Donald M. Tilghman, D.D.S.

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Baby boomers are hitting their senior stride. More active and vibrant than their ancestors, today’s older citizens desire to look as good as they feel and having their own teeth is part of looking and feeling their best. Keeping one’s teeth is not always possible but with the expertise of Oral Maxillofacial Surgeon Dr. Donald Tilghman, dental implants are the next best thing.

“Implant dentistry is a dynamic and changing area of dentistry,” states Dr. Tilghman. “Although implants have been around since the 1960’s, they weren’t as reliable as they are today. Implant technology and procedures are constantly changing and improvements coincide with the way people live.”

It is this constant evolution and continued improvement that captured Dr. Tilghman’s interest years ago. In academics for over three decades at both Johns Hopkins and the University of Maryland, this Board Certified professor decided to retire his faculty regalia and tackle one more challenge. “I have enjoyed all aspects of dentistry but had not tried my hand at private practice.” That changed seven years ago when he and his wife returned to the town of their birth, Salisbury, Maryland. Happy to return home after some thirty years, Dr. Tilghman established a practice that covers the full scope of oral maxillofacial surgery including reconstruction of the jaws and surrounding soft tissues for dental implants.

“Implant technology and procedures are constantly changing and improvements coincide with the way people live.”

“We provide the needed surgical backup,” states Dr. Tilghman. “And we work closely with restorative dentists to improve the quality of life of our patients; advancing their well being and addressing and meeting their real needs.” Dental implants are one way of achieving that goal.

From teenage and young adult to middle aged and older citizens, Dr. Tilghman performs surgical procedures on patients of all ages. “As long as a patient is in good health and the surrounding tissues are healthy, implants are a terrific way to improve one’s quality of life.” A typical implant consists of a titanium screw that resembles a tooth root with a roughened surface. Implant surgery is performed on an outpatient basis under sedation or with local anesthesia by trained and certified clinicians. Implants are typically placed in the area of the missing teeth. Depending on the patient’s available bone and the condition of the soft tissues, a treatment plan may call for several surgeries over a period of months. However, most patients may only require a single surgery to place the implants.

Today’s implants feel and function like natural teeth and with them patients can eat virtually anything; and that’s just one of the many benefits. They also look much more natural than conventional dentures and better yet, they will not become detached. These aspects alone increase patients’ self-confidence and eliminate fear of embarrassment from loose or ill-fitting dentures or partial dentures.

To help achieve such positive results, Dr. Tilghman and his staff of five remarkable women work to create an environment that is warm, relaxing and comfortable. “Our goal is to get patients through their procedure with as little disruption to their daily activities as possible.”

As implant dentistry continues to evolve and procedures improve, to be sure Dr. Tilghman will be on top of every new development. “I truly enjoy every moment of surgery and implant dentistry – from developing new programs and working in the university setting to the one-on-one relationships I have with my patients in private practice.”

Donald M. Tilghman, D.D.S.
106 Milford Street, Suite 501A
Salisbury, MD 21804
410.341.4436

Pictured: Back Row Left to Right: Debra T. Harrison, Julie Weichmann, Christine Welch. Seated: Dr. Donald M. Tilghman.
Photography: Kyle Hughes