Judgement free at Aerni Dental
By Mimi Vanderhaven
"While attending Case Western dental school in 1986, my father came to see me and presented with advanced dental infection. So severe for his health, his teeth had to be removed. To allow him to have full function back, my father and I decided dental implants would be the best choice. He was my first implant patient. My father and I maintained his implants his entire life.”
That story underscores two points, Dr. Aerni says. One is that with proper aftercare, dental implants can last a lifetime. The other is that as high as 50 percent of the population doesn’t visit a dentist regularly, his dad included.
And that’s nothing to be ashamed of.
“We don’t care how you got to where you are, the important thing is that you want to take steps to correct your dental health,” he says.
“People get to the point where they are embarrassed to come in. There is no judgement here. These are good people and they’ve done the best they can. We just want them to be more comfortable. To get them to that point, we offer more than one way to correct their dental concerns, including full and partial implants as well as bridges and single tooth replacements.”
Treating infection and helping a person’s mouth to heal is part of the process.
“When my dad lost all of his teeth, he needed therapy to ensure his implants were successful,” Dr. Aerni says. “Our team approach to offering technology, cleaning and proper care after implantation can make all of the difference.”
Aerni Dental offers hygiene specifically geared towards his dental patients. This allows Dr. Aerni and his hygienists the opportunity to intercept any problems early.“We work with you to help you get the most out of your investment,” Dr. Aerni says.
Does Implant Surgery Hurt?
Dr. Aerni gets asked a lot of questions about implants, one of which centers around pain. “I’ve had extensive training in pain management and don’t have to use narcotics to manage a patient’s pain,” he explains.
“I manage pain with antibiotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication and platelet-rich plasma (PRP), which contains a person’s own growth factors and aids in healing.”
Dr. Aerni says there is actually very little pain, and PRP helps patients to heal nearly twice as fast.
Is it Expensive?
The costs associated with each treatment offered by Aerni Dental differ, with a full set of implants costing the most.
“But we offer different ranges and different therapies, so people can choose the one that makes them the most comfortable, both physically and financially,” he says.
“Most importantly, when we first meet with a patient, he or she leaves understanding all of the options available and able to make an informed decision.”
They have many financing options and will help with this process.
How Many Appointments Will I Need?
The number of appointments depends on the treatment you choose. Some offer faster solutions, while others take more time. You can find out exactly how long your treatment will take during your free consultation, which is when Dr. Aerni will perform a complimentary exam and evaluation and do a free CT scan.
It’s Your Choice
Dr. Aerni has over 130 five-star patient reviews online, including this one:
“Dr. Aerni and his staff are wonderful! Professional and compassionate! I was very pleased with my experience. Dr. Aerni is genuinely invested in the health and welfare of his patients. My course of treatment was carefully determined and he spent as much time as I needed to understand the things that needed to be done, and in which order. I would highly recommend Dr. Aerni’s practice.”
Aerni Dental is located at 11177 Pearl Road, in Strongsville. Office hours are Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; Friday, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. The Aerni Dental team also provides general dentistry, crowns, orthodontics and cosmetic enhancement. Call 440-390-3690 to discuss the many options available, or visit AerniDental.com to see a video about implants.