The Dental Implant Procedure Explained

Whether it’s due to old age, a cavity, or an injury, sometimes extracting a tooth is unavoidable. But thanks to modern dental technology, you don’t have to live the rest of your life with an empty socket. Dental implants are one of the best solutions for tooth loss.

Weymouth Dental Associates offers dental implants near you. To schedule a consultation, give our office a call.

Unlike other tooth replacement devices such as dental bridges or dentures, implants are long-lasting and restore your natural tooth’s appearance and functionality. Even better, maintaining and caring for them is easy. You only need to maintain your regular dental routine.

A dental implant procedure is nothing to stress about. The dentist will use an anesthetic so that the process is pain-free. To help you understand what to expect, this article walks you through the entire dental implant procedure.

Why You May Need a Dental Implant

Your dental professional can recommend dental implants if you have:

• A severely diseased tooth that is beyond saving.
• An injured tooth.
• A fractured or broken tooth.
• Bruxism.
• Missing teeth.

Dental Implant Treatment

If you’re considering a dental implant, you must get it as soon as possible after your tooth extraction. If the socket is left empty for a long time, it begins to resorb because of a lack of stimulation. Within one year of the tooth extraction, you can lose as much as 25 percent of the bone tissue.

The entire dental implant treatment requires multiple visits to the dental office.

Initial Consultation

If you’re considering dental implants, you should consult with your dentist to determine if the procedure is suitable for you. It’s important to note that not everyone is eligible for dental implants.

For instance, a dentist may not recommend a dental implant if you don’t have enough jawbone. While implants have a very high success rate, factors such as insufficient bone tissue can increase the chances of failure.

During this initial consultation, your dentist will evaluate your oral condition to ensure that you’re eligible for dental implant surgery. Your dentist may take photos and X-rays of your mouth to inspect your teeth, bone tissue, and gums closely.

In this phase, the dentist will also identify any problems that need to be addressed before getting an implant. For instance, cases of periodontal disease, bone loss, gum recession, or any other underlying condition could delay healing or cause complications.

If you don’t have enough jawbone, the dentist may recommend bone grafting for successful dental implant placement. Grafting seeks to repair and rebuild the lost bone tissue. On average, bone grafting takes about 4 – 6 months, which lengthens your dental implant treatment.

Implant Placement

Once your gums and bone have healed, your dentist will book you for your next appointment. Before the surgery, the dentist will numb the surrounding area with an anesthetic to prevent pain and discomfort.

The dentist then fixes the implant’s root (made of titanium) into the jawbone using special dental drills and tools. A healing cap is placed over the implant, and the gum tissues are closed to aid in healing. The implant requires time to integrate with the bone, which may take up to 6 months depending on the patient’s oral health and bone mass.

During the healing time, you should avoid any activities that can cause stress or pressure on the implant to promote faster healing. Follow your dentist’s care instructions to prevent any complications.

Once the area has healed, your dentist will examine the implant to determine whether it has fused with the jawbone as required. If it’s successful, an abutment is attached to the dental implant using a screw—the abutment aids in holding the dental crown.

The dentist will then make an impression of the abutment and send it to the lab to have the permanent crown prepared. Once the permanent crown is ready, it’s cemented on or attached to the abutment via a screw. The crown will appear like your natural teeth.

Follow-up Appointments

Your dentist may schedule a few follow-up appointments to check on the progress of the implant. Please inform your dentist about any concerns or complications you may have with the implant.

Schedule a Consultation Today

Are you considering dental implants? If so, contact Weymouth Dental Associates to schedule a dental implant consultation.