Dental Implant – Initial Consultation to Surgery
Receiving a dental implant has been made increasingly easier and quicker thanks to ever-advancing medical technology, computer imaging software and placement protocol. Where beforehand it would take an implant dentist six months and multiple surgeries for a single dental implant, nowadays, the entire implant plus temporary crown can be placed in a single day. Furthermore, sophisticated computer imaging software affords the implant dentist an in-depth three dimensional view of the patient’s mouth and jaw, thus allowing for the detailed planning of the placement procedure. And with less incisions and sutures necessary, post-operative pain and discomfort are greatly reduced.
A look back over the past decade alone reveals staggering leaps in the science surrounding dental implantology and fixed oral rehabilitation. So much so that today, getting a dental implant is something you can slot into your busy schedule as opposed to taking a week or more off from work to recover! In order to better understand what receiving a dental implant involves, here is a description of the procedure, from the initial consultation to the surgery itself in final.
Getting a Dental Implant – Initial Consultation
The first step on your journey to smile restoration is your initial consultation with implant dentists. During this visit, you will sit with them and discuss your oral problems, whether it is a concern for cosmetics or impaired bite functionality (or both). Even if a missing tooth is not causing you any immediate problems, replacing it with a dental implant will ensure the long term health of the underlying jaw bone and the stability of the neighboring teeth. Your implant dentist will then perform a thorough clinical examination of your mouth and jaw to determine the underlying cause behind your tooth loss. Problems such as decay and bacterial infection will have to be addressed before you can receive your dental implant. X-rays will also be taken to assist your implant dentist in the planning of your surgery, for which a date will be set.
Getting a Dental Implant – Surgical Placement
On the day of your surgery, your implant dentist, while you are under the effects of anesthetic, will prepare the tooth socket to receive the titanium screw of the implant.
Once it has been inserted, an abutment is attached to it, which is used to support a temporary crown. In the months following your surgery, the titanium screw will be fusing with the jaw bone in a process termed ‘osseointegration’. The temporary crown is intended for aesthetic purposes while your jaw is healing. Then, in a subsequent appointment, doctor will remove the temporary crown and firmly cement a permanent one in place. It’s that simple! You will immediately be able to admire the results in the mirror and return home to resume your normal lifestyle.
Dental Implant – A Final Note
Replacing a single missing tooth with a dental implant is a very easy and straight-forward procedure. Doctors perform several such procedures every day, so you can rest assured that you are in very capable and experienced hands!
