Welcome to the Rye Smiles for Life Blog

Implants can seem almost like a magic solution for missing teeth. They look natural, feel natural, and surrounding teeth don’t have to be compromised in the process. If you’ve already had dentures, you may have looked at the option of dental implants and wondered if it could be a better plan for you.

Certainly people who have experienced problems with their dentures not fitting properly have to worry about things that people with implants never have to take into consideration, like problems with chewing or talking. But before you make the decision to switch to implants, you’ll have to be assessed for whether or not you are a good candidate.

Of course, a true assessment will require that you meet with the dentist and get a series of examinations. These will include a full dental exam, a set of dental x-rays, and possibly some scans to determine the state of your jawbone.

In general, however, it’s safe to say that candidates for implants need to have an adequate amount of bone available for the implants to anchor in the jaw correctly. Healthy gums and overall health are also important considerations, as is a strong commitment to a rigorous oral hygiene habit.

The most common reasons that a patient would not be a good candidate for implants involve concerns about health and lifestyle choices. Diabetic patients, for example, may or may not be a good fit for implants, but the chances go up greatly if the diabetes is controlled well and the patient is regulating it both on their own and with the help of their doctor.

Smoking may diminish your chances of being able to have implants. Implants may reject if the mouth is not healing properly, and healing can be slowed by smoking. The dentist may require that you stop smoking and then wait to assess you again at a later date.

If you have lost a tooth or even several teeth through injury rather than through disease or lack of care, it’s likely you’ll be a strong candidate for implants, providing that the rest of your mouth is in general good health and you have a regular oral hygiene routine. Even if the tooth was lost through decay, though, don’t lose hope. There’s still a very high chance that you can have successful implants, especially if you are willing to follow the dentist’s care instructions to the letter.

For whatever reason, you may be missing a tooth, or several. Perhaps it happened in an accidental way, or you had to have the teeth pulled as a result of declining dental health. Sometimes, especially when the missing teeth are in the back where we don’t see them as readily, we get used to how it feels not to have teeth back there, and we convince ourselves that it’s not all that important to have dental implants to fill in the gaps.

If you are trying to save money by not replacing missing teeth, you need to consider that not doing anything about it may cost you more in the long run, both in terms of actual monetary cost, as well as the integrity of your facial structure.

Your teeth are for more than just chewing and smiling – their presence keeps your jaw bone from deteriorating. When you have even one missing tooth, the jaw bone wears down over time. This causes all kinds of changes in the appearance of your face. As the vertical line of the face shortens, the mouth area gradually collapses. At the beginning, this may only cause minor issues such as premature wrinkling and an appearance of advanced aging, but as the problem progresses, there may be more major concerns such as the drifting of the other teeth, trouble with eating and digestion, and damage to the joints that hold the jaw together.

If you have one or more missing teeth, you may already be noticing effects like jaw pain and headaches. Without the support of all the teeth, especially the molars, undue stress is put on the jawbone. This stress can easily translate into headaches, which you may not necessarily associate with your tooth loss. You can even develop TMJ from not having a full set of teeth.

Yes, there is some initial cost to having dental implants put in, but when you look at the alternative of letting the situation get worse, you could end up with a whole mouth of teeth that need work, or worse, teeth that end up beyond repair. And don’t discount the self-esteem factor – even if you think you’re used to not having that tooth there, having it replaced will make you feel so much better and more confident about your smile.

If you are considering your choices for replacing a missing tooth, you have likely thought about two major options: a dental implant, or a bridge. While each case is treated on an individual basis and there may be reasons why a particular patient would be better suited to one solution over another, there are some general points to consider when you are are trying to make a decision about which way to proceed with replacing your tooth.

1. Single implants stand alone, while a bridge requires support from adjacent teeth. Whereas a bridge requires the teeth on either side of the missing tooth to be filed down to accommodate the dental work, a single implant is independent and gets its own support from the jawbone. This is good news for people with a missing tooth who have otherwise healthy teeth, as the integrity of the surrounding teeth does not need to be compromised for an implant.

2. Implants help preserve your jawbone. One problem with bridges is that they do nothing to replace the root from the missing tooth, and the bone that used to surround the root can begin to deteriorate and weaken, which can cause bigger problems later in life. An implant acts as a replacement tooth root, interacting with the jawbone and keeping it from shrinking away. This in turn provides greater stability not only for the replaced tooth, but for the teeth adjacent to it.

3. A bridge may make sense in certain situations, but you may opt to have an implant anyway. If the teeth on either side of your missing tooth are in need of crowns to begin with, you may think that it makes sense just to go with a bridge for replacing the middle tooth. During your assessment, we will discuss whether an implant may be the right choice anyway, helping to reduce the amount by which the replacement tooth has to rely on its neighbors for support.

4. An implant may produce the most natural result, both aesthetically and medically. Dental implants look so much like natural teeth, people who see you smile will probably not know the difference between your implant and your other teeth. While bridges can often look natural, the best chance of getting the most attractive result lies with implants. In addition, the implant tricks the jawbone into thinking that a tooth root is still there, which is a better situation overall for the health of your mouth.

This patient was a teenager referred to us by her orthodontist as she neared the end of her orthodontic treatment. She was missing one maxillary lateral incisor, and had a malformed adult tooth on the other side. She had a false tooth in place during the orthodontics. We worked with the referring orthodontist to ensure a successful outcome. Once the teeth were straight, we gave her two natural-looking implants just in time for prom night!

We were so thrilled to be able to help Jacqueline that we wanted to share her story with you:

I had lost a tooth that had previously had a crown and a root canal. I also needed sedation dentistry. In addition, I had an old, very large loose filling and prior to my procedure, broke a crown. Dr. Rye was the second dentist I spoke to regarding an implant. The first dentist/surgeon stated that I needed a sinus lift. Dr. Rye uses more advanced x-ray technology and determined that I had enough bone for the implant without having to have a sinus lift. I had a consultation with Dr. Rye and discussed my overall objectives with respect to my dental concerns/issues. I also needed to have sedation dentistry. The day before the implant proceedure, I broke another crown. I phoned his office, and he arranged for the broken crown to be removed and prepared for a new crown along with the implant and new filling. The whole process went very well. I have been back to have the permanent crown put in place. He and his staff were very reassuring and took all my concerns, fears, etc to heart to make sure I was comfortable. The oral sedation was very helpful to me. Dr. Rye’s services are not inexpensive, however, he uses the latest technology and has outstanding, well-trained staff which is highly important. In my opinion, his services are well worth it, as it is an investment in my overall dental health. I will continue to utilize his services.
-Jacqueline Vienna, VA

For any questions about our implant services, please visit: or contact us at

It is now possible to replace all your teeth with natural looking replacement teeth supported by as few as four dental implants. Everyone’s situation is unique, and it is sometimes advantageous to replace missing posterior teeth with individual implants to provide additional strength to withstand the forces of chewing for patients who have most of their natural teeth. We do a comprehensive evaluation of each patient’s unique needs to determine appropriate number of implants required to support the replacement teeth that will meet the each of our patients’ functional and esthetic needs.

Dental Implants Using the All-on-4 Procedure Provides a More Comfortable and Stable Alternative to Denture Patients
Dentures are a solution to missing teeth, but they rarely are the best solution. They often do not stay in place, alter speech patterns, effect enjoyment of food, and cause anxiety and embarrassment if they need to be adjusted.

With the All-on-4 Procedure, we can now restore a full arch of teeth using only four implants and a full set of fixed, non-removable replacement teeth. Even better, we can do it all in just one appointment. If you are considering replacing your denture, contact us to see if you are a candidate for this innovative procedure.

Dental Implants are the Solution for Missing Teeth

Our teeth are designed to last a lifetime, but sometimes they don’t. Treatment of missing teeth is important to the health of our other teeth as well as our overall health. Missing teeth result in compromised chewing ability, and can result in the loss, tipping, or crowding of other teeth. Also, when we lose a tooth (or multiple teeth), the jawbone begins to resorb (melt away). If we do not replace the tooth, the jawbone can shrink, resulting in an older looking face. Missing teeth affect our comfort, appearance, speech, enjoyment of food, confidence, and self-esteem. It can compromise our overall quality of life.
Dental implants are small titanium devices inserted into the jaw to replace the root of a missing tooth. After the implant is placed, your bone grows around the implant and fuses it to the jawbone. The titanium implant provides a solid foundation for a new crown, designed to match your other teeth and attached to your implant.
Dental implants are more frequently recommended instead of bridges because implants do not require any modification of teeth adjacent to the missing tooth. Dental implants also last longer than other replacement options.
Dental implants are stable and comfortable, with no loose parts. They look, feel and function like natural teeth. Often dental implants have superior strength and durability relative to the teeth they replace. With dental implants, you can eat or drink whatever you want with no worries.

If quality of your life is compromised by missing teeth, implants are the solution.

Replacing Missing Teeth with Long Lasting, Natural Looking Implants Has Never Been Easier!
Dental implant treatment times are getting shorter every day. If you have been missing teeth for an extended period of time, we may have to augment your jawbone before placing the implant. Total treatment time in such a case is between six and nine months. But if you are healthy and have no bone recession, you may be a candidate for immediate implant placement and loading with the replacement porcelain, all on the same day!

You may want to consider dental implants, even if you are not missing teeth, when:
1. Severe periodontal (gum) disease has eroded the bone that supports the teeth. You might be better off extracting the teeth, eliminating the disease and infection, and replacing the teeth with dental implants.
2. A root canal (nerves have been removed from the tooth) has left the tooth brittle and susceptible to fracture.
3. A tooth has severe fractures.

Do Dental Implants Require Maintenance?
Everyone should see their dentist and hygienist at least twice each year, whether or not they have implants. Like any dental restoration, dental implants require diligent oral hygiene to ensure they last a lifetime.
A single implant is cleaned like a natural tooth, with regular brushing and flossing.
Implant supported bridges that replace a few teeth are cleaned like tooth supported bridges, brushing and flossing with a floss threader.
Overdentures supported by two to four dental implants require special brushes and floss to clean the implant attachments as well as the overdenture.

Contact us for more information!

Here is an excellent video from the Biomet patient education video library on single implants:
watch?v=Lt4GvMUadaw&feature=relmfu

As the end of the year draws nearer and the many special events and celebrations associated with the holidays approach, there are two great reasons why now is a perfect time to schedule your dental work. First, if you have unused 2011 dental insurance benefits and you still have unmet dental needs, you will lose the unused benefit for good on December 31. Second, if you have been thinking about improving your smile for holiday celebrations, now is the time to get started! We often experience a full schedule with no available appointments in the last two months of the year, and we close the practice the last week of the year so that the Rye Smiles for Life team can spend the holidays with their friends and family. We don’t want to disappoint anyone. Schedule now to avoid disappointment. If you aren’t a Rye Smiles for Life patient yet, it’s a great time to explore the many facets of dental care that come together to create Exceptional Dentistry at Rye Smiles for Life. If you dream of better dental health or a better smile, contact us at 703-352-2010 to schedule a consult.

Should you Replace Your Bridge or Get Implants?

Recently one of my patients was struggling with the decision of whether to replace an existing bridge with a replacement bridge or with dental implants. I explained the pros and cons to her and she is considering her options. With the increasing popularity of dental implants (due in large to technology improvements which enable dentists to place dental implants with more predictable results than in the past), there are many people in her situation, grappling with the question of what is the best solution to their dental problem. Here are the considerations when trying to decide whether to replace your bridge with a replacement bridge or dental implants:

Pros of Replacement Bridge:

1. A replacement bridge will be less expensive than dental implants.
2. You are familiar with the functionality of and care for a bridge, so you won’t experience much change in your oral hygiene habits.

Cons of Replacement Bridge:

1. The average life of a new or first bridge is about 12 years, although some of our patients have bridges that have lasted 30+ years). Life span length is dependent on care & supporting natural teeth stability.
2. The average life span of a second bridge is about 9-12 years. The second bridge life span usually is not as long as the patient’s original bridge. This is because the factors that contributed to the original bridge failure have been exacerbated with function over time.
3. A replacement bridge can fail, 60% of the time due to the loss of one of the two teeth that support it.
Pros of Implants
1. Easier to maintain & perform home care
2. Implants have a 95-98% success rate over a 30 year time span (dependent on patient care)
3. Stabilizes bone & reduces or eliminates loss
4. Lower “Lifetime” cost

Cons of Implants
1. Higher Initial Cost
2. Known risks associated with any oral surgical procedures

If you are wondering whether implants are the best solution to your dental problem, contact us at (703)-352-2010. We will provide you the information you need to decide on the treatment plan which best meets your needs.

On my way home Monday night, I found myself looking back over the past three days with excitement. I had learned several new techniques for placing implants, and for grafting to create enough bone in situations were implants might otherwise not be possible. I was taught by world-class clinicians as we worked together on the patients, and in turn I taught some of the less-experienced doctors as they assisted me. From the perspective of professional development, the trip was extremely rewarding.

The most rewarding part, though, was seeing how grateful these people were. I will never forget the sight of patients pressing against the glass doors to the clinic, anxious to get their share of a dream of getting their lost teeth back.

The Implant Seminars group is considering future trips with plans for prosthetic constructions as well as continuing implant procedures. I expect to return next year. There is more work to do and I think they are counting on us to follow through. It would be great if dental ceramic companies can get involved to more effectively permit completion of the cases begun on the recent trip. It is not enough to just go place implants on people if you can’t finish what you started.

All in all, our trip to the Dominican Republic was a hard-working, great learning experience. The many new techniques I learned will now benefit my patients here in Northern Virginia.

To learn more about the dentistry we offer at Rye Smiles for Life, call our office at 703-352-2010.