Dr. Azita Adelynia has been practicing dentistry since 1990. She received her B.S. degree in biology from UCSDin 1985. She became interested in the healthcare field due to volunteering her time in the dental department of acommunity hospital in San Diego.Dentistry is fascinatingto Dr. Azita,as it combines two of her favorite subjects at school; science and art. She also loved the satisfaction of helping people get a healthy mouth and a beautiful smile.

Dr. Azita obtained her DDS degree from the acclaimed University of Southern California in 1990. She has completed several postgraduate training programs with highly accredited institutions in advanced aesthetic, implant, and laser dentistry.

Her mission is to provide the highest quality of dental care in a friendly, caring environment. She strives to gain your trust by commitment to excellence in dentistry and staying current with the latest and best dental techniques and services, by continuing her education on a regular basis to provide you with the most up-to-date dental care.With all the new developments, techniques and materials, this is the most exciting era to practice dentistry and provide the best for the patient.

Dental implants are now, the standard of care for tooth replacement, improving dental health of million of people with missing teeth. Implants have also greatly impacted dental economics with increasing number of dental practices and companies offering their services and products. To gain market share, many dental practices advertise dental implants in the newspaper, with mailers, or on the Internet, offering incentives to attract potential patients to their offices.

This is a very common advertising ploy. It does not tell you the whole story. An implant refers to the post placed in the bone. The abutment is the extension attached to the implant, supporting the crown. Such special fees do not correlate with cost of labor and materials for a level of precision and quality that implant supported crowns require. Here is the typical range costs to surgeon and restorative dentists to replace a single missing tooth:

Use of stock (generic) abutments: The abutment is the extension that is attached to the implant and supports the crown. Stock abutments are manufactured by the implant companies and are available in several standard sizes. These are cheaper than the recommended custom abutments. The catch: Stock abutments do not provide proper form and contour of a natural tooth. The cosmetic results are unpredictable and hygiene may be difficult. Custom abutments have clear advantages and are recommended by every experienced prosthodontist, dentist, surgeon, and laboratory technician.

Re-using implant drills that are used to prepare the bone where the implant is placed. Drills sharpness, sequence, and surgical technique are crucial to achieve a stable implant with healthy bone and proper healing. To save money, some dentists reuse old drills that have become too dull. This can result in heat damage to the bone, poor healing, and implant failure.

Not using a surgical guide that is mandatory during placement of an implant for accurate positioning and angle. This requires custom impressions of a patients teeth. Next, study models are poured in stone and a guide is fabricated in the laboratory or by restoring dentist or surgeon. Many do not do this because it takes extra time, materials, and lab fees. The catch: While it saves time and money, it frequently results in poor implant placement that can be too close to other teeth, tilted outward or inward, or set too deep. The result is an abnormal looking crown that may be difficult to clean, cause potential gum recession and bone loss, and increase the risk of implant failure.

Same dentist placing the implant and the crown: Sounds convenient and nice, but here is the catch: Implant placement and fabrication of a crown are separate disciplines, and it is nearly impossible for any dentist to master both. It takes years of training and experience to place a dental implant. Similarly, in-depth knowledge and skills are required for the prosthetic part of the procedure. Implant dentistry is predictable, but not easy.

This has become a new craze, and yes, I believe, its largely a marketing fad. Teeth-in-A-Day means you have your teeth removed, implants placed, and receive crowns, bridges, or dentures all in one day. Here is the catch: While promising, the current science, knowledge, literature, research, and expertise is not sufficient to achieve predictable results in every individual. The approach may be successful, but only in very few candidates who present with no infection around their teeth, have great amount of bone, and all conditions are ideal. If conditions were this perfect, why would they need to have their teeth extracted to begin with? Many commercial implant centers do a hard sell to fit a patient into a treatment plan. Healthy natural teeth end up being extracted in order to place multiple implants and connect them with an immediate prosthesis on the same day! There are some evidence-based studies on this approach, but there are too many variables not yet thoroughly understood. While successful in some, use of this approach in poor candidates results in high rates of failure and implant loss.

This is a frequent advertisement and it means absolutely nothing. Every patient is different with varying needs, different complexities, and treatment approach. Even in the most ideal conditions, procedure can take 15 minutes to several hours based on the treatment which can and should vary from patient to patient.

This offer suggests that patients get a free dental implant when they pay for their crown. The 'free offer is a common marketing tactic designed to hook a consumer into trying a product. This may be all right for marketing a new facial moisturizer, but not for dental implants. Heres the catch: First it implies that implant placement and the crown are being done by a single super-dentist, and as already discussed it is practically impossible for one person to have mastered both disciplines. Also, it suggests possible use of no-frills implants and itemizing all other aspects of treatment to make up for the free implant cost. This means you'll pay for every X-Ray, part, piece, visit, replacements, etc. In most instances, you will end up paying more for the free implant.

The reality is that implants work. While its a highly successful and predictable procedure, its not simple, requiring the skills of a trained specialist and restorative dentist working as a team. Implants have a more than 98 percent success rate when performed by the right team of dentists that use quality implants, customized components, and reputable labs. This saves patients money by preventing complications and re-dos, and improving longevity.

The old rule If it's too good to be true, it probably is applies to dentistry too. When looking for tooth replacement options, do not fall victim to misleading marketing tactics. Do your research, ask the right questions, and know what you are getting. Its a lifetime investment and shouldnt be taken lightly.