Dental Implants – Rockville, MD

Initial Dental Implant Consultation

Are dental implants the best choice for replacing your missing teeth? Will you need to have any preliminary procedures performed before the implant posts can be inserted into your jaw? In order to figure out the answers to these questions, you need to schedule a consultation with our team.

We’ll carefully examine your mouth, evaluate the state of your jawbone and other relevant dental structures, and determine how many implant posts would be required to fill in all the empty space in your grin. Don’t be shy about asking us questions; we want you to feel like you fully understand what will happen during the dental implant process.

Dental Implant Surgery

After the consultation and the necessary preparations comes the dental implant surgery. Instead of sending you to an unfamiliar specialist, we can perform this procedure right here. When the surgery begins, your mouth will be numbed before the gums are opened. The implant posts will be inserted into precisely chosen spots before the gums are closed again. To protect the posts while your mouth is healing, special caps will be attached.

Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment

Dental implants are able to act as new tooth roots, but only after they have fused with the jawbone via osseointegration. This process does not happen overnight; it can take anywhere from 3 to 6 months.

After osseointegration, the time will come to receive your abutments, which will be placed via a second surgical procedure. The abutments are a critical part of the dental implant process because they will eventually be used to attach a crown, bridge, or denture to your implant posts.

Delivery of Dental Implant Restoration(s)

The exact type of restoration that your dental implants will support will vary from case to case:

• An implant-supported crown can replace one missing tooth.
• An implant-supported bridge can fill in the gap left by three or more consecutive missing teeth.
• An implant-supported denture allows you to replace all of your teeth at once when an entire arch is missing.

No matter what kind of prosthesis is needed, it will be expertly designed with the help of detailed impressions of your mouth. While a laboratory will create the restoration, we will personally handle the process of attaching it to your implant posts. Once this step is complete, you will be able to enjoy life with beautiful replacement teeth that look, feel, and function like the real thing.

Day-to-Day Benefits

Your teeth play an essential role in your ability to form certain words and to sufficiently mash your food to be swallowed and digested. When there are gaps in your grin, these tasks that were once second nature can be quite challenging. Fortunately, dental implants can increase the quality of your daily life because you can:

• Enjoy a full menu. Unlike dentures and dental bridges, dental implants function as a standalone structure in your mouth. That means they’re sturdier and there are fewer dietary restrictions to contend with. With them in place, you can once again enjoy all your favorite foods.
• Clean them easily. You won’t have to worry about removing your restoration periodically to clean it because it’s permanently embedded in your mouth. Caring for it is as simple as brushing and flossing twice daily.
• Feel more confident. When you don’t have to worry about your artificial teeth slipping or falling out of place, you’ll feel more self-assured in social situations.

Health Benefits

There are other advantages to restoring your smile with dental implants that may not be so immediately apparent. Some additional health benefits include:

• Prevent additional tooth loss. When you lose pearly whites, your body reabsorbs some of your jawbone mass that’s not needed to support them. Because dental implants are inserted into your jaw, they stimulate it whenever you bite down or chew. This keeps it healthy and prevents it from deteriorating to the point that it can’t support your teeth.
• Avoid dental problems. Because they don’t rely on a firm suction with your gum to remain in place like dentures or require that you remove enamel to fit properly like dental bridges, you’re less likely to develop oral issues like gum disease and tooth sensitivity.
• Eat a wholesome diet. Many essential vitamins and minerals are found in foods that are harder to chew like tough meats, fruits, and vegetables. Dental implants are strong enough to easily break these down so that you can properly digest important ingredients.

Long-Term Benefits

Dental implants also offer several advantages over time, such as:

• Durability. They can last 30+ years if cared for properly, which for many patients is the remainder of their lives.
• High chance of success. These prosthetic teeth have an incredibly high success rate of more than 95% even 10 years after they’re placed.
• Saving money. Although you may pay more initially for dental implants than the other options, they typically don’t require as many repairs or replacements. That means that in the long run, they can be more budget-friendly than the alternatives.

Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery

One thing you might have to consider when budgeting for your dental implant surgery are the preliminary treatments you might need before you actually get your new tooth. If your oral health is sub-par, you might need gum disease therapy, tooth extractions, or bone grafts in order to ensure that your dental implant will have a solid foundation. Thankfully, many of these procedures will be at least partially covered by dental insurance.

Then there’s the cost of the surgery itself. We complete dental implant placement in-house, which means we should be able to give you a complete estimate for what the procedures and sedatives will cost you before the procedure.

The Parts of Your Dental Implant

The price of your dental implant itself is also important to consider. Naturally, the number of dental implants and the restoration that you’re putting on them will influence what you’ll pay overall, but that’s far from the only thing you’ll have to consider.

Some dental implants will also be longer or shorter depending on several factors and can be made of several different kinds of materials. This influences what your dental implant is going to cost you. There are also different brands who make dental implants, each of which comes at a different price point.

We’ll talk to you in detail about how each of these factors are going to influence the cost of your implant when we meet you in person.

How Dental Implants Can Save You Money

Due to the relatively high upfront cost of the procedure, patients are often tempted to pursue options other than dental implants, like dentures or dental bridges. However, in the long run, dental implants tend to be the most cost-effective method of replacing teeth.

This has to do with their incredible longevity. Dentures and dental bridges tend to last around five to ten years before needing to be replaced, while dental implants routinely endure for around 30! Many dental implants even last a lifetime if they’re cared for well.

Dental implants also prevent jawbone degradation and tend to be easier to clean than other methods of tooth replacement. This puts you at much lower risk of developing expensive oral health problems down the line. This being the case, you can generally expect your dental implants to save you a lot of money in the long run.

Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?

For a long time, dental implants weren’t really covered by dental insurance companies. This is still the case for many of them, but it’s also something that is very rapidly changing. For that reason, we will help you consult with your dental insurance company to make sure that you’re getting the most out of your benefits.

Making Dental Implants Affordable 

If you don’t have insurance, or if yours won’t cover the cost of your implants, we still want to make your dental implants as affordable as possible. For one, we offer a free dental implant consultation for our patients, which means that you have nothing to lose if you want to learn more about the treatment.

We also frequently work with CareCredit, which is a financing firm that can make your dental implants much more budget friendly. Patients who qualify can split the cost of your dental treatment across several months, often with low-to-no additional interest.

If you want to learn more about the cost of your dental implants, give us a call and we’ll be happy to see you for a free consultation.

Make Oral Hygiene a Priority

When you’re first told that you need to give your dental implants the same attention as your teeth while brushing, you may wonder what the point is. After all, your implants can’t get cavities, can they? While it’s true that tooth decay won’t be an issue for the implant posts, you still have to watch out for gum disease. If the tissue around the implants becomes inflamed due to plaque buildup, it could lead to serious issues such as implant failure. Remember to brush and floss every day to keep your re-completed smile in great shape.

Eat a Healthy Diet

Foods that contain a lot of sugar or starch will cause the bacteria in your mouth to produce more acid, leading to gum disease and other oral health issues. For the sake of your dental implants as well as your entire mouth, you should maintain a balanced, healthy diet. Avoid sugar and starch as much as possible while making sure you get plenty of fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and whole grains. Don’t forget to drink plenty of water as well to help keep your smile clean.

Break Bad Habits

Maybe you sometimes chew on your fingernails or the end of your pen without thinking about it. Or you might find yourself using your teeth to get into a particularly troublesome package. These kinds of habits are bad for your dental implants, and if they’re left unchecked, they could do serious damage. Make a list of any bad oral habits you may have picked up and consider strategies that can help you break them, such as keeping sugar-free gum on hand for when you feel the urge to chew something.

Protect Your Dental Implants

Do you play football, soccer, basketball, or any other kind of contact sport? These activities carry a risk of damaging your dental implants and your teeth if you happen to get hit in the mouth. Wearing a mouthguard helps keep your entire smile safe. A similar oral appliance known as a nightguard may be recommended if you’re prone to bruxism (involuntary teeth grinding that often occurs at night).

Schedule Regular Dental Checkups 

Are your dental implants still in good shape? It can be hard to tell on your own, but our team can check for problems the next time you visit our office for a dental checkup and cleaning. It’s generally recommended that you schedule a dental appointment at least twice a year; these biannual visits will give us the opportunity to make sure that your dental implants are getting the care they need.

How Long Do Dental Implants Last? 

Dental implants can last for over 30 years with proper care, allowing you to enjoy them for potentially the rest of your life. Their lifespan will directly depend on your health and lifestyle. It’s important that you maintain daily brushing and flossing, brushing twice a day for two minutes each session and flossing once a day. It’s also vital to visit our office regularly for checkups. During these appointments, we will examine your smile and ensure that your dental implants are in good health. Keep in mind that poor lifestyle habits like tobacco use can shorten the lifespan of your implants, which is why you should quit smoking if you do.

Can I Take Dental Implants Out?

No – dental implants are surgically placed in the jawbone, which is why they can only be removed by a professional. Implants are made of biocompatible materials that fuse to the jawbone, allowing them to become a permanent part of the body during a process called osseointegration. However, some implant dentures are designed so the denture can be removed, snapping them in and out. In this example, the dental implants themselves stay in the jawbone because they are acting as artificial tooth roots.

Does Getting Dental Implants Hurt?

Many patients find out that dental implants require surgery and automatically assume that it’s painful. However, your implant dentist in Rockville will always ensure that your mouth is completely numb before beginning the procedure. Sedation is also offered, giving you a deeper sense of calm and relaxation. As a bonus, the jawbone doesn’t contain very many pain-sensing nerves, which makes the surgery much more comfortable than you may have guessed. The procedure itself is painless but there will be some slight soreness after the fact. This can be managed by following your post-op instructions carefully, which will usually include pain medication.

How Successful Are Dental Implants?

Dental implants come with a success rate of 95% even after 10 years, making them an incredibly predictable and reliable option. The success of your implants will depend on a few factors, including how well you take care of them, how often you visit your dentist, the diet you consume, and your lifestyle choices. Additionally, the location of your dental implants can also influence their success rate. Implants that replace molars often receive more pressure and wear compared to the front teeth because you use them to chew. This can make them slightly more likely to fail.