Today, you have more options than ever to replace missing teeth. At Hudzinski Dental, we’ll work with you to find the solution that meets all your needs, including long-lasting dental implants.
Losing a tooth changes more than your smile. You start chewing on one side. Neighboring teeth slowly drift into the gap. And the bone that held the root begins to shrink, because nothing is stimulating it anymore. A dental implant is the one replacement that addresses all three problems, because it replaces the root, not just the visible tooth.
At Hudzinski Dental in Mayfield Heights, we plan every implant on a 3-D scan, place it with a custom surgical guide, and restore it with a crown, bridge or denture designed to match your smile. Patients come to us from Mayfield Heights, Lyndhurst, Beachwood, Pepper Pike and across Cleveland's east side.
Call (440) 585-4200 or request an implant consultation online.
A dental implant is a small titanium post that acts as an artificial tooth root. We place it in the jawbone, and over the next few months the bone fuses to it. That process is called osseointegration. Once the implant is stable, we attach a connector (an abutment) and a custom restoration on top.
The result looks like a tooth, feels like a tooth and is cared for like a tooth. It doesn't rely on neighboring teeth for support, and it doesn't come out at night.
An implant replaces a missing tooth root directly and stimulates the jawbone the way a natural tooth does, without involving neighboring teeth. A bridge relies on the teeth on either side of the gap for support, requiring them to be reshaped. A removable denture rests on the gum tissue and requires periodic adjustment as the jawbone gradually changes shape underneath it.
Osseointegration is the biological process where the jawbone fuses directly to the titanium implant body over three to six months, creating a stable foundation strong enough to support normal chewing forces. This fusion is what allows an implant to function like a natural tooth root, and it's the reason implant treatment spans months rather than a single appointment.
A properly placed and well-maintained implant can last 25 years or more, with a documented long-term success rate of roughly 95–98% over 10 years. The visible crown on top may eventually need replacement due to normal wear, but the titanium post fused to the bone is designed to be a permanent foundation.
Implants are cared for almost identically to natural teeth - brushing twice daily and flossing daily around the implant crown, ideally with an interdental brush or water flosser where a standard brush can't reach as effectively. Consistent hygiene and regular professional cleanings are what allow an implant to last decades.
The first step for getting a dental implant is a thorough examination. Dr. Hudzinski uses advanced 3-D imaging technology to evaluate the bone in the area to ensure it’s strong and dense enough to support the implant. If it isn't, all is not lost. You may be a candidate for a bone grafting procedure that will allow you to get a dental implant in the future.
We examine your mouth and take a CBCT 3-D scan to measure bone height, width and density and to locate nerves and sinuses. You'll leave with a clear plan and a written estimate.
If a tooth needs to come out, or the bone is too thin, we may place a bone graft first. Often we can graft at the same visit as the extraction. Learn more about extractions and bone grafting.
Using a surgical guide made on our in-office 3-D printer, we place the implant under local anesthesia. Sedation is available if you'd like to be more relaxed.
Over roughly three to six months, the bone fuses to the implant. In the right cases, a temporary tooth can be placed the same day. See Same-Day Implants: What to Know, which also walks through our staged, fully digital process.
We scan the implant and attach your custom crown, bridge or denture, matched to your natural teeth.
Dr. Matthew Hudzinski joined Dr. Fryer as an associate in 2024 and became the practice owner in 2025, continuing the patient-centered culture of excellence Dr. Fryer established.
Dr. Hudzinski earned a Bachelor of Science in …
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From Dr. Hudzinski: "We get a ton of value from the 3-D scan. It finds things you'd otherwise never know about, like a small infection starting at the tip of an old root canal that isn't causing any pain yet."
A CBCT scan produces a 3D image of your teeth, jaw, and surrounding bone. Unlike standard x-rays, it shows depth and structure from every angle. We use it to plan dental implants, evaluate bone volume, and assess complex cases before treatment begins. Having this level of detail before we start helps us place implants accurately and avoid surprises during procedures.
Our in-office 3D printer creates custom dental appliances with precision and speed. We use it to fabricate surgical guides for implant placement, retainers, night guards, and study models. Because everything is made on-site, you spend less time waiting and more time benefiting from appliances designed to fit your mouth exactly.