Our Services
The Gold Standard for Replacing Missing Teeth
Losing even a single tooth can impact your smile and quality of life. Sunshine Smiles Dental Care is pleased to offer dental implants, considered the gold standard for replacing missing teeth. The innovative procedure can restore your smile’s health, function, and natural appearance, replicating the look and feel of healthy, natural teeth.
What Are Dental Implants?
Dental implants are small, screw-like artificial tooth roots that we surgically place into your jawbone. They are usually made of titanium, a biocompatible material that bonds with the bone, creating a strong and stable foundation for implant restorations made to blend seamlessly with your smile.
At Sunshine Smiles Dental Care, we offer several types of dental implant restorations, including single-tooth implants, implant-supported bridges, and overdentures.
- Single Tooth Implants: A single tooth implant is most often used when a tooth is lost due to decay or injury. An aesthetic crown placed on a single implant will restore the health and function of your smile.
- Implant-Supported Bridges: Implant-supported bridges are ideal for replacing two or more adjacent teeth. They are attached to crowns placed on dental implants on the opposing sides of the gap.
- Overdentures: Also known as implant-supported dentures, overdentures are used when there are multiple missing or severely damaged teeth. Unlike traditional removable dentures that sit on the gums, implant dentures are supported by four to eight dental implants strategically placed in the jawbone.
What Are the Benefits of Dental Implants?
Dental implants offer many benefits, including the following:
- They look, feel, and function like real teeth.
- They act like natural tooth roots, preventing bone loss.
- They preserve the natural teeth neighboring the gap.
- They help balance your bite.
- They improve your health.
- They require the same care as natural teeth.
- They restore your chewing ability.
- They help improve your speech.
- They restore your complete, confident smile.
- They are more durable than bridges and dentures.
- They provide a long-term tooth replacement solution that is cost-effective in the long run.
What Is the Dental Implant Procedure?
The dental implant process typically takes 6-8 months to complete. Here is what you may expect:
- Consultation and Evaluation: We will start by evaluating your oral health and your jawbone density to help you determine whether you are a good candidate for dental implants. That may include taking x-rays or CBCT 3D imaging to visualize the structure of your jawbone and determine the ideal placement of your implants.
- Tooth Extraction and Ridge Preservation: If necessary, we may recommend the removal of severely damaged teeth before placing your implant restoration. We may recommend a bone graft, a procedure known as ridge preservation, to ensure the area has adequate bone dentistry to support the implant.
- Bone Graft: Dental implants require adequate bone dentistry. If you have bone loss in the area, we may recommend a bone graft to ensure you are a candidate for implant dentistry.
- Sinus Lift: If you are missing teeth in the upper jaw and the sinus cavity is too close to the jawbone, we may recommend a sinus lift. The procedure involves gently raising the sinus floor to create the needed space for implant placement.
- Implant Placement: Once you are ready, we will place one or more dental implants, depending on your unique needs. During healing, your implant will integrate with the jaw in a process called osseointegration that can take several months.
- Preparing Your Restoration: Once the area heals, we use state-of-the-art technology to capture 3D impressions of your teeth to use as blueprints for restorations made to match your smile. When it comes to dental crowns, we create customized, high-quality implant restorations using our computer-aided in-house milling unit or 3D printer.
- Your Final Restoration: The final step is attaching your implant crown, bridge, or denture to the implants. With proper care, including good oral hygiene and regular dental visits, your implant restoration can last a lifetime!
Dental Implants Near Me
If you would like to replace one or more teeth with dental implants, contact Sunshine Smiles Dental Care in Silver Spring, MD, to schedule a consultation. Dr. Horng and Dr. Aleman are committed to using the latest technology and best-in-line materials to produce high-quality implant restorations customized to your smile. We invite you to experience a new level of care!
If you have any questions about replacing missing teeth with dental implants, give our office a call at (301) 565-8889. You can also use our online contact form - one of our friendly staff will get back to you as soon as possible. We look forward to delivering the one-of-a-kind dental experience you deserve.