Replacing a tooth with an implant is not a one-afternoon job. It is a project that runs for months, with several appointments spaced around a healing period, so where your dentist is located genuinely matters. Drivers from West Springfield reach our Burke practice, Suite B at 6505 Sydenstricker Rd, about five minutes after passing the Old Keene Mill Shopping Center. Dr. Pejman Ghorbani handles implant care in-house, from the 3D scan and the surgery through to the final tooth, so Springfield patients are not shuttled between a surgeon in one town and a restoring dentist in another. Below is what to plan for. Our dentist for Springfield residents overview lists everything else we see Springfield families for.
Single implant, several implants or All-on-4?
The right design depends on how many teeth are missing and what is left to work with.
- One missing tooth: one implant post topped with a single crown. The teeth on either side are left untouched.
- Two or more teeth in a row: implants can carry a fixed span of teeth instead of one post per tooth. That approach has its own guide: see our implant bridge guide for Springfield.
- A whole arch: All-on-4 places a minimum of four implants to hold a full row of fixed teeth. An implant-retained overdenture, which snaps in and out on two to four implants, is the removable alternative.
For the full background on how implants work, their parts and who is a candidate, read our full guide to dental implants. The fixed and snap-in full-arch options are described step by step on the All-on-4 implants page, and our comparison of All-on-4 and traditional implants lays out the trade-offs. If a removable plate is more realistic for you right now, our dentures page for Springfield patients covers that path.
How many trips to Burke a single implant takes
Every case is different, but a straightforward single-tooth implant usually involves these stops:
- Consultation: exam, digital X-rays and a cone beam CT scan taken in the office, then a written plan.
- Extraction and grafting, if needed: a failing tooth comes out first, and a bone graft may be placed to rebuild the site. See our extraction page for Springfield patients.
- Implant placement: the post is placed using a guide planned from your scan.
- Check-ups during healing: short visits to confirm the site is healing well.
- Final crown: digital impressions are taken, then the custom crown is fitted and the bite adjusted.
The long gap is the healing phase, while bone fuses to the implant. Cleveland Clinic puts that process at three to nine months, depending on how quickly your body heals (Cleveland Clinic: Dental Implants). A graft adds its own healing time before the implant goes in. You will not be left with a visible gap in the meantime; a temporary tooth or appliance is arranged where it is needed.
All-on-4 from Springfield
Full-arch treatment front-loads the work. Planning uses digital impressions, photos and a cone beam scan, which go to the lab before surgery day. On the day itself, failing teeth are removed and the implants are placed, and in many cases a temporary set of fixed teeth is attached the same day. The final teeth follow after healing. Because surgery day is long, many patients choose sedation; read about the options on our sedation dentistry page for Springfield, and arrange for someone to drive you home, since you cannot drive yourself after oral or IV sedation.
Scheduling around a Springfield work week
We see patients Monday through Thursday until 5 PM, and on Fridays and Saturdays until 2 PM. Surgery appointments are usually best booked so you have the following day or two off, which for a lot of federal workers means a Thursday or Friday procedure before the weekend. The consultation and the short healing checks are easy to fit in an early morning. From Springfield Town Center the trip is about 11 minutes outside rush hour, and from Newington or the NGA campus about 16 minutes; the Fairfax County Parkway to Rolling Road avoids the slowest stretch of Old Keene Mill Road at peak times.
Timing implant treatment with your benefits
Dental plans vary widely on implants. Some cover part of the surgery or the crown as a major service, some exclude implants, and almost all have an annual maximum. Because an implant naturally spreads over several months, the surgery and the final crown frequently land in different benefit years, which can help when each stage counts toward a fresh maximum. Federal employees and retirees who want to change FEDVIP plans before starting treatment can do so only during Open Season, which OPM has set for November 9 through December 14, 2026, for 2027 coverage (OPM announcement). Our FEDVIP and TRICARE guide for Springfield households explains how those plans treat major work, and seniors can read about Medicare and dental care in Springfield.
Before treatment, our insurance coordinator looks up your coverage where the plan allows it and sends in the claims. We do not quote implant fees on this page because they depend on the number of implants, grafting and the type of restoration; our article on what dental implants cost in Virginia explains the factors, and costs are gone over with you at the consultation, before anything is scheduled. Payment plans and financing are available.
What the first consultation covers
Expect a conversation about what you want to fix, a review of your medical history and medicines, an exam of the gums and remaining teeth, and a cone beam scan that shows bone height, width and the position of nerves and sinuses. Dr. Ghorbani will tell you whether you are ready for an implant now, whether gum treatment or grafting needs to come first, and how many appointments the whole plan involves. If a bridge or a denture would suit you better, he will say so. Nothing starts without your approval.
To book an implant consultation, request an appointment online or call (703) 250-5072. Our office is in Burke, a short drive from Springfield along Old Keene Mill Road.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to go to a separate oral surgeon for the implant surgery?+
Not at Shield Dental Care. Dr. Ghorbani places the implant and also restores it, and the cone beam scanner is in the office, so the planning scan, surgery and final crown all happen at the same Burke address.
Can my implant appointments be split between two calendar years?+
Often they fall that way naturally, because healing takes months. If you start in the fall, the surgery may be billed in one plan year and the crown in the next. The office can estimate what each stage is likely to cost under your plan before you commit.
I already wear a full denture. Can it be used with implants?+
Sometimes. An existing denture may be adapted to snap onto implants, or a new overdenture or fixed All-on-4 arch may work better. The fit and condition of your current denture are checked at the consultation.
How soon after implant surgery can I go back to work?+
Many people with a single implant return to desk work the next day, while a full-arch procedure usually calls for a few days off. Soreness and swelling vary, so plan a lighter schedule for the first days and follow the soft-food instructions you are given.
What if a tooth needs to come out before the implant?+
The extraction is usually the first step, sometimes with a bone graft placed at the same visit to preserve the site. Depending on the bone, the implant is placed either at that appointment or after the socket has healed, which can add a few months to the timeline.