The process for having dental implants placed and restored is a bit more extensive than other options but dental implants are also the overall better choice! There are a number of options available but dental implants are significantly more stable and durable than other options. Implants are more invasive and more costly than other treatment options but their longevity often makes them the least costly option in the long run!
What is the dental implant procedure?
Your dentist will be the first consultation you have to determine if dental implants are a good option for you. They will perform a full oral examination to see if they think you are a candidate and if they do, they will refer you to an oral surgeon or a periodontist for evaluation. The specialist will review x-rays of the area to determine if your bone structure is suitable and stable enough to receive and support a dental implant.
Implant Placement
The oral surgeon or periodontist that your dentist referred you to is the dental specialist who will place your implant. They will also be the doctor to extract any teeth that need to be removed. If you need supporting bone structure added, they will place a bone graft at the same time as your extraction. If you are missing a tooth already and simply need the bone graft, that can be done on its own. Healing time for an extraction and/or bone graft is about three months.
If you had a bone graft, your implant will be surgically placed after it is fully healed. The doctor will make an incision in the gum tissue and drill a small hole into your bone and place the implant directly into the jaw bone before stitching up the gum tissue. A healing cap will be placed over the implant to protect it while it heals for up to six months.
Your dentist will provide you with a temporary appliance to wear while you heal. This appliance will be either an essex which is a plastic tray that sits over all of your teeth or a flipper which is an acrylic appliance that fits to the roof of your mouth and is held in place with wire hooks. Both will have a fake tooth to fill the space and keep your other teeth from shifting together in an effort to close the space. The healing time after implant placement is the longest part of implant treatment because the implant must be fully integrated with the jaw bone to be stable enough to receive the implant restoration.
Restoration Placement
Once your implant is ready for the restoration, your general dentist will take over treatment and place the implant crown. The first visit will be for impressions that your dentist will use to make a model for the dental lab. The dental lab will use this model to fabricate your new tooth! The crown and abutment will take about two weeks to make.
When your dentist gets your case back from the lab, they will have you back to the office to try in the crown. If it fits, your dentist will permanently secure it in place with either cement or an implant screw. If the crown does not fit, it will go back to the lab for any necessary adjustments.
When all is said and done, it takes a total of about six to nine months for dental implants to be completed. If you need a bone graft, it could take up to a year. The bulk of your time will be during the healing phases and while this is a long timeframe, the end result is a beautiful, stable, complete smile.
