Dental Implants — Ellicott City, MD

Initial Dental Implant Consultation

The first step of the dental implant process is an initial consultation with Dr. Aziz. During this appointment, he’ll review your medical history and assess the current state of your oral health to ensure you’re a good candidate for dental implants in Ellicott City. Some patients may need preliminary dental treatments like bone grafting, gum disease therapy, or tooth extractions before receiving implants. Once that’s taken care of, you can go ahead and schedule your dental implant surgery.

Dental Implant Surgery

Because our team is able to complete the entire dental implant process from start to finish, we’ll perform the oral surgery in-house. Before your procedure, we’ll numb your mouth using a local anesthetic and administer dental sedation if needed. Once you’re comfortable, we’ll make incisions in the gums and insert the implants at precise locations in the jawbone. A protective cap will be placed over your implants to protect them throughout the healing process.

Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment Placement

It’ll take about three to six months for the implants to successfully integrate with the jawbone via a natural process called osseointegration. Once that’s done, you’ll return to our office for a second minor surgery to receive your abutments. These small metal connector pieces are attached to your implants

Delivery of Dental Implant Restorations 

When we receive your final restorations, you’ll return to the office to have them placed. Your new dental crown, bridge, or denture will be crafted from natural-looking materials so it’ll blend seamlessly with your remaining teeth. Before you leave, we’ll ensure your bite is comfortable and make any final adjustments as needed. You’ll be ready to put your newly rebuilt smile to use that very same day!

Day-to-Day Benefits

Dental implants feel just like natural teeth, so you shouldn’t be able to notice them too much in your day-to-day life. Ultimately, you should be able to enjoy all the things you did before losing your teeth. Here are some of the benefits that you can experience from day to day:

• Restored Bite Force: Your bite force can be restored by 80% or even higher! This is much more than you can experience with dental bridges or dentures.
• Easy Maintenance: You take care of dental implants the same way as you would your natural teeth. Brush, floss, rinse, and see your dentist for regular checkups.
• Increased Confidence: You won’t have to worry about visible gaps in your smile or ill-fitting restorations.

Health Benefits

In addition to the noticeable benefits that you will experience daily, your health will also be positively influenced by your smile’s new addition. Here’s what you can look forward to:

• Improved Oral Health: This means a lower risk of cavities, gum disease, infection, and additional tooth loss. None of your natural teeth will need to be altered for this restoration either.
• Better Overall Health: Having excellent dental health has a positive influence on your overall health. It even lowers your risk of serious medical problems, like diabetes and heart disease.
• Prevents Bone Loss: When you’re missing teeth, jawbone deterioration will follow. Dental implants stimulate the jawbone just like natural tooth roots to keep it strong.

Long-Term Benefits

By choosing dental implants, you are making a long-term investment in your smile. Here are some benefits that you can experience many years down the road:

• Implant Success: Dental implants are very successful with a success rate of over 95%. Your chances of experiencing an implant failure are very low.
• Permanent: Dental implants can last upwards of 30 years with proper maintenance.
• Save Money: You no longer need to worry about stocking up on adhesives or soaking solutions. There won’t be frequent repairs or replacements either. Dental implants also reduce your risk of many health issues, meaning that you won’t need to endure costly treatments that will add up over time.

Who is a Good Candidate for Dental Implants?

Candidates for dental implants are likely to be adults who are suffering from missing teeth. Whether it is one tooth or an entire arch, this versatile solution is largely available to individuals who desire a more permanent option for tooth replacement. Even if progress is not possible right away and instead, preliminary treatments are required, it places you one step closer to the final result that can only be achieved with dental implants in Ellicott City.

Of course, there are a few factors that must be considered when determining if you are a qualified candidate, such as:

• Your oral health – We will determine if you have any signs of dental decay or gum disease. If so, we’ll need to apply the appropriate treatment to improve the status of your oral health.
• Your overall health – We will evaluate if your overall health is in good enough shape to undergo minor oral surgery.
• Your jawbone – If your jawbone is not strong enough to support dental implants, we will need to perform a bone graft to help strengthen the area.

Missing One Tooth

Instead of having two of your healthy teeth altered in order to support a bridge, we can insert a dental implant into the gap and cover it with a ceramic crown once the surrounding bone tissue has healed. This allows you to preserve more of your natural tooth structure.

Missing Multiple Teeth

Individual implants with crowns can be placed throughout the mouth if needed, but when several teeth in a row have been lost, you’ll only need a pair of implants to replace all of them at once. We can place a dental bridge (a pair of crowns that hold several false teeth between them) on these posts, making it far stronger and more stable than it would be if you relied on traditional dental bridge procedures.

Missing All Teeth

Most people get dentures once they have lost a long number of teeth. However, dealing with a prosthetic that does not stay in place can become tiresome after a while. Four to six implant posts can be used to hold a full denture in place, improving the strength of your new smile and stopping it from slipping when you’re trying to speak or chew your food.

Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery

Any preliminary treatments that you require before getting dental implants, like gum disease therapy, tooth extractions, and bone grafting, will contribute to the cost. For many patients, these treatments are necessary to ensure the success of their dental implants. Preliminary treatments are sometimes covered by dental insurance, so this is something you should check with your insurance provider. Since we conveniently provide the entire treatment under one roof, you won’t have to worry about working with an outside surgeon for the cost of your placement procedure.

The Parts of Your Dental Implant

Here are the main factors that will affect the cost of your dental implants:

• Number of dental implants: Depending on the number of teeth that you need to have replaced and where they are located in the mouth, you will need more or fewer implants. The more implants you need, the higher the overall cost will be.

• Type of restoration: Crowns, bridges, and dentures have different costs. Generally, the smaller the restoration, the more affordable it is.
• Material: Implants can be made from zirconia or titanium. These materials are at different price points.
• Brand of dental implant: Dental implants come from several different manufacturers. This can influence their cost.

How Dental Implants Can Save You Money

It may be tempting for patients to try to save money by opting for dentures or bridges, but dental implants have benefits that you can’t get from other tooth replacement options. They can even help to save you money in the long run. You don’t need to worry about paying for replacements every 5 to 7 years like you would if you had dentures. You won’t have to stay stocked up on adhesives or soaking solutions either. Dental implants can also help you to avoid oral health issues, like gum disease, misalignment, and tooth decay, that require costly treatments over time. Ultimately, by opting for dental implants, you can save lots of money in the long run.

Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?

Dental insurance doesn’t usually cover the cost of dental implants, but there are some exceptions. Parts of the final or preliminary treatments are often covered. Dr. Aziz is in-network with many popular dental insurance plans, and our team is happy to file all necessary claims on your behalf so you can save as much as possible.

Making Dental Implants Affordable

If you don’t have dental insurance, this doesn’t mean that you will be left completely in the dust. With our Dental Membership Club, you can save 15% on treatments completed at our practice. We also work with CareCredit – a third-party financing company that can split the cost of your treatment into manageable monthly installments with little to no interest. Talk to one of our friendly team members to learn more.

Make Oral Hygiene a Priority

While dental implants cannot get cavities themselves, you still need to practice excellent oral hygiene. In addition to keeping your surrounding teeth healthy, sticking to an excellent oral hygiene routine can prevent other dental problems, such as gum disease, that can cause your implants to fail. Remember to brush twice, floss, and rinse with mouthwash every day. Always use a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoridated toothpaste.

Eat a Healthy Diet

One of the amazing things about dental implants is that you don’t need to deal with any eating restrictions. This means that you can easily enjoy a full, nutritious meal without having too much trouble. Just remember that enjoying too many foods that are hard, sticky, or sugary can worsen oral health. Instead, consume foods with plenty of calcium and vitamin C to keep your jawbone and gums healthy.

Break Bad Habits

Bad habits can cause your dental implants to fail. Avoid smoking and using tobacco products immediately after your procedure, as they can slow down healing and increase your risk of infection. Don’t use your teeth as tools either. You could easily end up damaging your implant or a surrounding teeth. Instead, find a tool that can help you complete your task safely.

Protect Your Dental Implants

Your dental implants are very strong, but they aren’t completely indestructible. Be sure that you always wear a mouthguard to protect your teeth while playing sports. If you grind your teeth at night, ask about getting a nightguard to protect your implants (and natural teeth) from additional wear and tear.

Schedule Regular Dental Checkups

Attend your regular cleanings and checkups every six months. This way, Dr. Aziz is able to monitor your dental implant(s) and spot any issues as early as possible. By catching issues early on, we can prevent them from becoming more serious and leading to consequences, like a failed dental implant.

How Successful Are Dental Implants?

Dental implants come with several noteworthy benefits, from their long lifespan to their versatility. One of the main reasons they are preferred by both dentists and patients alike is because of their impressive 95% success rate! The best way to ensure the short and long-term success of your dental implant is by taking care of it properly. Brushing each morning and evening, flossing daily, and maintaining a healthy diet are all best practices that can go a long way in preserving your new and improved smile. Conversely, engaging in unhealthy habits, like skipping your biannual checkups and smoking, can increase your chances of experiencing dental implant failure.

What Can Cause Dental Implants to Fail?

As previously mentioned, dental implants have a 95% success rate. Although the chances are slim, it is possible for a dental implant to “fail.” Typically, it’s the result of one of two things: peri-implantitis and failed osseointegration. While peri-implantitis is a form of gum disease that develops from poor oral hygiene, failed osseointegration is the unsuccessful fusion of the jawbone to the implant. Some other common culprits of a failed dental implant include teeth grinding, smoking, and certain medications. Don’t worry – our implant dentist in Ellicott City will review all of the risk factors well beforehand.

Am I Too Old to Get Dental Implants?

Think you’re “too old” for dental implants? Think again! Not only is there no upper age limit, but this state-of-the-art tooth-replacement solution can help patients who are 35, 55, 75, and older. Ultimately, candidacy for dental implants will depend on factors like your bone density and commitment to good oral hygiene, not your age.

How Long Does It Take to Recover from Dental Implant Surgery?

The extent of your recovery will depend on several factors, including how many dental implants you’re getting. While the fusion of the implant to your jawbone can take upwards of six months, patients can resume their day-to-day activities the day after surgery. With that being said, it’s important to avoid strenuous exercise and prioritize rest. To combat any discomfort, you can take OTC pain relievers as instructed or place a cold compress against the outside of your cheek. The fusion of the implant to your jawbone can take upwards of six months.

Will People Be Able to Tell That I Have Dental Implants?

Good news: dental implants are completely personalized to your dental needs and smile goals. They are custom-made to suit your face shape, skin tone, and personality, all while blending in seamlessly with your existing smile. Plus, they replace both the root and crown of your missing tooth, providing stability and a strong bite force. In short, the only attention your dental implants draw will be positive.