Dental Implants Hanover
Smiling with Confidence Thanks to Permanent Prosthetics
At Dental Designs of Maryland, we are pleased to have an in-house periodontist, Dr. Metzger, who offers personalized solutions that are intended to restore incomplete smiles so that they function well and appear completely natural. With dental implants, we can replace any number of missing teeth and offer more reliable, stable, and longer-lasting results because of their root-to-crown replacement. If you are considering dental implants in Hanover but want additional information, don’t hesitate to contact us for an appointment.
Why Choose Dental Designs of Maryland for Dental Implants?
- Board-Certified Periodontist on Staff
- Capable of Restoring Full Arch Smiles
- CT/Cone Beam Scanner for Dental Implant Treatment Planning
What Are Dental Implants?
Made of titanium and placed within the jawbone, dental implants look similar to small screws. Their material and positioning allow them to effectively fuse with the bone and tissues, generating a solid foundation of support for your new crown, bridge, or denture. Their versatility makes them a suitable option for anyone with missing teeth, but they do require a consultation with a member of our team to ensure no additional pre-treatments are required.
The 4-Step Dental Implant Process
You can expect your dental implant treatment to look different than another patient’s case, but the process in which you must go through to ensure success is the same. Below is a breakdown of each step that is required when receiving dental implants. You can expect we will go over this with you during your initial visit.
- Initial Dental Implant Consultation – You will meet with one of our implant dentists to discuss your candidacy for treatment. Many patients require additional services to address various oral and overall health issues (i.e., bone grafting for jawbone shrinkage, gum disease treatment, tooth extraction, etc.).
- Dental Implant Surgery – Instead of visiting another dentist’s office for oral surgery, you will remain in-house, as we can place and restore your implants all under one roof. With a highly skilled team of professionals and our own periodontist on staff, you can avoid seeing an outside specialist for care.
- Dental Implant Osseointegration/Abutment – Once your dental implants are firmly in place, you can expect the osseointegration phase (the fusing of the implants with your bone) to take 4-6 months. After we feel confident that you are healed, you will return to our office to receive your metal abutments. These are small connector appliances that attach your restoration to your implant.
- Delivery of Dental Implant Restoration(s) – The last step is receiving your new and improved restoration. Whether it is a crown, bridge, or denture, you can expect our team to make sure it looks natural, feels comfortable, and functions just like your normal teeth. This will allow you to begin living life with a healthier, more beautiful, and fully functional smile.
Benefits of Dental Implants
Our patients tend to experience the benefits of dental implants almost immediately.
Some of the benefits of dental implant services include:
- Enhanced dental health
- Restored self-confidence
- Improved eating, speaking, and smiling
- Avoiding potential dental issues, such as bone loss, tooth movement, and occlusal imbalance
An additional benefit of dental implant services is that they can often be installed in one day. This helps our patients ease dental pain almost immediately. Our board-certified periodontist is often able to extract the broken front tooth, place the implant, and install a lifelike temporary tooth in its place.
Complete Dental Implant Solutions
At Dental Designs of Maryland, dental implants are placed in the mouth under the expert supervision of our board-certified periodontist, Dr. Joshua Metzger. Our team uses the latest in dental technology, so we offer a range of options to replace your missing teeth using dental implants that are nearly indistinguishable from your natural teeth. We pride ourselves on providing all of our dental implant treatments under one roof, so you don’t have to drive around town for various dental appointments.
Implant Dentures
If you are looking to replace all of your missing teeth, there is an alternative solution to traditional dentures – implant dentures. These are similar; however, they only require 4-6 dental implant posts and fully support a customized denture that snaps into place. While you will be required to remove your new teeth each night, you can expect them to fit comfortably throughout the day, allowing for greater stability and function. These prosthetics are also shaped like a horseshoe, so you don’t have to worry about one covering the roof of your mouth.
Hybrid Overdenture
If you prefer a fixed denture instead of one that snaps into place, you and our team can discuss the option of a hybrid overdenture. As a full arch prosthesis, it remains anchored in place with the help of 4-6 dental implants. Only a qualified dental professional can remove your denture, but it is one of the most reliable solutions available, especially when looking to improve the look of your smile.
Dental Implant FAQs
How Long Do Dental Implants Last?
Dental implants can last for 30 years or more. That’s one of the many reasons they are so widely loved! The key to maintaining them is good habits, like brushing, flossing, and rinsing with mouthwash consistently. It’s equally as important to avoid doing anything that’s associated with dental implant failure, like smoking or skipping your biannual dental checkups and teeth cleanings.
How Can I Tell If My Dental Implant Is Failing?
Your dental implant should feel completely secure. If it doesn’t or you’re experiencing any other abnormal dental symptoms, like pain around the implant, swollen gums, or changes to your bite, then you should call our Hanover dental team ASAP. Once we know a little more about your situation and have the opportunity to conduct a comprehensive oral exam, we can determine if your dental implant is compromised and, if it is, what to do next.
Am I Too Young to Get Dental Implants?
If your jaw hasn’t fully developed, then you are too young for dental implants. Typically, this doesn’t happen until the mid-20s, so if you are in your late teens or early 20s and you’re struggling with tooth loss, we may recommend a different tooth-replacement option, like a dental bridge. That way, you don’t miss out on a complete, healthy, and strong smile in the meantime.
Will I Have to Take Off Work for Dental Implant Surgery?
Most patients take a day or two off of work following their dental implant procedure so they can focus solely on recovering. If you have a physically demanding job, then taking a little more time off may be necessary (we want to prevent blood from diverting from the implant site and delaying the healing process). Oftentimes, patients schedule their surgery on a Thursday or Friday so they have the weekend to recover and can save more of their PTO.
Can I Get Dental Implants If I Smoke?
Using tobacco products doesn’t just lead to bad breath, it also causes dry mouth, interferes with osseointegration, slows down healing, and is linked to a higher risk of dental implant failure. For all of those reasons, patients who smoke typically aren’t candidates. That said, there are some exceptions, so don’t hesitate to schedule a consultation with us if you are interested in dental implants. From there, we can review your medical and dental history, learn more about your lifestyle, and determine which tooth-replacement solution is best for you.
Is There Anything I Shouldn’t Eat with Dental Implants?
In an effort to prevent chips, cracks, and other damage to your restoration, we strongly recommend exercising caution with raw almonds, popcorn, hard pretzels, and other extremely crunchy foods. It’s also important to avoid extremely sticky ones, like taffy, to keep both your dental implant and your teeth in pristine condition. Instead, focus on incorporating foods into your diet that are nutrient-dense and softer in consistency, like bananas.