Dental Implants – Dumfries, VA
Restore Your Missing Teeth from the Roots Up
Dental implants were first placed in the mid-1960s, and they’ve only become more and more popular in the years since then. What helps them stand out from more traditional restorations is that they can replace any number of teeth while also providing the benefits of new tooth roots. Do you want new teeth that look and feel like your natural ones? Schedule a consultation at Oral & Facial Surgery Center of Virginia today so that Dr. Shinwari can explain the process to you and help determine if dental implants in our Dumfries, VA oral surgery office are the best choice for your unique smile.
Why Choose Oral & Facial Surgery Center of Virginia for Dental Implants?
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Surgeon Books Patients
as Soon as Possible - Wide Range of Insurance Plans Accepted
- Advanced Technology for Accurate Implant Placement
The 4 Step Dental Implant Process
From beginning to end, the dental implant process takes several months or longer. That may seem like a long time, but you can look forward to results that bring a multitude of benefits for both your daily life and your oral health. During your consultation, Dr. Shinwari and our team can design your treatment plan and answer your questions about the road ahead. Usually, the dental implant process involves four main steps: the initial consultation, the dental implant placement surgery, osseointegration and abutment placement, and restoration.
Initial Dental Implant Consultation
During your consultation, our team will learn the details of your situation. For example, we will learn about your medical history, ask about your goals for treatment, and thoroughly examine your mouth. We may also use our advanced CBCT scanner to get detailed information about your jawbone and other important oral structures. Based on what we discover, Dr. Shinwari can start planning the details of your implant journey.
Some patients need preliminary treatment, such as a bone graft or tooth extractions, before they can move forward with tooth replacement. Others can immediately start looking forward to their dental implant placement procedure.
Dental Implant Surgery
As a highly trained oral surgeon, Dr. Shinwari is one of the best people you could trust to perform your dental implant surgery. Often, he even uses surgical guides to ensure that the implants are placed as precisely as possible in the jawbone.
Many patients are surprised by how easy the surgical process is. After administering anesthesia and sedation (if necessary), Dr. Shinwari will create incisions in your gums and carefully place your implants into your jawbone. Then, the incisions will be closed. Most patients are able to return to work or school within a few days of their procedure.
Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment Placement
During the months after your surgery, a biological process known as osseointegration should take place. Basically, your jawbone will fuse with your dental implants, thereby allowing them to serve as an incredibly strong base for the teeth that you will receive in the future.
After adequate osseointegration has occurred, you might undergo a second minor surgery. The tops of your implants will be exposed, and healing caps will be attached to them. Later, those caps will be replaced by small connector pieces called abutments, which will serve to keep your new teeth in place. (Some patients receive abutments during their initial surgery, so no second procedure is necessary.)
Delivery of Dental Implant Restorations
This is perhaps the most exciting part of the dental implant process! A prosthodontist or your general dentist will take detailed impressions of your mouth and send them to a laboratory. The lab will then create your beautiful new crown, bridge, or denture, which will be carefully crafted to look great and function optimally. Once your restoration is ready, your care team will verify that it meets their rigorous quality standards before they attach it to your implants. Then, you can go off and enjoy your beautiful, strong smile!
Benefits of Dental Implants
Although they are more complex and usually more expensive upfront, dental implants have many significant advantages over more conventional forms of tooth replacement. First of all, they are similar to natural teeth in appearance and the way they feel because they replicate a real tooth root. This unique structure, which integrates with the jawbone, is what makes implants especially beneficial and long lasting. We’d be happy to review these benefits with you during your consultation.
Day-to-Day Benefits
As you go about your normal life, dental implants can make everything so much easier and better. For instance, they can prevent dentures from slipping without any adhesives. Not only is this more comfortable and a lot less messy, but it also allows you to talk and eat in front of others with more confidence because your prosthetic teeth will not budge.
In addition, unlike dentures that must be soaked and removed for cleaning, dental implants require the same care as natural teeth—simple brushing and flossing every day and regular checkups with your dentist.
Health Benefits
In terms of your well-being, dental implants play a vital role in keeping you healthy. They are strong and stable enough to let you eat anything you want, especially nutritious fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats. As a result, you can enjoy a healthier, happier quality of life.
Another health benefit of dental implants is that there’s no need to make any changes to healthy natural teeth in order to place implants, which means that if you have remaining teeth, we won’t need to alter them for your prosthetic. In contrast, dental bridges and partial dentures rely on these teeth for stability, which could eventually lead to additional loss.
Finally, dental implants help maintain the structure of the jawbone by stimulating the natural process of bone renewal. What does this mean? Your bite can remain strong, and your jawbone can keep its more youthful structure over time.
Long-Term Benefits
At first glance, the cost of dental implants may seem overwhelming compared to other options. However, if you have a longer-term perspective, you may find that they can actually save you money! Dentures and bridges must be replaced more frequently than dental implants—about every 5 to 15 years. When you add up the cost of these replacements over the years, it can add up to more than the original cost of implants.
Also, if you continue to maintain a healthy diet with your strong dental implants, you may have better health and even live longer!
Who Dental Implants Can Help
If you have lost one or more teeth and have a healthy, fully developed jawbone, you can most likely get dental implants. Gum disease, bone loss, and other oral health conditions might affect your candidacy for implants, but you might still be able to have the procedure done after the issue has been dealt with. If you meet the criteria for getting dental implants, we will be more than happy to go over the different treatment options with you, as listed below.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Dental Implants?
Most healthy adults are good candidates for dental implants. Here are some of the most important criteria that we look to determine if dental implants are right for you:
- Good Overall Health: Placing dental implants is a surgical procedure, so you should be healthy enough to undergo a minor surgery.
- Great Oral Health: Cavities and gum disease can increase your risk of dental implant failure. Any oral health issues need to be addressed and eliminated ahead of time.
- Strong Jawbone: You need to have an adequate jaw to successfully support dental implants.
If you aren’t a good candidate for dental implants now, this doesn’t rule them out in the future. Many patients need to have preliminary procedures beforehand, like tooth extractions, gum disease treatment, and bone grafting. We are more than happy to help you get these procedures scheduled if needed so you can get back on track for dental implants.
Missing One Tooth
A single dental implant can be combined with a crown to replace a single tooth without needing to remove healthy enamel to make room for a traditional dental bridge. Our crowns are made out of materials that match the color and light-reflecting properties of enamel so that most people won’t be able to tell the difference between the prosthetic and the rest of your smile.
Missing Multiple Teeth
A dental bridge can be attached to a pair of dental implants. This lets us replace three or more teeth in a row with a minimal number of implant posts. We can also use dental implants to support partial dentures, which can be used to replace any number of teeth throughout your mouth.
Missing All Teeth
A denture that replaces all of the teeth in an arch only needs 4 to 8 dental implants to anchor it in place. At our oral surgery office, it is sometimes possible to have a restoration attached to your dental implant on the same day as the surgery so that you aren’t without teeth for too long.
Understanding the Cost of Dental Implants
When you ask our team about the overall cost of dental implants in Dumfries, please know that the answer you get is very unlikely to be the same as what other patients have paid for the treatment. The number of implants you get, which (if any) preliminary treatments are required, and the type of restoration used all affect the total price of dental implants. Our team will always make sure you have an accurate cost estimate to consider before you move forward with dental implant treatment.
Preliminary Treatments & Dental Implant Surgery
Do you need to complete gum disease therapy, bone grafting, or tooth extractions before getting dental implants? These procedures add to your overall costs, but they also set the foundation for a lifetime of strong, lasting replacement teeth.
The dental implant surgery itself will incur its own cost, which is influenced by the type of sedation that you receive. Note that you’ll be responsible for the cost of the surgical placement of the implants as well as the cost of your restoration, which will most likely go to your general dentist.
The Parts of Your Dental Implant
Each dental implant treatment comes with more unique variables than you may have thought, all of which will impact the overall price. Obviously, the more implant posts you receive, the more you’ll end up paying. However, each of the three parts of a dental implant – the post, the restoration, and the abutment that connects the two – can come from different manufacturers and brands, and be made from various materials. Depending on your specific needs, we’ll choose a specific type of implant and let you know how it affects your costs.
How Dental Implants Can Save You Money
Although dental implants in Dumfries might initially seem costly, they often prove a very wise investment in the long run. That’s because they can last several times longer than regular bridges and dentures, helping you avoid the costs of replacing your prosthetics every few years. Plus, you won’t need specialized maintenance products like you would with traditional tooth replacements, which could add up significantly over time.
Does My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Implants?
In many cases, your dental insurance might cover some aspect of the dental implant treatment process, such as the restoration and some preliminary procedures. However, insurance is unlikely to pay for the implants themselves or their surgical placement. Our team at the Oral & Facial Surgery Center of Virginia can help you understand how much your insurance plan covers and make sure you’re getting the most out of your benefits.
Making Dental Implants Affordable
To help you afford the cost of your new smile, our team would be happy to help you apply for low-interest financing through CareCredit or Lending Club. Both of these third-party financiers offer a number of flexible payment plans to choose from, so there’s sure to be one that fits into your monthly budget. By paying for dental implants in smaller installments rather than in one lump sum, replacing your teeth becomes much more affordable!
Dental Implant Technology
When it comes to placing dental implants, precision matters. Each implant post needs to be inserted in just the right spot in the jaw to ensure successful osseointegration while minimizing the risk of complications. To ensure that dental implant placement goes according to plan, we take full advantage of the latest advancements in dentistry. Below are some particularly important examples of modern technology that we use to enhance the dental implant process and give you the best chances of success.
3D Cone Beam Imaging/3D CT Scanning
With a cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scanner, we can create a three-dimensional model of your mouth and jaw. This model contains much more detail than a traditional X-ray; with it, we can examine various soft tissues, nerve paths, craniofacial bones, and other structures that might affect dental implant placement.
There are many advantages to using a CBCT scanner as part of the dental implant process. For one thing, it aids us in the planning stage by giving us a chance to identify potential obstacles ahead of time. It also makes it easier to ensure that the dental implants are placed exactly where they need to go, making them much more likely to succeed in the long term. And since CBCT scans are painless and leave no radiation in your body afterward, they’re completely safe to use.
3D Printed Surgical Guide
Some dental implant cases need a more careful touch than others. For example, if you have lost all of your teeth in a single arch, the lack of landmarks will make it more difficult to see exactly where your dental implants are supposed to go. In such situations, it helps to have a 3D-printed surgical guide, which we can create based on a CBCT scan of your mouth.
The surgical guide will give us a clear indicator of where your implants need to be inserted in your jaw. The enhanced precision provided by the guide can make your treatment noticeably more comfortable and potentially reduce any associated swelling and bruising. Also, treatments performed with a surgical guide tend to require smaller incisions, which means your gums will need less time to recover afterward.
Antibacterial Coating
One of the most common causes of dental implant failure is an infection known as peri-implantitis. When the tissues holding your implant in place are attacked by harmful bacteria, they can be weakened over time. If the issue isn’t addressed quickly, your implant might come loose or fall out altogether.
To reduce the risk of an infection compromising your new teeth, we place dental implant posts with a special antibacterial coating. The properties of said coating help protect the implant and the area around it from the bacteria that can cause peri-implantitis. This simple measure can go a long way toward making sure that the healing process after implant placement goes smoothly.
Dental Implants Post-Op Instructions
Since dental implants need to be surgically placed in your jaw, your mouth will need time to fully recover afterward. Our team will give you instructions to help make the healing process as smooth as possible. Below are some general post-op instructions that you’ll likely receive after the implant procedure; we may provide more specialized instructions depending on your unique needs.
What to Do Directly After Dental Implant Surgery
You should plan on resting for at least three or four days after implant surgery. In the meantime, you’ll need to take whatever steps you can to protect the blood clot that forms around the surgery site. A dislodged blood clot can result in dry socket, which is a painful condition that can slow down the entire healing process. Thus, to keep the blood clot in place, you’ll want to avoid certain actions, such as:
- Spitting
- Drinking from straws
- Smoking
- Directly touching the surgery site with your fingers or tongue
Common Side Effects When Recovering from Dental Implant Placement
Intermittent bleeding, swelling, and general discomfort are all common side effects of implant surgery. You can keep these symptoms under control by:
- Using gauze to put pressure on any areas where bleeding is occurring.
- Applying a cold compress for 10 minutes at a time over any swelling.
- Taking prescribed or over-the-counter medications to relieve discomfort.
Your post-surgical symptoms should gradually disappear as your mouth heals. If they seem to be getting worse instead, you might have developed an infection, or another type of complication might have occurred; give our office a call right away to see what your next steps should be.
Your Diet After Dental Implant Surgery
With any type of oral surgery, you want to avoid any foods that require excessive chewing while you’re recovering. You should plan on sticking to a soft food diet for at least a few days. Mashed potatoes, yogurt, scrambled eggs, and pasta are all examples of foods you can enjoy during the healing process. Soup can also be a great choice as long as it’s not too hot. You can return to your normal diet once your mouth feels normal again, but do not chew directly on the implant surgery site until you’ve received your final restoration.
Post-Op Health & Oral Hygiene
You need to keep the area around your implants clean to minimize your risk of infection. Naturally, this means brushing thoroughly at least two times a day. You’ll be able to brush normally the day after surgery, although you’ll need to be careful around the implants while the tissues around them are still recovering. Rinsing with salt water can also help by stopping the growth of harmful bacteria.
What to Do After Your New Teeth Are Attached
The last step of the implant process is to attach a prosthetic to the implant posts. At this point, you may experience some minor sensitivity in your gums, but it won’t be anything you can’t manage without pain medication. There should not be any swelling or bleeding at this point, so please let us know right away if you notice these symptoms.
Maintaining & Caring for Your Dental Implants
Once your implants have fully joined with your jawbone, it will be up to you to give them the care they need to last as long as possible in your mouth. Luckily, dental implant maintenance is very simple; many of the steps you need to follow are similar to what you would already do to take care of your natural teeth. Remember that you can always contact our office if you would like additional advice on what you can do to protect your new smile.
Make Oral Hygiene a Priority
Dental implants can’t develop cavities, but you still need to focus on keeping them as clean as possible. Otherwise, harmful bacteria could attack the tissues holding them in place and cause them to come loose. You should brush at least twice a day for at least two minutes at a time. Don’t forget to floss as well; it’s the most reliable option for cleaning the spaces that a toothbrush can’t reach.
Eat a Healthy Diet
Eating too much sugar or starch can increase your risk for gum disease, which is one of the leading causes of dental implant failure. Eating one piece of candy or the occasional potato chip won’t cause any serious issues, but you need to be careful not to overindulge in such foods. Instead, try adding more fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and protein to your diet to improve your overall oral health. Foods that are rich in vitamin C and calcium are particularly helpful for promoting dental implant longevity.
Break Bad Habits
There are several bad habits that could end up damaging your dental implants if you’re not careful, such as:
- Smoking or using any kind of tobacco products.
- Biting your fingernails.
- Chewing on pens or pencils.
- Using your teeth as tools (e.g., by tearing open packages).
- Crunching ice.
As long as you’re aware of these habits, you can take whatever steps are necessary to break them. One common trick is to replace a bad habit with a better one. For example, if you chew on your pen, switch to sugarless gum, which can help keep the area around your dental implants clean.
Protect Your Dental Implants
Do you play sports of any kind? If so, you should get a custom-made mouthguard as soon as possible. Even if the sport in question doesn’t involve a lot of contact, there is still a risk of getting hit in the mouth. A mouthguard will help protect your implants (and the rest of your smile) from any impact that could potentially cause serious damage. You may also consider getting a mouthguard if you grind your teeth at night.
Schedule Regular Dental Checkups
When you visit your dentist for a regular dental examination, they can take a look at your implant posts to make sure that they’re still in good shape. If there are any minor issues that could eventually put your implants at risk, your dentist can identify and treat them early on.
Dental Implant Failure & Salvage
In most cases, dental implants thrive. In fact, they are successful more than 95% of the time! There are rare instances, though, when they fail, possibly due to infection, underlying medical conditions, or trauma. If you ever experience problems with one of your implants, contact our team right away. We will thoroughly assess the situation, recommend your next steps, and do everything we can to get your smile’s health back on track.
Learn More About Dental Implant Failure & Salvage
Dental Implant FAQs
Are you not quite sure whether dental implants in Dumfries are the right choice for you? We understand that trying to make the best decision for your oral health can be stressful. That’s why our team at the Oral & Facial Surgery Center of Virginia is more than happy to answer any questions you may have about the treatment beforehand. That’s why we’ve answered some common questions about dental implants below. Don’t be afraid to call us if you don’t find the information you need!
Does It Hurt to Get Dental Implants?
Our team takes every precaution we can to ensure that your dental implant surgery is as safe and comfortable as possible. Not only will we administer enough local anesthetic to completely numb your mouth and jaw, but we will also likely provide sedation to soothe your nerves and dull your body’s ability to register pain. Additionally, we stay up-to-date with the latest technology in the field of oral surgery, including a 3D cone beam scanner. As a result, Dr. Shinwari is able to place the implants in a precise way that minimizes discomfort.
After your surgery, it’s normal for your gums and jaw to feel sore, but this should only last for a few days. We might prescribe pain medication, but often, over-the-counter solutions like ibuprofen are more than enough.
How Soon After a Tooth Extraction Can I Get a Dental Implant?
This answer can vary from patient to patient. In some cases, it’s possible to have your teeth replaced with implants at the same time that they’re extracted. Other patients may need to wait another few months for their gums and jawbone to heal. If this is the case, it’s best to wait for at least six months, but don’t wait too much longer than that; after enough time has passed, the jawbone may begin to deteriorate and become unable to support implants. If you’re undergoing a tooth extraction soon, let your implant dentist in Dumfries know, and they can plan your treatment accordingly.
Do I Need a Bone Graft Before Getting Dental Implants?
The answer to this question also depends. If it has been a few years since your natural teeth were lost, then you will most likely need bone grafting before dental implants can be placed. Why? Without the stimulation that tooth roots provide, the jawbone weakens over time, becoming too thin to give implants the strong foundation they need. A bone graft can strengthen that section of the jaw so that it can support your new teeth. Dr. Shinwari can use advanced digital imaging technology to find out whether you’ll need a bone graft before dental implant surgery.
Will People Be Able to Tell That I Have Dental Implants?
Not at all! Each dental implant will be topped with a lifelike crown, bridge, or denture that mimics your original teeth flawlessly. Plus, since your new pearly whites are firmly secured in your jaw, you won’t have to worry about them slipping around at any point, like you would with regular dentures. Instead, they’ll remain in place at all times, letting you enjoy a smile that feels as natural as it looks.