Before You Pick One, Count the Appointments
Anyone who has had an implant will tell you the same thing: it isn’t one visit. It’s a series of them, spread over months. There’s planning, sometimes an extraction or bone graft, the implant itself, healing time, and then the tooth that goes on top.
That’s worth knowing before you search “best implant dentist in Kalispell,” because the results won’t tell you how many separate appointments and separate offices are involved. They’ll just show you smiles and phone numbers.
Dr. Evan Olson grew up in Havre, where his dad still practices dentistry, and spent summers in the Flathead Valley. At Alpine Family Dental on Westview Park Place, my team and I handle every step of the dental implant process under one roof. Below is how I’d evaluate an implant dentist if I were in your chair. If you’d rather just talk, call (406) 393-8877 if you are a new patient. Returning patients can call our office at (406) 752-1107 to make an appointment.
Seven Questions Worth Asking Any Implant Dentist
1. “Who is actually doing each step?”
Some practices place the implant themselves. Others refer the surgery to one office and send you back to your regular dentist for the crown. Neither is wrong, but you should know which one you’re getting, because each handoff is a chance for something to get lost.
We do the extraction, the bone grafting, the implant placement, and the final restoration ourselves. When something needs adjusting, the person who adjusts it already knows your case.
2. “How much of this will I be doing in the car?”
This one is particular to where we live. If you’re coming from Eureka, Libby, or the far side of the valley, an hour or more each way for every visit adds up fast, especially in winter.
Ask how many visits your plan takes and what each one is for. Tell us where you’re coming from when you call, and we’ll plan your visits with that in mind.
3. “How do you plan the case before surgery?”
An implant needs enough healthy bone in the right place, clear of nerves and sinuses. Good planning happens before anyone picks up a drill.
We use diagnostic digital imaging and 3D imaging and printing, and in many cases we can skip the gooey traditional impressions entirely.
4. “What if I don’t have enough bone, or my gums aren’t healthy?”
Plenty of people who need implants have been missing a tooth for years, and the bone has shrunk. Others have gum disease that has to be dealt with first. A dentist who can’t manage these problems will send you elsewhere, and that adds time and appointments.
We do extractions and bone grafting, and we treat gum disease with scaling and root planing. For bigger situations, we offer full-mouth implants, All-on-4 and All-on-6, implant bridges, and snap-in dentures.
5. “What if I’m scared of this?”
Plenty of people are, and plenty put off implants for years because of it. The honest answer should be specific. Your dentist should tell you your options and give all the information you need to make you comfortable.
6. “Can I see the whole cost in writing?”
Not a “starting at” number. The whole thing: surgery, the implant, the part that connects it, the crown, and follow-up.
We use CareCredit® and Sunbit for financing. If you don’t have dental insurance, our membership plan is built for exactly that and includes savings on treatment.
7. “Who do I call in year seven?”
Implants are meant to last, but they still need maintenance, and sometimes a crown needs replacing years later. Ask who you’ll call and whether they’ll still know your history.
I bought this practice after five years in a community health center in Bend, Oregon, and I plan to be here. When you call in year seven, you’ll reach people who know you.
How Your Options Actually Differ
An oral surgeon or periodontist is the right call for complex anatomy or higher-risk cases. The usual tradeoff is that the surgery happens in one office and the crown is made in another, so ask who handles the second half and where.
A large dental group can offer convenient scheduling. Ask whether you’ll see the same dentist at each visit, since that’s what keeps a long treatment plan coherent.
A general dentist with implant training, like us, can usually handle straightforward to moderate cases start to finish, with fewer handoffs. Ask whether they refer out when a case is beyond them. We do.
None of these is right for everyone. A good general dentist will tell you when your case needs a specialist, and a good specialist will tell you when it doesn’t. I’d rather send you to someone else than do work I’m not the right person for.
Things That Should Make You Pause
- A firm price with no exam. Nobody knows what your mouth needs until they’ve looked.
- A “today only” deal. Implants are permanent. You can take a week.
- No talk of alternatives. A bridge or denture is sometimes the better call. Here’s how they compare.
- Vague answers about who does the work. You should be able to get a plain answer to question 1.
- No plan for follow-up. Ask what happens if something isn’t right.
What a Good First Visit Feels Like
You talk, and we listen. We look at your teeth and gums and take images, then sit down and go through what we found in plain language. Sometimes the answer is an implant. Sometimes it’s a bridge, a denture, or fixing something else first. You leave with a written plan, a cost, and a timeline, and nobody asks you to decide that day.
“…I put my trust into the team at Alpine Family Dental. Dr. Todd Cahoon and Dr. Evan Olsen replaced my front teeth with implants. I am very happy with my new teeth…”— Gary W. via Google
Looking for an Implant Dentist in Kalispell? Contact Dr. Olsen!
If you want the best implant dentist in Kalispell, MT, don’t just take our word for it. Ask these seven questions of every office you visit, including ours.
We see patients from Kalispell, Whitefish, Bigfork, Columbia Falls, Somers, Lakeside, Eureka, and Libby. Call our Kalispell dental office at (406) 752-1107 or book online. You can also look around the office first or send us a question.