As if practicing at and overseeing four dental offices that treat over 10,000 patients isn’t enough, Dr. Larry Mulvaney typically completes 200-400 hours of continuing education in his field every year.
“This industry is changing so fast that it is imperative to do that much in order to stay on the cutting edge,” said Mulvaney, who is the founder and president of Northwestern Dental Group, his Niles-based comprehensive adult dental care practice with an emphasis on dental implants.
Estimated by the American Academy of Implant Dentistry to be a $6.4 billion industry by 2018, dental implants are rapidly becoming more and more common in older adults.
With a dramatic increase in the number of dentists who offer the procedure, Mulvaney warned that effective technique is crucial for a positive outcome.
“As frightening as it is, there are dentists who have one weekend of training and get the certification to place implants,” said Mulvaney, who has been placing implants since 2006 and who has completed multiple programs in implant surgery and prosthetics, studying under pioneers in the field, Dr. Carl Misch and Dr. Hilt Tatum.
Mulvaney, who has also taught the procedure to other dentists, explained that dental implants are constructed in three parts: a titanium post that is placed in the jawbone, an abutment that fits over the part of the implant that protrudes from the gum line, and the crown.
Northwestern Dental offers implants for a single missing tooth, multiple missing teeth or all missing teeth. Mulvaney said the procedure for a single tooth takes only 10-15 minutes. It is done using a local anesthetic, and if the patient prefers, sedation, he said. A crown is made and inserted three to five months later.
“It truly is a life-changing experience for many patients,” said Mulvaney, a graduate of University of Illinois Dental School, who also holds an MBA. “I tell them, ‘It’s so much like a regular tooth that after a while, you will forget which one it is.’”
Gina Sinacori, one of Mulvaney’s patients, had implants on her entire mouth done last year.
“Not only did my teeth look bad, but I couldn’t eat a lot of food,” said Sinacori, a 60-year-old beauty salon owner who lives in Michigan and who was referred to Mulvaney by a friend. “I couldn’t chew, and I was losing weight.”
Sinacori described Mulvaney as “soothing” and “calming,” and said he alleviated her fears by being communicative, both before and during the procedure. She said the result was life changing, and that not only can she eat normally, but that her smile is very natural.
“My friends can’t believe the difference in my appearance,” she said.
Northwest Dental, which also has offices in Arlington Heights, Gurnee, and Rockford, has a staff of 35, which includes five other general dentists. The practice also offers general dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, and treatment options for sleep apnea.
Mulvaney, who lives in Lake Forest with his wife, Lorraine, and their two children, has been practicing dentistry for 28 years. He said he knew he wanted to be a dentist when he was just eight years old and that he was inspired by his uncle, who was a dentist.
“I can’t tell you how many times patients who have implants come in for a follow-up and they just start crying because they are so happy and emotional,” said Mulvaney. “That’s what motivates me to work as hard as I do.”
“People who don’t know me that well say, ‘You look beautiful,’ but they can’t pinpoint it,” Sinacori said. “Someone asked me if I had a facelift!”
Northwestern Dental
7886 Milwaukee Ave. Niles
(847) 423-2488
nwdgimplants.com