How it’s done

Dental implants are surgically placed in your jawbone, serving as the roots for teeth. The titanium in the implant will fuse with your bone, so it won’t move or cause noise like fixed bridgework can. And you don’t have to worry about dental decay since the bridges you put in can last long.

This is a tricky question, but if you’ve followed the links I’ve provided below, you should have a clearer view of your situation and options.

• Have one or more missing teeth.
• Have a jawbone that’s reached total growth
• Have adequate bone to secure the implants or can have a bone graft
• Have healthy oral tissues
• Don’t have health conditions that will affect bone healing
• Are unable or unwilling to wear dentures
• Want to improve your speech
• Are you willing to commit several months to the process
• Don’t smoke tobacco

How you prepare

Planning for dental implants begins when your oral surgeon and dentist have determined the best treatment options. From there, you’ll work with these specialists to decide a course of action. A dentist and prosthodontist,

Finding the right dentist can be a daunting task, but it is an important one. Make sure that you visit a few before deciding. During your consultations with dentists, be prepared to answer these questions:

• Comprehensive dental exam. You may have dental X-rays taken and 3D images made of your teeth using computer software.
• Review of your medical history. To ensure you’re safe & healthy, be sure to let your doctor know about any pre-existing medical conditions or medications (including prescription and over-the-counter drugs) you’re on. They may prescribe antibiotics before surgery, for example, if you have heart problems or orthopedic hardware.
• Treatment plan. This customized plan will depend on what teeth you need to be replaced and the condition of your jawbone & remaining teeth.

There are three options for controlling pain during surgery: local anesthesia, sedation, or general anesthesia. Your dentist can help you figure out which option is best for you. The dental team will let you know what to eat and drink before your procedure and what precautions to take after your procedure is done. With care and proper planning, they could assist you with your transportation needs and also provide ongoing support. That way, you could focus on any other aspects of your health that are important to you.

What you can expect

When looking at the process of dental implant surgery, it can seem like many steps to go through. However, the procedures are broken up into stages, and healing time is allowed in between.

• Damaged tooth removal
• Jawbone preparation (grafting), when needed
• Dental implant placement
• Bone growth and healing
• Abutment placement
• Artificial tooth placement

Every jaw fracture is unique, so there’s no way to predict how long the healing will take. Some of them may need surgery and other procedures; others heal alone. In addition, your recovery time will be spent waiting for the bone in your jaw to grow back. This can take some time – sutures are often used to hold the bone together while it grows.

When bone grafting is required

A bone graft could be necessary if you have a thin jaw or a fragile bone structure that needs to be strengthened before implants. For example, the implants may not fit properly if you have strong teeth and a weak jaw or vice versa.

The choice of transplant material is pretty broad and will depend on the patient’s condition. Some options are natural bone grafts, such as surgery to take tissue from somewhere else in your body, or synthetic substitutes, such as a facelift where surgeons pull back the skin to create a smoother surface on the face. Make an appointment to see your doctor about the various options available.

It takes a while for the transplanted bone to grow enough new bone to support dental implants. For some people, only minor bone grafting is required, which can be done at the same time as implant surgery. If the condition of your jawbone deteriorates, you may need a minor graft before proceeding.

Placing the dental implant

During surgery to place a dental implant, an oral surgeon will make a cut that exposes your gum & bone and drill in some holes. Once the post is placed in the drilled holes, it will lengthen over time, acting like a tooth root.

Just like any other tooth, you’ll be missing one as well. Dentures can be made to replace it with a more normal appearance if desired. It may also be taken out to clean and while you sleep.

Waiting for bone growth

Once the dental implant is placed in your jawbone, osseointegration begins. This process is when the jawbone grows and unites with the surface of the dental implant. The regeneration is a natural process involving your body relying on its cells to form a new bone structure around the dental implant post. This process, which takes a few months, helps provide a strong foundation for your new artificial tooth. Allowing the implant time to grow and integrate just as with your natural teeth is essential.

Placing the abutment

After osseointegration, you may need additional surgery to place the abutment – the part where your denture will be attached. Minor surgery with local anesthesia can be done in an outpatient setting.

To place the abutment:

• Your oral surgeon reopens your gum to expose the dental implant
• The abutment is attached to the dental implant
• The gum tissue is then closed around, but not over, the abutment

In some cases, the abutment is attached to the implant post when it’s implanted. That means you’ll need to have an in-office procedure once to attach the abutment and make adjustments for occlusion, but then it won’t require any extra steps after that. This is because the abutment sticks past the gumline, which is visible when you open your mouth. This will remain that way until the dentist finishes making your new tooth and puts it back in. However, some patients don’t like the appearance of their teeth, so they find it better to combine this procedure with another one.

Once your abutment is placed, you must wait two weeks before attaching the artificial tooth to your gums so that they heal.

Choosing your new artificial teeth

Once your gums heal, you can get made impressions of your mouth and remaining teeth. These are used to make your tooth’s crown look like a natural tooth. The crown placement can’t occur until your jawbone is strong enough to support it.

Artificial teeth come in 3 different forms. You can choose either removable, fixed, or a combination.

• Removable. This type of denture is often a fixed partial or complete denture. It’s made of artificial white teeth surrounded by pink plastic gum tissue attached to the metal frame. This can be easily stripped and cleaned daily.
• Fixed. In this type, an artificial tooth is permanently cemented or screwed onto the individual abutment. Therefore, the tooth can’t be removed for night or day maintenance. Usually, each crown is attached to its dental implant. However, because they’re so strong, you can swap out teeth next to each other with implants.

After the procedure

Deciding how many stages your treatment needs could be complex. Potential discomforts include:

• Swelling of your gums and face
• Bruising of your skin and gums
• Pain at the implant site
• Minor bleeding

If you experience swelling, discomfort, or any other issues after dental implant surgery, please get in touch with your doctor. As a precaution, we recommend taking pain medication and antibiotics.

Consuming soft foods after surgery is the general rule – your surgeon will often use self-dissolving stitches that heal independently. However, if they don’t heal independently, your doctor may need to remove them.