A dentist points to the front teeth on a model of the jaw
HomeImplantsDental Implants · Fairfax

Dental Implants near Fairfax, VA

Three ways to fill a gap, side by side.

For Fairfax patients deciding between an implant, a bridge and a denture: what each one does to your bone and to the teeth beside the gap, how the cost looks after ten years, and who plans it at our Tysons Corner office.

Book a consultationThe drive from Fairfax
10.3 miFrom Fairfax, 17 min with clear roads
3 optionsImplant, bridge or denture
FreeImplant second opinions
Clinician pointing at a 3D digital scan of a dental arch on a screen while a patient looks on
From Fairfax

Seventeen minutes from Fairfax to Jones Branch Drive.

  • 10.3 miles from the center of Fairfax, around 17 minutes when there is no traffic
  • Chain Bridge Road (Route 123), then I-66 and a short stretch of the Beltway (I-495)
  • The office: Suite 220, 7901 Jones Branch Drive, McLean, VA 22102
  • Car parking is underneath; the practice occupies Suite 220 on floor two
  • Open at 8 every weekday; closes at 5 Mon–Thu and at 2 on Fridays

Directions from Fairfax

Side by Side

One missing tooth, three possible answers.

Each option is set out from what this practice states about it, the weak points included.

01

An implant

A new root as well as a new tooth. A titanium post fuses with your jaw over roughly four months, then a crown designed in the practice's own lab is fixed on top of it.

  • The teeth next to the gap are left untouched
  • The jaw is loaded again, which limits how far it recedes
  • Nothing to remove and no adhesive to buy
  • Brushed and flossed, plus a cleaning every six months
  • The biggest bill on day one; made to last for decades
02

A bridge

Crowns on the neighbors hold the gap. A false tooth hangs between two crowns, and fitting them usually means reshaping two teeth that were healthy.

  • Sound neighboring teeth are usually reshaped for it
  • Fixed in place: nothing comes out to clean
  • The bone beneath the false tooth carries no load
  • The next best route while an implant has to wait
  • Can be carried on two implants rather than on teeth
03

A denture

The smallest figure on the first day. Acrylic teeth on a plate that rests on the gums and is taken out for cleaning.

  • Moves on the gum, which is where the rubbing starts
  • Has to be relined as the fit changes
  • Leaves the bone underneath to keep shrinking
  • Can be upgraded later to clip onto implants
  • Lowest cost, and financing is available
How a bridge is made
Over the Years

Which option costs less depends on how far ahead you look.

A denture carries the lowest bill at the start. After that come relines as the gum and bone change shape beneath it, then repairs, and in time a new one, while the jaw it sits on goes on shrinking.

A bridge relies on crowns for the two teeth beside the gap, so part of what you pay for is work on teeth that had nothing wrong with them, and the bone under the false tooth is still left without a load.

An implant asks for the largest sum at the start and very little after it: nothing to reline, no adhesive, and with the six-monthly cleanings kept, any part that fails within five years is remade under the warranty. Whoever quotes you, ask what each option costs over ten years, not only on the first day.

What sets the price of an implant
Questions

Implant, bridge or denture: Fairfax patients ask.

Is an implant or a bridge better for one missing tooth?
When the teeth beside the gap are healthy, an implant usually is, because it leaves them alone and gives the bone back its load. A bridge is the second-best route when an implant has to wait, and the scan at your consultation shows whether there is bone enough for one.Crowns and bridges →
Does a bridge harm the teeth it is attached to?
Fitting one usually means reshaping the two neighboring teeth so crowns can sit on them, which is work on teeth that may have been perfectly sound. That is why, when they are healthy, an implant is usually recommended instead.Every implant option →
I already wear a partial denture. Could implants replace it?
In many cases, yes. A denture you would rather not wear can be clipped onto implants, or replaced with teeth fixed to them, and which of the two your jaw will carry is read from the cone-beam scan.Implant-supported dentures →
How long does the implant route take, start to finish?
As little as a few months, or beyond a year. The post needs about four months to fuse before its crown goes on, and a tooth removal or bone graft beforehand adds healing of its own. Your first visit tells you which of those timelines is yours.
Will my insurance pay toward an implant or a bridge?
The practice takes most dental PPO plans and sends the claims in for you. Plans often cover implants only in part, so what yours will pay is checked before you choose, along with monthly financing for the remainder.Insurance and financing →
Who will I see at the Tysons Corner office?
Dr. Esam Nahlah, a board-certified prosthodontist. He decides where the implant goes, puts it in and designs the crown, bridge or denture that goes on it, so a single specialist answers for the finished result.About Dr. Nahlah →

Where to go next.

Weigh all three against your own scan.

Ring the Tysons Corner office on (571) 702-9832, and bring along any quotes you have been given, in Fairfax or anywhere else.