If you are considering dental implant placement, we are pleased to offer some insight into what you can expect from the procedure.
Many patients are concerned that the process will be painful, and while any surgical procedure has a certain degree of discomfort while the mouth heals, our experienced team can provide a local anesthesia or another form of sedation to ensure that you remain comfortable during the implant placement process.
When it’s time to place dental implants following the administration of anesthesia, the surgical procedure is generally as follows:
-We make a small incision to access the bone in which the implant will be placed.
-With precision instruments, we create a space for the implant root form.
-The implant is then threaded into the space to the appropriate depth.
-A post is placed into the root form implant which slightly protrudes through the gum tissue. This is called the healing abutment.
-The gum tissue is then sutured around the healing abutment.
-The implant is then left undisturbed for a few months while it integrates and fuses with the bone.
After the appropriate healing time, we check the implant to make sure it is ready to have the crown made by your dentist.
The crown procedure is then performed by the general or restorative dentist. He or she will make an impression of the implant and the laboratory will make a custom crown to replace the visible portion of your tooth. This procedure usually takes 2 – 3 appointments, and generally doesn’t require any anesthesia.
Dental implants are considered the standard of care to replace missing teeth. There are many reasons to replace teeth that are lost. Chewing function and esthetics are the two top concerns for most people, but other important reasons exist as well. If teeth are not replaced with implants, bone atrophy occurs within the jawbone. The facial structures which are supported by the jawbone can then be affected and start to cause a look of premature aging. Also, adjacent and opposing teeth will start to drift which can lead to further tooth loss or poor chewing function.
Depending on the number of teeth that need to be replaced, the overall process generally takes a few months to achieve final completion. To learn more about dental implants and how they can replace your missing teeth, please contact Drs. Bluhm, Dorsch and Vandervort’s team today for more information.