Studies have shown a 10 year success rate of implants to be between 90 and 95%. This success rate also depends on the dentist’s skill, along with the quality and quantity of the bone available at the site, and the patient’s oral hygiene. Our success rate is greater than 95%.

Most of our patients do not experience significant pain after implant surgery. To prevent or diminish discomfort, we pre-medicate our patients with an anti-inflammatory, such as, Advil, Motrin or Ibuprofen. Following surgery, you may experience some discomfort. However, with medication before and after surgery, most of our patients report being more comfortable than they anticipated. We do ask you to avoid strenuous exercise for the next 48 hours to protect the implant site.

The answer is yes, in selected cases. However, is being promoted as a simplistic way of receiving new teeth the same day as dental implants are placed. It can mean anything from replacing a single tooth via an implant-supported, temporary crown to restoring a whole arch of teeth in one day with a permanent appliance.

For more in-depth information on this topic, see our section on Teeth In A Day. After a complete examination, we will be able to tell you whether you are a candidate for Teeth In A Day therapy.

Each implant maintains the integrity of the bone, since it is a replacement titanium root. A greater number of inserted implants translates to enhanced support for the prosthesis along with additional preservation of the bone. With the Same-day Implant Prosthesis, a minimum of four implants is necessary to support the fixed prosthesis, but additional implants can provide additional bone preservation and a greater number of future treatment options. We will discuss this with you at your consultation visit so that you can choose the treatment that works for you taking into account your budget and your desires.

The angulation of your new implants (such as in the All-on-4® technique) can affect your ability to have additional implants placed near them in the future. In some instances, angling these implants is necessary because of a lack of bone, in the posterior part of your jaw, but, in other instances, the implants do not need to be angled. At your consultation, we will show you how we plan to place your implants as we demonstrate it on your CT Scan (3D image) so that you can make an informed decision on how many implants to request.

Dental implants are replacement roots made out of titanium that are used to rejuvenate jaws by replacing teeth to recreate complete dentitions. Once the new roots have “osseointegrated” to the jaw bone, they are restored with an Implant Restoration either with abutments and crowns or are used to stabilize dentures in an immediate process known as Same Day Implants.

It is expected that most implants will last between 10 and 20 years, and implant crowns are thought to last for 10-15 years. However, at Elite Prosthetic Dentistry (EPD), we rarely lose an implant; after 20 years, over 97% of implants that we have surgically inserted and restored are still functioning.

Almost all patients are candidates for dental implant therapy. Even those who have systemic bone density issues can be successfully treated with implants. At EPD, we frequently convert low bone density areas of the jaw to very good implant sites with our Bone Grafting Procedures.

Dental implants provide an amazing opportunity to feel so great that you can laugh and smile with the confidence that you look magnificent and have a healthy, new dentition. They provide a very solid foundation for a rejuvenated jaw and dentition.

If dental implants are not precisely placed (see Precision Implant Placement) and restored with the proper “emergence profile (see Implant Restoration) you can end up with a diminished smile line that cannot be fixed.  

Dental implant surgery does not hurt. In addition to making sure that you are numb in the area to be treated using a strong local anesthetic, we provide either oral or I.V. sedation to eliminate anxiety during the procedure (see Sedation Dentistry).

Your dental implants’ longevity depends upon good home care and an in-office treatment regimen. Dental implants are cared for in the same manner as a person would take care of their teeth by using floss and special brushes that we provide in our Oral Health and Wellness Program.

It is rare that your body will reject your dental implants. However, even though this does not mean that your dental implant will not fail, that is a very rare event in our office. Successful dental implant therapy revolves around placing the implant fixtures in healthy bone (Precision Implant Placement and Bone Grafting Procedures), which is one of our stringent requirements and is one of the many reasons that we have such a high success rate (>97% after 20 years). Of course, the implants must be appropriately cared for after the surgery in our Oral Health and Wellness Program.

The success rate is dependent upon the diligence of the persons performing the surgery and restoration procedures. Attention to detail is preeminent for success. Although the industry accepts .1-.2mm per year of bone loss, over the last 35 years of providing implant surgical and restorative therapy, our patients have experienced virtually “0” bone loss.

Yes. Implants can be inserted into the jaw and then connected to the denture to immediately secure it in a Same Day Implant Therapy visit. The solid feeling and improved aesthetics when going from a sloppy fitting removable prosthesis to the fixed one provides is simply amazing! Depending upon the precise planning and execution of the process, ridge augmentation and bone grafting treatments can be very long-lasting.

An All-on-4®dental implant is one that has been connected to a removable denture to convert it to a fixed prosthesis. In our office, a minimum of 4 implants is necessary to make that transition to a fixed prosthesis.

Dental implants are either used to convert a denture to a fixed prosthesis as noted in the previous two questions, or they are used to make dentures more stable when not creating the fixed prosthesis. Implants are used to replace partial dentures with abutments and crowns.

Yes. The body reacts well to them, especially if they are titanium implants.

Surgical time for placing an implant us usually 1- 1 ½ hours

The length of the procedure varies by how diligent the surgeon is with placement. If more time is taken to precisely placed with progress X-rays being taken to assure that they are being optimally placed, the procedure will take more time.

After tooth extraction, we always perform a Bone Graft procedure with bone a growth factor that creates denser bone in less time. The implant is either inserted at the same time or within 4 months.

Depending upon the diligence applied surgically, the implants can be ready for restoration in as little as 4 months after insertion.

Our patients do not usually have a great deal of pain after surgery. Due to our surgical protocol, timely anesthesia, and deliverance of the anti-inflammatory medication, the follow-on medications, and postoperative instructions, most of our patients only take ibuprofen, Advil, or Motrin, although we do prescribe a stronger medication as well.

The average cost of a dental implant in Washington DC can vary from $3,000 — $7,000 and is directly related to the amount of time, cost and effort put into delivering precision implant placement and restoration. 

The wide disparity in pricing can be very misleading as a higher price can mean more expertise, extensive planning, and additional treatment time and materials applied during your care, all of which result in better looking, longer lasting implants and restorations. Most importantly, you need to critically evaluate the track record of the practice relative to best aesthetics and implant longevity. At Elite Prosthetic Dentistry we have a proven treatment regimen resulting in implants that predominantly have “0” bone loss over at least 20+ years (industry standard is 26-34% of implants have gum inflammation or bone loss during that time frame). As we provide meticulous care, we consistently deliver a 300% Return on Investment (ROI) with your implant therapy (>97% success with implants over 20 years old).

The cost will also be impacted by the number of dental implants you need and any issues that increase the complexity of your case.  The quoted fee typically includes the post, abutment, and crown placement. Bone grafting, tooth extraction, CT scan, and X-ray are paid for separately. The type of restorative prosthesis you are getting will also affect the price of your treatment. 

• At Elite Prosthetic Dentistry we are on the higher-end and focus on high-quality dental implants that will last decades
• Our dental implants, abutments, and crowns are custom manufactured in our own In-House Lab
• We have successfully placed and restored over 3400 dental implants with zero bone loss in 35 years
  
  

During your initial consultation with our prosthodontist, Dr. Gerald Marlin he will assess your condition, explain your treatment options, and fully explain the scope of work needed to complete your unique implant needs.