide to the options we offer Charleston patients, with links to the detailed page for each.
Single Tooth Implants
The classic implant: one post, one abutment, one crown. A single tooth implant replaces a missing tooth without touching the teeth on either side, which is the main reason it has largely replaced the traditional three-unit bridge. It is the most common implant we place, and it works for a front tooth, a molar, or anything in between. See our single tooth replacement with implants page.
Implant Supported Bridges
When two or more teeth in a row are missing, you do not need an implant for every tooth. Two implants can anchor a bridge of three or four teeth, restoring the span with a fixed restoration that does not rely on your natural teeth for support. Learn more on our implant supported bridge page and our multiple tooth replacement page.
All-on-4 Dental Implants
All-on-4 replaces an entire upper or lower arch on four strategically angled implants. The angled placement of the back implants uses the denser bone toward the front of the jaw, which is why many patients with bone loss qualify without grafting. A fixed set of teeth is attached to the implants and stays in your mouth like natural teeth. Our All-on-4 dental implants in Charleston page covers candidacy, the procedure, and cost.Implant Supported Dentures
Traditional dentures rest on the gums; implant supported dentures snap onto two to six implants, so they stop slipping and let you chew normally. They can be removable, which keeps cost lower and cleaning simple, or fixed in place for patients who never want to take them out. Charleston patients who are tired of adhesive and loose lower dentures are often surprised by how few implants it takes. See implant supported dentures in Charleston.
Same Day Smile
For qualifying patients, implants and a provisional set of teeth can be placed in a single visit, so you never leave the office without teeth. The provisional teeth stay in place while the implants heal, and the final set is attached a few months later. Digital planning and our in-office lab workflow make this possible. Read about the Same Day Smile program in Charleston.
Zygomatic Dental Implants
When the upper jaw has lost too much bone to hold standard implants, even with grafting, longer implants can be anchored in the zygomatic (cheek) bone instead. Zygomatic implants are a solution for patients who have been told they are not candidates for implants, and they can often support a full arch without months of grafting first. This is a procedure specific to oral and maxillofacial surgeons; see our zygomatic dental implants page.Mini Dental Implants
Mini implants are narrower posts used mainly to stabilize a lower denture when the ridge is too thin for standard implants and the patient wants to avoid grafting. They are placed with a less invasive procedure and can often be loaded the same day. They are not a fit for every situation, but for the right patient they are a practical option. Learn more on our mini dental implants page.
When Bone Grafting Comes First
Several of the options above depend on having enough jawbone. If a 3D cone beam scan shows the bone is too thin or too short, bone grafting in Charleston, a sinus lift, or ridge augmentation rebuilds the site over a few months and then the implant follows. In other cases, angled implants, shorter implants, or zygomatic implants let us work around the bone loss without grafting. That decision is made from your scan, not from a rule of thumb.
How We Help You Choose in Charleston
Your consultation at our Charleston office starts with your goals: which teeth are missing, what bothers you most about it, and whether you want something fixed or removable. We examine your mouth, review your medical history, and take a 3D scan of your jaw. From there your surgeon lays out the options that fit your anatomy, walks through the timeline and cost of each, and gives you a written treatment plan to take home.
Whichever type you choose, placement follows the same principles: local anesthesia with sedation options up to general anesthesia, guided placement planned on your scan, and a healing period while the bone fuses to the implant before the final teeth are attached. We see you for follow-up visits during healing and coordinate the final restoration with your general dentist or complete it in-house.
Whether you live in South Hills, the East End, the West Side, Fort Hill, or elsewhere in the Kanawha Valley, you can be seen at our Oakwood Road office or our Kanawha City office. Meet the surgeons on our Meet Our Doctors page, and see how implant cost and financing work on our financial and insurance information page.
Types of Dental Implants FAQs
What is the difference between All-on-4 and implant supported dentures?
Both replace a full arch on implants. All-on-4 is a fixed set of teeth attached to four angled implants and is removed only by your surgeon. Implant supported dentures usually snap onto two to six implants and can be removable or fixed. The choice comes down to bone, budget, and whether you want to take your teeth out to clean them.
Which type of dental implant lasts the longest?
The titanium post is the same across most types and can last a lifetime with good care. What wears over time is the restoration on top: a crown, bridge, or denture typically lasts many years before it is replaced or refreshed. Good hygiene, regular checkups, and not smoking matter more than which type you choose.
Can I get implants if I have worn dentures for years?
Usually, yes. Long-term denture wear does shrink the jaw, but implant supported dentures, All-on-4 with angled implants, bone grafting, and zygomatic implants each address bone loss in a different way. A 3D scan at our Charleston office shows which option fits your jaw.
How do I know which type of implant I need?
The number and location of missing teeth, the amount of bone you have, your health history, and your preference for fixed or removable teeth all factor in. Your surgeon reviews those with you at the consultation and puts the recommended option and its alternatives in a written plan.
Dental Implant Services in Charleston WV
Contact Mountain State Oral and Facial Surgery at (304) 343-5161 to schedule a dental implant consultation at our Charleston office at 869 Oakwood Rd, Charleston, WV 25314. We are open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM and Friday from 8:00 AM to 2:30 PM.
Our Charleston office also offers dental implants, tooth extraction, wisdom teeth removal, and full mouth reconstruction in Charleston.
