Dr. Nelly Silva, a Fellow of the American Dental Implant Association, plans each implant with 3D CT imaging at our Arcola Road office, a short drive down the 422 corridor from Limerick.
Both cases were treated and photographed in our office by Dr. Silva. One replaced worn and missing teeth across the mouth; the other is an All-on-X restoration, where a full arch of teeth is held by implants.
A dental implant replaces the whole tooth, root included. A small post is placed in the jawbone where the root used to be. Over the following months the bone grows tight against the post, and that bond is what lets an implant take a full chewing load.
Because the implant is anchored in bone, it does not lean on the teeth beside it. The same posts can hold one crown, a bridge across several gaps, or a full arch of teeth, which is how an All-on-X restoration works.
Placed in the jawbone to act as the new root. It sits below the gumline and is not seen.
A connector fixed to the post once the bone has bonded with it. It holds the tooth in place.
The tooth you see, shaped and shaded to match your smile. Its impression can be taken with our iTero Element scanner rather than a tray of putty.
Most adults with healthy gums and enough jawbone can have an implant. When bone or gums need help first, we treat them before the implant goes in. If you match any point on this list, an implant consultation is worth booking.
We offer full and partial dentures as well as implants, so the advice you get is about what fits your mouth, not about one treatment.
An implant is only as good as its position. We scan before we place anything, so the angle and depth of each post are decided on screen, not during surgery.
Most implant cases run over several months. The surgery itself is one visit; most of the time is healing.
An exam, a 3D CT scan and a talk about your options. You leave with a written plan and cost.
If needed, an extraction, gum treatment or bone graft comes first, with its own healing time.
The post goes into the bone under local anesthetic, with conscious sedation if you choose it.
Over a few months the bone bonds with the post. We check progress at follow-up visits.
The abutment and crown are fitted, then your bite is checked and adjusted.
Afterward, an implant is cared for like a natural tooth: daily brushing and flossing, plus regular cleanings so the gum around it stays healthy.
Dr. Silva received her fellowship from the American Dental Implant Association in 2012. She earned her DMD at Temple University's Kornberg School of Dentistry, where she now teaches as a Clinical Associate Professor in Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Medicine and Surgery.
Her implant work ranges from a single tooth to full-mouth reconstruction. She asks patients to call her Nelly.
Dr. Michael Strassberg handles periodontics in our office. When gums need treatment before an implant, that care happens here too.
★★★★★"I went for a second opinion on implants, she studied the X-rays and was able to give me her opinion at that appt."
Cindy D., Google Review
★★★★★"If you are like me and haven't seen a dentist in an embarrassing amount of time, they will treat you like a human being and make you comfortable."
Bill M., Google Review
Limerick and Collegeville share the US-422 corridor, and our office on Arcola Road sits close to the highway. Implant care takes several visits over a few months, so a nearby office makes the process easier to fit around work and family.
We are a single office, not part of a chain. Your scan, implant placement and final tooth are all handled by the same team in the same place.
Advanced Dentistry of Collegeville399 Arcola Road, Collegeville, PA 19426
Implant fees depend on how many teeth are replaced, whether an extraction or bone graft is needed first, and what the implants hold: one crown, a bridge or a full arch. Your exact cost is set out at your consultation, before treatment starts.
We do not accept Medicaid.
Plain answers to what patients ask before choosing an implant.
The fee depends on how many teeth are replaced, whether an extraction or bone graft comes first, and what sits on the implant: a single crown, a bridge or a full arch. We give you an itemized cost at your consultation, after the 3D scan shows what your case needs. We accept all PPO dental plans, offer a dental savings plan for patients without insurance, and offer payment plans.
A single implant replaces the root as well as the crown, and it stands on its own, so the teeth beside the gap are left untouched. A bridge, by contrast, is held by crowns placed on the neighboring teeth. At your consultation we lay out both options side by side so you can weigh them for your own mouth.
No. Implant crowns are made of materials that keep the shade they were made in, and whitening gel does not change them. If you want a brighter smile, the usual order is to whiten your natural teeth first, then have the implant crown made to match the new shade.
We accept all PPO dental insurance plans, and our team can review what your plan covers before treatment starts. Coverage for implants varies from plan to plan, which is why we check yours first. We do not accept Medicaid. Patients without insurance can join our dental savings plan.
The 3D CT scan shows the height and width of bone where the implant would go. When there is not enough, a bone graft can rebuild the site first. We offer autogenous, allogenic and xenogenic grafts, which use your own bone, donor bone or an animal-derived material, and we explain which one suits your case.
Yes. Dr. Silva offers conscious sedation and anxiety management for patients who feel nervous about dental work. Numbing is given with The Wand, a computer-controlled anesthesia system that delivers the anesthetic at a steady rate. We talk through your comfort options while planning your treatment.
Most cases run over several months, because the bone needs time to bond with the implant before the final tooth goes on. An extraction or bone graft beforehand adds healing time. Your treatment plan lists each step and its expected timing before anything begins.
Your first visit is an exam and a conversation with Dr. Silva about the teeth you want to replace. You will leave knowing whether an implant suits you, which option fits, and what treatment costs.
