What are Dental Implants?
Today, dental implants are believed to be the standard of care in replacing teeth. Whether it’s a single tooth, multiple teeth, or the entire mouth, dental implants have been deemed the “man-made” roots of teeth. They help preserve the bone that encapsulates your natural tooth, which may have been damaged from cavities, gum infection, trauma, or some other cause. The implants look and feel just like a natural tooth.
Each part of an implant has its role. The post, or the screw which takes the place of the tooth, is connected to the jawbone during surgery and keeps the dental restoration stable. After enough time is allotted to allow for healing and for the bone to bond with the post, the replacement tooth is fitted on top of the post. Each implant is specifically designed with comfort in mind and is personalized to your specific oral care needs, whether that may be a dental bridge, a crown, or an implant supported full or partial prosthesis.
Our in-office treatments consist of the removal of non-restorable teeth, bone grafting to dental implant replacement, and restorations. To learn more about what option is right for you, please call Thurmont Smiles at (301) 304-7074 and schedule your consultation today.
In our office we provide treatments starting from removal of non restorable teeth, bone grafting to dental implant placement and restorations.
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Placement of Dental Implants
The procedure for dental implants requires expertise and thorough training. Dr. Oza is a graduate of a two-year Dental Implant Fellowship course at the University of Maryland and she holds a fellowship from internationally known organization; ICOI (International Congress of Oral Implantologists). Dr. Oza has been successfully treating and helping patients from Thurmont, Emmitsburg, Gettysburg, and Frederick county with their smiles and chewing function by replacing their missing teeth with dental implants. (The above picture was taken at University of Maryland Implant Training Program in 2018, with Dr. Oza's classmates and instructors).
Continue reading for detailed information about the procedure and your options.
AMAZING BENEFITS of dental implant treatment
The emotional and physical stress of wearing ill fitting dentures, flippers or partials can be a thing of the past when you restore your missing teeth with dental implants.
The spaces created by teeth that are missing, can cause shifting of your other teeth in your mouth. This can create malalignment of the bite and possibly losing more teeth in the future or TMJ jaw joint problems.
When the teeth shift, they may make contacts with the neighbor teeth at an angle that collects food and plaque. Decay and gum disease are often seen in these areas, ruining perfectly good existing teeth.
Underlying bone that was supporting the missing tooth will start to shrink because of loss of stimulation that naturally comes from teeth roots. A dental implant can keep the supporting bone stimulated just like a natural tooth which is very important for your eating function for years to come.
The great news is that dental implants help solve all of these issues!
- Imagine laughing and smiling with all your heart because with dental implants, you're starting to feel confident again.
- Imagine looking forward to social gatherings instead of avoiding them because you can smile without worrying about people judging you for your appearance.
- How would you like to be able to eat salads and steak again?
- Daily maintenance only takes 5-7 minutes at home.
- Improved digestive health because of the improved chewing function- a BIG benefit many don't realize!
Being able to smile confidently, eat comfortably and live healthfully are some HUGE benefits of dental implants.
What are different types of dental implants? What type of implant do you need?
Single tooth ceramic implant
Fixed all on x implant bridge (non removable)
Snap fit over-dentures
At Thurmont Smiles, we offer dental implants for the replacement of a single missing tooth, two to three missing teeth in a row or options for missing all teeth in upper or lower or both arches.
Here is some more information about different solutions for replacing missing teeth:
- Single-Tooth Implants – A single implant replaces individual missing tooth, just like a natural tooth root. Once healed, a custom designed crown is placed on top to replace the missing tooth. This restoration is a good choice if you're missing a single tooth or multiple teeth that are usually not adjacent to each other. If you're missing multiple teeth in a row, individual implants CAN be placed, but more cost effective implant bridge solution is desired by many patients.
- Implant Bridges – If you have three or four consecutive missing or damaged teeth, an implant bridge may be a very good option. With this solution, a customized dental bridge that replaces 3 or 4 teeth in a row, is held in place by at least two dental implants. This option lowers your cost compared to placing each individual implant for each missing tooth. There is a slightly more maintenance involved for you at home as you will need to clean regularly under the bridge to maintain the gum health around the implants. It's not difficult at all though.
- Implant supported dentures– We would strongly encourage you to consider this option if you're missing all or most teeth in a row (upper or lower arch). So many of our patients wish that they had consider this option before they lost all the bone that was holding their teeth before extractions.
Full arch implant supported or implant anchored dentures can be FIXED (non removable) or REMOVABLE (snap in type).
Generally secured by four to six implant posts, implant supported dentures can provide good stability compared to dentures that are just resting on the jaw bone and gums. While dentures feel okay in the beginning, many realize that they get loose over time because of the jaw bone loss. The lack of stimulation coming from natural roots or implants will shrink the bone over time.
Fixed dental implant supported all on four or all on multiple implants is one of the most expensive but the most comfortable options for replacing all teeth in an arch. An option to place 4 to 6 implants with a removable denture first and replacement of removable denture a few years later with a fixed denture is an option some of our patients have chosen. This phased out treatment helps with breaking up the cost and you can also experience the removable denture as an option first. You can decide later if you would rather have a fixed denture.
Discover Ceramic Dental Implants: A Natural and Advanced Solution
Ceramic dental implants offer a modern approach to tooth restoration, combining natural aesthetics with advanced biocompatible materials. At Thurmont Smiles, we specialize in providing ceramic implants that not only enhance your smile's appearance but also promote optimal oral health and well-being.
Benefits of Ceramic Dental Implants
Ceramic implants, crafted from zirconia—a durable and tooth-colored material—offer numerous advantages over traditional metal implants:
- Natural Appearance: Zirconia implants blend seamlessly with natural teeth, ensuring a smile that looks and feels authentic.
- Biocompatibility: Hypoallergenic and non-metallic, zirconia reduces the risk of allergies or sensitivities, making it suitable for a wide range of patients.
- Strength and Durability: Ceramic implants provide exceptional strength and durability, supporting long-term oral health.
Advanced Healing Techniques
At Thurmont Smiles, we utilize cutting-edge techniques to enhance the healing process and ensure the long-term success of your ceramic dental implants:
- Ozone Therapy: Ozone is used to disinfect the implant site, reducing bacteria and promoting a clean environment for healing.
- Platelet Rich Fibrin (PRF): PRF harnesses your body's own growth factors to accelerate healing and enhance tissue regeneration around the implant.
- Red Light Therapy: Also known as photobiomodulation, red light therapy stimulates cellular activity, reduces inflammation, and promotes faster healing of the implant site.
Who is a candidate for dental implants?
Dental implants can work for most people, especially who:
- Understand the importance of and want to replace missing teeth
- Want more nature-mimicking, fixed restoration
- Have healthy gums or have gum disease under control and who are maintaining their oral hygiene well at home and have regular professional hygiene visits
- Do not smoke or have medical conditions (eg. diabetes) under control
At the time of your first consultation visit, we will collect all the important data and will guide you if dental implant is the right treatment for you. We will discuss all the alternative treatments as well, so you're well informed about your treatment solutions.
We will be taking pictures, X-Rays and 3-D scan of your face, mouth and teeth first. We will also measure your gums, evaluate your bite and make sure your mouth is free of harmful bacteria.
We will then come up with a treatment plan for you to achieve your oral health and smile goals.
Step-By-Step dental implant PROCEDURE
The process of implant planning usually starts either at the time of tooth extraction or when someone wants to replace their missing tooth after some time has passed since the extraction.
If we find that the tooth is non restorable, in most cases, we would advice to have bone preservation grafting procedure done at the time of extraction and allow the site to heal, typically for 4 months. Please see the video above to understand the procedure.
Once healed, we take your bone density, 3-D CBCT scan and also CEREC intraoral teeth and gum tissue scan and combine them to create a 3-D surgical guide. The guide precisely fits over your gums and teeth and allows for a well planned treatment execution.
We use well researched and well reputed Nobel Biocare(TM) branded and Ceramic implants.
We will guide you to proper home care and inside out healing with diet and nutrition.
The goal is for the implant to fuse with your native bone. Dr. Oza usually prefers not to put "load" on the implant during the healing period by placing a temporary tooth. Even a little movement can disturb the healing of the dental implant. If a front tooth implant is planned, we will advice you for options for temporary restoration, so you are never walking around without a front tooth.
Once healed, we cap the implant with a custom made ceramic crown, bridge or attach a removable or fixed implant supported denture. We can achieve any desired shade (color) for the prosthetic tooth or dentures that you desire. We use digital shade guide for accurate shade matching. We want you to be completely happy with your tooth restoration.
SURGICALLY GUIDED IMPLANTS
WHY DO WE USE A SURGICAL GUIDE FOR DENTAL IMPLANTS?
At Thurmont Smiles, our patient's health, safety and comfort are some of our top priorities. A surgical guide is a digitally planned resin guide with specific areas of space ("holes") created to place the implants precisely to match the digitally pre planned treatment planning process for the following reasons:
- Accurate placement
- Reduced risk of complications
- Predictability of results
- Removing guess work
- Preventing unnecessary injuries
- Reduced appointment time
Dr. Oza and the Smile Team are committed to providing the best dental treatments for you. Utilizing the top notch technology, we provide efficient and precise treatments.
Implant Before and After
When we see the joy in our patients' eyes, we know that we have done our job. 🙂 Giving our patients the ability to eat he food they always wanted to and smile with all their heart is something we love about our job. Please also follow our social media- Instagram and Facebook at @thurmontsmiles for latest before and after photos of our patients and for oral health tips that Dr. Oza regularly shares.
COST
It’s only natural you’d need to know more before investing in your dental health.
Please call to schedule your initial examination. After we meet and discuss the options, we can work with you to find best solution you're looking for.
At the initial exam., will get to discover:
- If opting for dental implants is the right solution for you (and what to do if it’s not)
- What type of implants you should go for (plus the pros and cons you can expect from each type of implants)
- How we can structure your treatment plan (Don’t worry, we’ll make sure it suits your schedule)
- How much it will cost you, and your payment plan options
- Who Dr. Oza is, along with our dedicated team. (You will also get to tour the practice and ask every question you have.)
What will we include in the first visit?
- Review of your medical history
- Gum health measurement
- Bite evaluation
- Up to 6 intraoral X-Rays ( PA and Bitewings X-Rays as needed) or one panoramic X-ray if you do not have any teeth (3D scan is done after we have established that the mouth is completely healthy for implant placement)
- Digital shade evaluation for your teeth
- Digital series of pictures for smile design and oral-facial evaluation
- Creation of treatment plan based on your goals and clinical findings.
- Gum disease, cavity and bite treatment may be necessary before implant placement for providing you with a long lasting dental implant based restoration. Implants can not get cavities but they can fail in presence of above mentioned oral diseases.
- Recommendations of local healthcare providers for whole body health based on natural and holistic approaches. If your body lacks nutrients, the dental implant may not heal.
- Cost estimates
Once you know where you’re standing, then you can easily decide if you want to go forward with your treatment plan.
Our goal is to make you feel secure — and even excited — about the procedure before jumping right in.
We want to make this as simple as possible for you and leave no stone unturned.
FINANCING AVAILABLE FOR DENTAL IMPLANTS
Ready to find out more?
ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT OPTIONS IF DENTAL IMPLANT IS NOT THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR YOU
Teeth supported bridge vs. dental implant
Snapped on teeth supported appliance
Removable denture
Sometimes a patient is not a good candidate for a dental implant. For example, if long time has passed since the tooth was extracted and there is severe bone loss where not enough bone thickness remains to hold an implant. In such cases, we can also discuss other treatment options that may work for you.
These typically are either a teeth supported bridge or a removable full or partial denture.
We have had good success with teeth supported snapped on type of appliance that covers all the teeth. It is a removable appliance that you can rinse after meals and take it out at night. The appliance requires the presence of some back and some front teeth. You can chew with it and it makes your smile look pleasant. You can see an example in the picture of our patient above.
Please call us at 301-304-7074 to schedule your initial consult and we will discuss all your options in person.
FAQS
Implant Maintenance at Home: A Guide to Long-Term Oral Health
Dental implants are a valuable investment in your smile and oral health. Proper maintenance at home plays a crucial role in ensuring their longevity and success. Here’s how you can take care of your dental implants between dental visits:
Daily Oral Hygiene Routine
Maintaining good oral hygiene is essential for the health of your dental implants and surrounding tissues. Follow these daily practices:
Brushing: Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and a non-abrasive toothpaste to gently brush your teeth, including your implant crown or prosthetic. Brush at least twice a day, focusing on all sides of the implant and adjacent teeth.
Flossing: Clean between your teeth and around the implant with dental floss or interdental brushes. Proper flossing helps remove plaque and debris that can accumulate around the implant and lead to gum inflammation or infection.
Interdental Brushes or Water Flossers: Consider using interdental brushes or water flossers to clean hard-to-reach areas around the implant and under the prosthetic.
Special Care for Implant Prosthetics
If your dental implant includes a crown, bridge, or denture, take additional steps to care for these prosthetics:
Avoid Hard Foods: Refrain from biting down on hard objects or using your teeth to open packages, as this can damage the implant crown or prosthetic.
Clean Prosthetics Thoroughly: Clean around the edges and underside of your implant-supported prosthetic to prevent plaque buildup and maintain a healthy gumline.
Nutrition for Implant Health
A balanced diet rich in essential nutrients supports the health of your dental implants:
- Greens and Vitamin D: Incorporate leafy greens like spinach and kale, which are rich in vitamin K and calcium, essential for bone health around implants. Vitamin D promotes calcium absorption and supports bone density, crucial for implant stability.
Healthy Lifestyle Choices
Certain lifestyle habits can impact the longevity of your dental implants. Consider the following:
Avoid Smoking: Smoking can increase the risk of implant failure by impairing healing and compromising gum health. If you smoke, quitting or reducing smoking can significantly benefit your oral health.
Limit Staining Foods and Beverages: Minimize consumption of foods and beverages that can stain teeth, such as coffee, tea, and red wine. If consumed, rinse your mouth with water afterward and practice good oral hygiene.
Regular Dental Check-ups
Schedule regular dental visits for professional cleanings and comprehensive examinations. Your dentist or hygienist will:
Assess Implant Health: Evaluate the stability of your implants, check for signs of inflammation or infection, and ensure the surrounding gums are healthy.
Clean Implants Professionally: Use specialized instruments to clean around the implant and remove any hardened plaque (calculus) that cannot be removed at home.
Monitoring Changes
Monitor your implants and oral health for any changes or discomfort. Contact your dentist promptly if you experience:
Swelling or Pain: Persistent swelling, pain, or discomfort around the implant site.
Looseness or Mobility: Implant movement or a change in the way your implant-supported prosthetic fits.
Bleeding or Redness: Bleeding gums, redness, or signs of infection around the implant area.
Conclusion
By maintaining good oral hygiene practices at home, making healthy lifestyle choices, and attending regular dental appointments, you can help ensure the long-term success of your dental implants. Remember, proactive care and early intervention can preserve your smile and oral health for years to come.
If you have any questions about caring for your dental implants or need personalized advice, feel free to contact us at Thurmont Smiles. We're here to support you in achieving and maintaining a healthy, beautiful smile.
Get in Touch With Thurmont Smiles
Email
Phone
Business hours
Tues, Wed, Thu: 9 AM - 5 PM
Fri: 7 AM - 3 PM
Closed on Saturday, Sunday, Monday
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Email
-
Phone
-
Business hours
Tues, Wed, Thu: 9 AM - 5 PM
Fri: 7 AM - 3 PM
Closed on Saturday, Sunday, Monday