Dental Implants at Maple Dental Health: Choosing Between a Single Tooth and a Multi-Tooth Solution

You notice it most when you bite into something firm — a small gap where a tooth used to be, the way your tongue slips into it without asking.
For some, it’s a single missing tooth. For others, several. Either way, the absence changes more than appearance. It shifts how you chew and, over time, how your jawbone holds its shape.

At Maple Dental Health, Dr. Carly Gordon and Dr. Nitish Manna see this daily. They say tooth loss isn’t just mechanical; it affects confidence, posture, even how people smile in photos.

“When you put an implant in,” says Dr. Gordon, “you’re giving that person back a sense of normal. They stop thinking about their teeth, and that’s the whole point.”

What an Implant Actually Does

A dental implant isn’t the tooth itself. It’s the foundation — a small titanium post that replaces the root. Once it’s placed into the jaw, bone grows tightly around it in a process called osseointegration. After a few months, that post becomes part of the jaw, ready to hold a crown, bridge, or denture.
The structure is quiet and stable. You can bite, speak, laugh. No clasps. No movement.
Because it acts like a root, it also keeps the bone alive underneath the gum, preventing the slow collapse that happens when a tooth is gone too long.

When It’s Just One Tooth

A single implant is often the most straightforward fix. One post, one crown, no impact on neighbouring teeth.
Imagine losing a front tooth while commuting or after a fall in the Maple / Vaughan area. You don’t want to grind down two healthy teeth for a bridge. An implant does the job alone.

The process:

• First, imaging — a 3-D scan checks bone volume and nerve pathways.
• Then a titanium post is placed where the root once was.
• The gum heals over it for a few months while bone fuses to metal.
• Later, a small connector (the abutment) is added, followed by a ceramic crown shaped to match colour and contour.
  Recovery is usually light. A day or two of tenderness, then back to normal.
  The finished tooth looks and feels real enough that most patients forget which one it is.

When Several Teeth Are Missing

If two, three or an entire row are gone, the mechanics change. You need more stability to distribute bite forces evenly.

• Option 1: Implant-Supported Bridge — Two implants can carry a bridge of three or four teeth. It’s efficient: fewer posts, solid support.
• Option 2: Implant-Retained Denture — For people missing most or all teeth, four to six implants lock a denture in place. It still comes out for cleaning but doesn’t float or click.
• Option 3: Full-Arch Fixed Bridge (All-on-4 or All-on-6) — Implants anchor a completely fixed arch of teeth. It’s not removable — feels like natural teeth again.

Each method depends on bone quality, health history, and personal goals. There isn’t a “best”, only a “best for you.”

“You can’t choose a plan from a catalogue,” explains Dr. Manna. “The bone tells us what’s possible. Then we match that with what you want to live with.”

Side-by-Side: Single vs Multiple Solutions

The comparison helps on paper, but as Dr. Gordon reminds patients: “Numbers are one thing, the mouth always has its own opinion.”

What the Journey Looks Like

1. Consultation & Scan – Digital imaging maps bone and nerves. You discuss health history, medications, expectations.
2. Planning & Estimate – You receive how many implants, what materials and an honest cost range.
3. Placement – Done under local anesthesia; sometimes light sedation. Usually about an hour per implant.
4. Healing Phase – Bone integration for several months. Temporary teeth provided if visible areas are involved.
5. Final Restoration – The crown, bridge or denture is fitted; bite is adjusted for comfort.
6. Maintenance – Regular hygiene visits to protect tissue around implants and ensure long-term success.

Patients often say the process feels easier than they expected — quieter, less dramatic. Most return to work within a day or two.

Cost and Longevity

A single implant, complete with crown, generally costs less upfront than multi-unit cases, but per tooth the full-arch solution is more efficient. Insurance sometimes covers the crown or surgical component. Maple Dental Health provides written estimates and staged payment options before any treatment begins.
Well-maintained implants can last decades. Studies show survival rates above 95% at ten years. At Maple Dental Health, failures almost always trace back to hygiene lapse or smoking — rarely the implant itself.

After-Care: What Real Patients Learn

Immediately after placement, the site feels tight, not painful. Soft foods for a few days; gentle brushing; avoid heavy lifting.
Within a week, most swelling disappears. A follow-up X-ray confirms integration, and you carry on.
Maintenance isn’t complicated: the same daily care as natural teeth plus professional cleaning twice a year.
Patients who replace dentures with fixed implants often describe one recurring emotion: relief. Relief of eating without thinking, of not worrying about movement or adhesives. That comfort becomes the biggest benefit.

Why Maple Dental Health Patients Trust the Team

Dr. Carly Gordon holds her DDS from the University of Toronto, returned to establish her practice in Maple. Dr. Nitish Manna received his dental degree from McGill University and emphasises patient education and comfort. They both lead a team committed to modern dental care, understandable explanations and strong results.
The clinic’s location in Maple, Ontario is equidistant to Vaughan and Woodbridge—making it accessible for families and busy professionals alike.

“Implants aren’t luxury work,” says Dr. Gordon. “They’re basic rebuilding. You lose a tooth, you rebuild it. Done properly, it lasts.”

A Few Thoughts to Leave With

Whether you’re missing one tooth or many, the principles remain the same — preserve bone, restore function, keep it natural.
A single implant gives back one root; multiple implants rebuild an entire foundation. Both free you from the compromises of bridges and loose dentures.
At Maple Dental Health, each case begins with conversation, not commitment. A short visit, a scan, an honest discussion of what’s possible. Then the decision becomes clear.
The right implant plan won’t just fill a space; it will bring back ease — the small daily comfort of biting, smiling, and forgetting that anything was even missing.

Maple Dental Health
9983 Keele Street, Suite 302
Maple, Ontario L6A 3Y5
📞 (905) 832-8303

Reviewed by Dr. Carly Gordon, DDS and Dr. Nitish Manna, DDS.