Ready to Smile Freely, Permanently?
If you have one or more missing teeth, or will soon need an extraction, dental implants function like natural teeth and prevent jawbone deterioration — and can be fully customized for a perfect smile.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Boris Zusin, DDS, FAGD, MBA, MS, Diplomate, American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine (ABDSM) · Last reviewed July 31, 2026
Get the Confidence That Comes From a Perfect Smile
Dental implants can be used alone or in coordination with a crown, bridge, or denture. As the jawbone heals, it fuses around the implant screw, anchoring it in place and allowing it to support a natural-looking tooth prosthetic. We welcome implant patients from the Upper West Side, Lincoln Center, and throughout Manhattan — see our Dental Implants Near the Upper West Side page for what that looks like locally.
Am I a Candidate?
You may be a candidate if you have one or more missing teeth or teeth in need of extraction, are in generally good health, and have enough bone in your jaw to support an implant — we'll confirm this with an exam and imaging.
How a Dental Implant Actually Works
A titanium (or zirconia) post takes the place of your missing tooth root — here's what happens beneath the gumline.
Osseointegration
The implant is a small titanium or zirconia post placed into the jawbone where the tooth root used to be. Over the following weeks, your bone fuses directly to the implant's surface — a process called osseointegration — creating an anchor that's structurally similar to a natural tooth root. Once that fusion is solid, a crown, bridge, or denture is attached on top. This is a well-established, highly predictable procedure with very high 10-year survival rates in healthy patients when it's placed and maintained correctly. For the full step-by-step, see our anatomy of a dental implant guide.
If There's Not Enough Bone
Bone loss is common after a tooth has been missing for a while, but it doesn't automatically rule out an implant. Depending on how much bone is available, we can add bone graft material, perform a sinus lift (for upper back teeth, where the sinus sits close to the jaw), or in some cases use shorter or narrower implants designed for tighter spaces. We'll map this out with imaging before recommending a plan.
Who's a Good Candidate — and Who Needs a Plan First
Implants work for most people missing one or more teeth, but a few things are worth addressing before treatment, not after.
Most Common Reason: A Single Missing Tooth
Replacing one missing tooth is now the single most common reason patients get an implant, ahead of replacing several teeth in a row or restoring a full arch. Unlike a bridge, an implant doesn't require grinding down the healthy teeth next to the gap to anchor it.
Address First: Gum Disease & Uncontrolled Conditions
Active gum disease, poor oral hygiene, and untreated cavities elsewhere in the mouth need to be brought under control before placement — a healthy foundation matters as much as the implant itself. Uncontrolled diabetes can also slow healing and raise early failure risk, though most patients with well-managed diabetes do just fine.
Flag at Your Consultation
Smoking is one of the strongest predictors of implant complications and is worth quitting or cutting back before treatment if possible. A history of head or neck radiation, or taking bisphosphonate medications for osteoporosis, also changes the risk profile and needs a tailored plan — tell us about either at your consultation rather than after.
Timing for Teens & Young Adults
Implants are generally held off until jaw growth is complete, since an implant doesn't move or erupt the way a natural tooth does and can end up positioned incorrectly if placed too early. This mostly comes up for a congenitally missing tooth — we'll monitor growth and time treatment appropriately.
Protecting Your Investment: Long-Term Care
An implant itself can't get a cavity, but the gum and bone around it can still develop problems — this is called peri-implant disease, and it's the main long-term threat to an otherwise successful implant. Catching it early makes a real difference in outcome:
Peri-Implant Mucositis
Inflammation limited to the soft gum tissue around the implant — similar to gingivitis around a natural tooth. It's reversible with a thorough cleaning and better home care, which is exactly why we don't want you skipping check-ups once your implant is placed.
Peri-Implantitis
If mucositis isn't caught and addressed, inflammation can progress to affect the bone anchoring the implant — the same bone-loss process that threatens natural teeth with gum disease, but around an implant instead. This is why we treat implants as requiring the same (or more) attentive follow-up as your natural teeth, not a one-and-done procedure.
Implant-supported crowns and bridges also see somewhat more mechanical wear-and-tear over time — a loose screw or a chipped crown, for instance — than a natural tooth or a traditional bridge, simply because there are more moving parts. None of this is a reason to avoid implants; it's why we build regular check-ups into your care plan for as long as you have one.
“Am I a Candidate for Dental Implants?” Quiz
Answer all 5 questions, then click “See My Result” below.
This quiz is an educational screening tool, not a diagnosis. An exam and imaging are needed to confirm candidacy for dental implants.
Care From a Team That Knows You
Dr. Boris Zusin is an expert in general, cosmetic, implant, and dental sleep medicine, with 30+ years of clinical experience and ongoing continuing education. Lena Zusin, RDH works alongside him to make every visit as warm and comfortable as possible.
“Drawing upon our combined skills refined through years of experience and continued education, Lena and I will do everything possible to ensure that your entire dental experience at our office is as good as possible.” — Dr. Boris Zusin
- Uncompromising clinical excellence
- Meticulous attention to detail
- A gentle approach to dentistry
FAQ: Dental Implants at Zusin Dental, NYC
You may be a candidate if you have one or more missing teeth, or a tooth that needs extraction, are in generally good health, and have enough jawbone to support an implant.
A single implant in New York typically ranges from about $3,000–$5,500. Full-mouth restorations, including All-on-4, can range from $15,000–$60,000+ depending on complexity, materials, and any bone grafting needed. See our full Upper West Side dental implant cost breakdown for more detail.
With proper care — regular check-ups, good oral hygiene, and avoiding smoking or teeth grinding — implants can last 20 years or even a lifetime, compared to 5–15 years for many bridges or dentures.
All-on-4 uses four strategically positioned implants to support a full arch of upper or lower teeth, often reducing the need for bone grafting and shortening treatment time compared to placing an implant per tooth.
Standard implants are full-sized and offer maximum strength and longevity for individual teeth or full-mouth restorations. Mini implants are smaller in diameter, less invasive, and often used for limited bone density or to stabilize dentures.
Implants typically offer the best long-term durability, function, and appearance. They don't require altering neighboring teeth (unlike a bridge) and stay securely in place (unlike a removable denture), though the upfront cost is higher.
Yes — we offer flexible payment plans and financing through trusted third-party lenders, and we'll walk you through insurance coverage and out-of-pocket estimates during your consultation.
Dr. Boris Zusin places the implant into the jawbone and sutures the gums around it. Healing takes roughly three months before your permanent restoration is fitted; a temporary restoration may be used in the meantime. Some early-healing precautions apply (soft foods, avoiding hot liquids/smoking, a soft-bristle toothbrush).
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Real Solutions For Real Patients
A real Zusin Dental implant case, before and after the restoration was placed.
A real Zusin Dental case restoring two lower molars with implants, before and after the final crowns were placed.
The same two-implant case shown close up, before and after the implant crowns replaced the healing abutments.
Sources
- Oral Implants: The Paradigm Shift in Restorative Dentistry — Lang NP, Journal of Dental Research (2019)
- The Medically Compromised Patient: Are Dental Implants a Feasible Option? — Vissink A, Spijkervet F, Raghoebar GM, Oral Diseases (2018)
- Analysis of Trends in Implant Therapy at a Surgical Specialty Clinic: Patient Pool, Indications, Surgical Procedures, and Rate of Early Failures — A 15-Year Retrospective Analysis — Ducommun J, El Kholy K, Rahman L, et al., Clinical Oral Implants Research (2019)
- Retrospective Analysis of Dental Implants Placed Between 2012 and 2014: Indications, Risk Factors, and Early Survival — Grisar K, Sinha D, Schoenaers J, Dormaar T, Politis C, International Journal of Oral & Maxillofacial Implants (2017)
- Implant Dentistry: The Past, the Present, the Future — Lang NP, Journal of Periodontal Research (2025)
- Patient Selection for Endosseous Dental Implants: Oral and Systemic Considerations — Sugerman PB, Barber MT, International Journal of Oral & Maxillofacial Implants (2002)
- The Provision of Dental Implants: Current Practice Among University and Hospital Specialists in Restorative Dentistry Within the UK and Ireland — Chin JS, Rees J, Addy L, British Dental Journal (2020)
- Dental Implant Considerations in Patients With Systemic Diseases: An Updated Comprehensive Review — Mosaddad SA, Talebi S, Keyhan SO, et al., Journal of Oral Rehabilitation (2024)
- Implant Therapy: 40 Years of Experience — Quirynen M, Herrera D, Teughels W, Sanz M, Periodontology 2000 (2014)
- Interventions for Replacing Missing Teeth: Management of Soft Tissues for Dental Implants — Esposito M, Grusovin MG, Maghaireh H, Coulthard P, Worthington HV, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2007)
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