What is the Dental Implant Procedure?
One of the most common treatment options for patients who have lost a tooth or teeth are dental implants. Unlike dentures or bridgework, dental implants are artificial teeth that feel, act, and look just like natural teeth. In addition to feeling natural, returning you back to your normal eating habits, and preserving the appearance of your smile, dental implants also serve the important role of maintaining the structure of your mouth. By preserving this necessary support, you will reduce the risk of your teeth moving or shifting, which can cause pain and/or additional issues to develop.
Dental Implant Procedure
Prior to placement of dental implants, it will be necessary to schedule an initial evaluation, during which your periodontist will examine your teeth and overall oral health to determine whether a tooth needs to be extracted and/or the underlying issue necessitating the need for a dental implant. Once this has been determined, it may be necessary to take an X-Ray to assess the overall health of your jawbone and ensure that there is enough jawbone material to support a dental implant.
If the X-Ray indicates that the jawbone has deteriorated to the point it is no longer able to adequately hold an implant, it will be necessary to schedule an appointment for dental bone grafting. After making an incision in your gums, grafting material is placed over the area that has degraded. Once in place, the area is sutured shut and allowed time to heal, which typically takes between 3-6 months. Once there is sufficient bone available, the implant procedure can be performed.
Prior to placement of the titanium posts, you will be given a local anesthetic and dental sedation if necessary. Next, the implants are surgically placed into your jawbone, where they will remain for the next three to six months, during which the jawbone will slowly fuse with the posts through a process known as osseointegration. Once this process is complete, your gums will be reopened to expose the dental implant, and an abutment is attached. Once properly attached, the gum tissue is sutured shut and the area is given time to heal for one to two weeks. Following this, a dental crown designed to match the look and feel of your natural teeth is placed, after which the dental implant procedure will be complete.
Aftercare Following Dental Implants
Because the dental implant process takes place over several months and requires several visits, it is important to follow aftercare instructions after each part of the procedure to ensure the success of your implants and speed up your recovery time. Along with closely following post-procedural instructions from your periodontist, it is also important to continue practicing good oral hygiene habits, such as brushing and flossing your teeth twice daily and scheduling regular appointments for periodontal maintenance, especially if the underlying reason a dental implant was placed was due to periodontal disease. If you follow these best practices, you will extend the life of your dental implant and avoid developing similar issues in the future.
