Dental Implants in the South Hills of Pittsburgh
Dental implants replace missing teeth with titanium posts that sit in the jawbone like tooth roots. A crown, bridge, or denture then attaches on top. At Poling Family Dental Care in Whitehall, a single implant with its crown is $4,863. A full-arch implant bridge is $25,795 per arch. Both fees include the surgical guide.
Fees shown are our standard fees. Actual cost may vary based on individual clinical needs and insurance participation.
If you are reading about implants, you may be missing one tooth, a few, or most of them. You may also be comparing offices that won’t name a price until you come in. That makes it hard to plan a budget or compare your options at home.
Dr. William Scott Poling publishes his implant fees so you can plan before your first visit. He has 20 years in practice and has trained in implant dentistry since 2013. He plans each case on a 3D scan, places the implants, and fits the teeth that go on them. Dr. Poling is a general dentist.
Call (412) 882-1320 to book an implant consultation. We are open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
What are dental implants?
A dental implant is a small titanium post that Dr. Poling places in your jawbone where a tooth root used to be. Over 3 to 6 months, the bone grows tightly around it. Dentists call this osseointegration. Once it heals, the implant can hold a crown, a bridge, or a full set of teeth that you chew with like natural teeth.
Every implant restoration has three layers, and the implant is the post in the bone. The abutment is a short connector that attaches to the post. The tooth or teeth you see sit on the abutment.
Implants differ from dentures and regular bridges in one important way. They load the jawbone when you chew. After you lose a tooth, the bone in that spot begins to shrink, and much of that loss happens in the first year. An implant puts pressure back on the bone where it sits, which helps keep it.
Which type of dental implant do you need?
The right type depends on how many teeth you are missing and where. One missing tooth usually calls for a single implant and crown. A full arch of missing or failing teeth usually calls for a fixed bridge on four or more implants, or a denture that snaps onto implants. Dr. Poling decides with you after a 3D scan.
One missing tooth: a single implant
A single implant replaces one tooth without touching the teeth next to it. Our standard fee is $4,863, which includes the implant, the implant-supported crown, and the surgical guide. Read more on our single-tooth dental implant page.
Several missing teeth: an implant bridge
If you are missing two or more teeth in a row, two implants can often hold a bridge of three or more teeth. This uses fewer implants than one per tooth. Dr. Poling prices these cases after he sees your scan.
A whole arch: a full-arch implant bridge
A full-arch bridge replaces every tooth in one jaw with a fixed set held by four or more implants. You do not take it out at night, and only your dentist removes it for cleanings. Our standard fee is $25,795 per arch, including anesthesia. Read more on our full-arch dental implants page.
A whole arch, removable: an implant denture
A snap-in implant denture clicks onto two or more implants and comes out at night for cleaning. It holds more firmly than a regular denture, and it often costs less than a fixed bridge.
Am I a candidate for dental implants?
If you are healthy enough to have a tooth pulled, Dr. Poling can usually evaluate you for implants. The key questions are how much healthy jawbone you have, whether your gums are healthy, and whether any health condition would slow healing. Dr. Poling answers these at your consultation with an exam, a panoramic X-ray, and 3D imaging.
You are more likely to be a good candidate if:
- Your gums are healthy, or you have had gum disease treated
- Your diabetes, if you have it, is well managed
- You do not smoke, or you are willing to stop while you heal
- You can keep up with daily cleaning and regular checkups
Low bone does not always rule you out. Dr. Poling performs bone grafting and sinus lifts in our office. He also uses PRF, a healing gel made from a small sample of your own blood, to support grafts. Your scan shows whether you need any of these, and he prices them before you agree to a plan.
How the implant process works
Most implant cases take 4 to 7 months from placement to final teeth, and most of that time is healing. You come in for a consultation, a planning step, the placement visit, short healing checks, and the visit where your final teeth go in. Cases that need an extraction or bone graft first can take longer.
Consultation and 3D imaging
Your first visit is a comprehensive exam with a panoramic X-ray. We bill it at our normal fee. Dr. Poling adds 3D imaging so he can measure your bone in detail and plan around nerves and sinuses.
A surgical guide made from your plan
Dr. Poling plans each implant’s position on your scan. A custom surgical guide carries that plan into the procedure, directing each implant to the right depth and angle. The guide is part of both our single and full-arch fees.
Placement, healing, and your final teeth
You are numb during placement, and sedation is available. Over the next few months the bone bonds to the implant. Then we take impressions, usually with a digital scanner, and Dr. Poling fits your crown, bridge, or denture and checks your bite.
How much do dental implants cost in Pittsburgh?
At Poling Family Dental Care, a single tooth-implant is $4,863, covering the implant, the implant-supported crown, and the surgical guide. A full-arch implant bridge is $25,795 per arch, covering implant placement, the bridge, the surgical guide, and anesthesia. We bill the new-patient exam and panoramic X-ray separately at our normal fee.
Fees shown are our standard fees. Actual cost may vary based on individual clinical needs and insurance participation.
Before you agree to treatment, Dr. Poling reviews a few things that shape your plan:
- An extraction before the implant
- Bone grafting, a sinus lift, or PRF if your bone needs support
- Your PPO plan’s contracted fee and yearly maximum
Dr. Poling tells you in writing whether your plan needs any of these steps, and what each one costs, before treatment starts.
We participate with most PPO plans. Many PPO plans pay toward part of implant treatment up to the plan’s yearly maximum. Our team checks your benefits and tells you your share before treatment. For monthly payments, we work with CareCredit, Cherry, and Sunbit, and each lender sets its own terms.
Why patients choose Poling Family Dental Care for implants
Choosing an implant office means trusting one team with months of care and a real investment. These points describe how Dr. Poling actually runs implant treatment in our Whitehall office. Each one is something you can check at your consultation, before you agree to any plan.
Published fees before your first visit
Our single and full-arch fees are on this page, so you can compare them against your budget before you ever call us.
The same dentist places and restores
Dr. Poling places the implant and fits the teeth that go on it. One person is responsible for the whole result.
Implant training since 2013
Dr. Poling completed implant training at the Triangle Dental Institute in Durham, North Carolina, in 2013. He also completed fellowship training with the International Congress of Oral Implantologists.
Planned in 3D, placed with a guide
Every implant starts as a plan on a 3D scan. The surgical guide carries that plan into your mouth.
Bone grafting and sinus lifts in the same office
If you need more bone, Dr. Poling handles the graft or sinus lift himself. You do not start over with a new office.
In-office IV sedation
Anxious patients can choose IV sedation in our office, given by a nurse anesthetist while Dr. Poling places the implant.
How long do dental implants last?
With daily cleaning and regular checkups, the implant post can stay in place for many years. The crown, bridge, or denture on top takes the wear of chewing, so it may need repair or replacement at some point. No dentist can promise a set lifespan, because your gums, bite, and habits all affect the result.
The biggest risk to an implant is gum infection around it, often from plaque that sits too long. Brush twice a day, clean around the implant every day, and keep your cleanings. If you grind your teeth, a custom nightguard protects your new crown or bridge while you sleep.
Smoking slows healing and raises the risk of problems around implants. If you smoke, Dr. Poling will talk with you honestly about how it affects your plan and whether a pause during healing makes sense. Uncontrolled diabetes can have a similar effect, so keeping your blood sugar steady before and after placement helps your implant settle in.
Dental implant consultations in Whitehall and the South Hills
Poling Family Dental Care is at 300 Weyman Rd., Suite 260, Pittsburgh, PA 15236, in Whitehall. Patients come to us from Baldwin, Bethel Park, Pleasant Hills, Mt. Lebanon, Brentwood, and South Park. Our hours are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call (412) 882-1320 to book your implant consultation.
The practice has cared for South Hills families since 1985. Dr. Poling bought it in 2020 and is the only dentist here, so you see him at each implant visit. He served as a U.S. Navy hospital corpsman during Operation Desert Storm before he became a dentist. Our office is wheelchair accessible, with five treatment rooms. For your first visit, bring your insurance card, a photo ID, and a list of the medicines you take.
Whether you are missing one tooth or many, the first step is the same: a scan, an exam, and a straight answer about your options and price. Call Poling Family Dental Care at (412) 882-1320 to meet Dr. Poling.
Frequently asked questions
Do dental implants hurt?
You are numb during the procedure, so most people feel pressure rather than pain. Soreness and swelling usually last 3 to 5 days and respond to over-the-counter pain relievers. If you feel anxious about dental work, you can choose oral or IV sedation. IV sedation in our office is given by our nurse anesthetist.
Does dental insurance cover implants?
Coverage depends on your plan. Many PPO plans pay part of implant treatment up to the plan’s yearly maximum, and many cover the exam and X-ray. We participate with most PPO plans. Our team checks your benefits before treatment, so you know your expected share before you agree to anything.
Are implants better than dentures?
Implants and dentures solve different problems. Implants stay fixed or snap firmly in place and help keep jawbone where they sit. Regular dentures cost less up front but rest on the gums and can loosen as the bone changes. Dr. Poling offers both and will explain which suits your mouth, health, and budget.