We know deciding on a permanent solution for your smile can feel overwhelming. You’ve likely lived through years of discomfort, uncertainty, or disappointment with dentures or dental work that just didn’t last.
We’ve heard these stories from thousands of patients, and we want you to know, you’re not alone.
Your Smile Journey Begins Here.
At St. Louis Denture and Implant practice, our mission is simple: to give you back the freedom to laugh, eat, and smile without worry. Every smile has a story, and our greatest privilege is helping patients turn the page to a new chapter filled with confidence and joy.
This guide was created to answer your biggest questions, show you real transformations, and help you imagine what’s possible for your own SMILE Journey.
Take your time, explore each section, and when you’re ready, know that we’ll be here to walk beside you every step of the way.
The Smile Journey Process
Step 1:
Welcome Consultation
We understand that every patient has a unique set of circumstances and goals for their smile. That’s why your SMILE Journey begins NOT with a sales call, but with a personalized Smile Planning Session.
Think of this step as meeting with the architect who will help you envision the perfect blueprint for your smile.
During this session, our Transformation Expert will work alongside you to understand your desired aesthetic, lifestyle, and budget, sketching the broad outlines of your dream smile.
By the end of this session, you’ll have a clear vision of the possibilities ahead, laying the groundwork for the next phase of your journey.
Step 2:
SMILE Blueprint
With your goals and needs in mind, it’s time to create a concrete plan. In Step 2, we transform insights from your Smile Planning Session into a detailed SMILE Blueprint—a step-by-step roadmap tailored to your dental goals.
Just like an architect drafts a blueprint, our skilled doctors design a customized treatment plan just for you.
During this stage, you’ll meet with an SPG doctor for an in-depth consultation to assess your dental health, preferences, and lifestyle.
Your doctor will guide you through the process, answer questions, and ensure every detail is meticulously planned, giving you confidence in the journey ahead.
Step 3:
Precision Fitting
Now that your SMILE Blueprint is set, it’s time for the SPG Precision Fitting. Using advanced technology, your SPG doctor will craft your new smile with expert precision, ensuring each implant and denture is secure, comfortable, and built to last.
Just like a master builder follows a blueprint, we carefully design every detail to create a smile that looks, feels, and functions naturally—so you can enjoy your favorite foods without hesitation.
Your comfort and confidence are our priority. We take every step to ensure a seamless, precise fit, giving you the freedom to eat, speak, and smile with ease.
Step 4:
SPG Care Connect
Your journey doesn’t end once your new smile is in place—just like a well-built home requires ongoing care, your smile deserves the same attention. With SPG Care Connect, we offer continuous follow-up and support to ensure your results remain exceptional and your smile continues to shine.
Your experience is our top priority from start to finish. Whether you’re speaking with us on the phone or visiting in person, we’re here to ensure you feel welcomed, supported, and confident in your care.
Our goal is to make you feel comfortable, valued, and proud of your smile every step of the way.
Step 1
Welcome Consultation
To begin your journey toward a confident, lasting smile, we’ll start by taking a closer look at your oral health. This includes advanced imaging, like a 3D CT scan, which helps us determine if full-arch dental implants are the right solution for you. Most of our locations offer this technology on-site, so we can complete it during your free consultation.
Once we’ve explored your options together including the benefits and considerations – we’ll provide a clear, detailed treatment plan tailored to your needs.
You’ll have everything you need to make an informed decision, whether on your own or with the support of your loved ones. Because your smile should feel as good as it looks—strong, secure, and built to last.
Step 2
SMILE Blueprint
Your Dedicated SMILE Consultant After your consultation, we’ll connect you with a Treatment Coordinator who will be your direct point of contact throughout your entire SMILE journey. Your Treatment Coordinator will:
– Be your go-to person for any questions or support.
– Take care of all the necessary arrangements, including recommendations for accommodation if you’re coming from out of town
– Help you explore finance and payment options.
We’re here to make your experience smooth, stress-free, and personalized!
Digital Smile Design
Once a date is set, you will need an appointment for pictures and impressions so that we can digitize and design your new smile in advance of your surgery. You get to choose the color and shape of your new teeth, or may decide to leave it up to the experts for the most natural aesthetic results.
The 3-D x-rays are then used along with the digital smile design to plan your surgery and determine the best possible aesthetics and most optimal positions for the implants.
Step 3
Precision Fitting
Your implant surgery is performed by our highly skilled surgical team, who follow a custom plan created just for you. While you’re comfortably asleep under general anesthesia or sedation, your remaining teeth (if any) are removed, your bone is reshaped, and your implants are placed with meticulous care. Before you even wake up, we take a digital scan of your implants to begin crafting your new smile right away.
Using advanced technology and digital smile design, our lab team creates a 3D-printed template that matches your planned smile. This is tried in the same day to fine-tune the look and feel with your input, ensuring a natural result you’ll love. And the best part? You go home with beautiful temporary teeth that same day.
The final restoration is then hand- crafted by our expert lab technicians, who use a titanium base and individually set each tooth for a personalized, lifelike appearance. This is the moment your smile truly starts to shine— crafted with precision, comfort, and care.
Step 4
SPG Care Connect
Your smile transformation doesn’t end once you’re done—just like a garden needs tending, your smile thrives with a little extra care. That’s where SPG Care Connect comes in. We’re here for you long after your new smile is revealed, offering ongoing support to keep it looking as amazing as day one.
– Call Anytime for Adjustments: If your All- on-4 needs a little fine-tuning, we’re just a call away to ensure everything is perfect for you.
– Annual Check-ups and Cleanings: Keep your All-on-4 implants in top shape with our yearly check-ups and professional cleanings. Let us help you maintain a healthy, beautiful smile.
– Emergency Care: Should you ever need urgent assistance with your All-on-4, don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re here to provide prompt care and get you back to smiling confidently.
From your first consultation to well beyond your procedure, personalized care doesn’t stop once your treatment is complete. We take the time to listen to any concerns, make necessary adjustments, and offer ongoing support to ensure you’re not only happy with your smile but also with the incredible life change it brings.
Your satisfaction is his top priority, and he’s here to guide you every step of the way, ensuring that your transformation is nothing short of amazing.
Why Patients Choose Implants Over Dentures
For many patients, traditional dentures were once the only option. But while dentures can replace missing teeth, they often come with daily challenges that impact comfort, health, and confidence.
The difference is more than teeth. It’s about lifestyle. Patients who choose implants tell us they no longer feel held back. They smile in photos, enjoy meals with family, and feel like themselves again.
I used to worry my dentures would slip everytime I laughed. Now I don't even think about it- I just live my life.
What Products Are Right For Me?
Traditional Dentures
Benefits
– Restores smile.
– Restores some function.
– Top has natural suction to stay in place better.
Challenges
– Covers the entire roof of the mouth.
– Not the most ideal fit on bottom.
– Sometimes difficult to chew and eat.
– Sore gums/rubs.
– May require glue.
– Needs replaced every 5 years.
Snap In Dentures
Benefits
– More stability and better fit than traditional dentures.
– Less gum and tissue coverage required.
– Looks great.
– Restores function better than traditional dentures.
Challenges
– Must have rings changed every 6 months to a year.
– Not always a viable option on the top.
– Need to be taken out and cleaned at night.
– Requires more gum/ tissue coverage than the AO4.
All on Four Implants
Benefits
– Closest option to natural teeth in both appearance and function.
– Patients are able to taste and enjoy their favorite foods.
– Screwed in.
– They stay in the mouth.
– Better contoured to gums.
– Restores quality of life.
Challenges
– Patients must be a candidate for treatment.
– Must have healthy bone level.
Dentures
Dentures are used as an economical means to replace missing teeth.
Partial dentures rely on existing teeth for support, and can contribute to decay or gum disease of the supporting teeth. Full dentures rely on suction, and can be particularly problematic in the lower.
Dentures often result in significant limitations with food, loss of taste, looseness and a loss of confidence. Dentures are not well tolerated in
Failed Dental Work
Patients who receive extensive dental treatment remain susceptible to further deterioration if known factors are not controlled, such as hygiene, consumption of sugar and preventative dental maintenance.
Dental work can also fail due to poor planning and/ or construction with the passage of time.
It is not uncommon for the cycle of treatments to continue when focusing on a specific issue each time without a definitive long term plan, resulting in a loss of biologic tissues and loss of options.
Tooth Decay
Patients who receive extensive dental treatment remain susceptible to further deterioration if known factors are not controlled, such as hygiene, consumption of sugar and preventative dental maintenance.
Dental work can also fail due to poor planning and/ or construction with the passage of time.
It is not uncommon for the cycle of treatments to continue when focusing on a specific issue each time without a definitive long term plan, resulting in a loss of biologic tissues and loss of options.
