How Does Dental Implant Procedure Work?

For those contemplating about acquiring dental implants, you need not to fear the implant surgery. The process is actually not as painful as it may seem on the surface! The only factors that vary during a dental implant procedure are the type of implant and the cost of the implant. Let’s check out the components that constitute the procedure, to know what to expect from it.

What Is a Dental Implant?

Dental implants are gaining popularity as they become the new standard of care for replacing missing teeth. These implants are made of titanium and are surgically placed in areas of missing teeth to act as artificial tooth roots. A dental implant procedure should be performed by a qualified oral surgeon to achieve the best outcome.

The Duration of The Procedure

A lot of factors contribute to the overall duration of a dental implant procedure. Some of these factors include:

1. The number of teeth involved
2. Existence of missing teeth before the procedure
3. Patient’s dental health
4. The type of teeth being replaced

The number of teeth that needs to be replaced greatly influences the time to be taken and the number of appointments. For example, a single tooth dental implant may require less surgical time, less dressing and less anesthesia than an all-on-4 dental implant. Typically, the entire dental implant procedure and healing time takes between 6 to 9 months and occurs in two phases. However, in cases where grafts have been implanted or the jaw bone needs to heal, additional time is needed.

The Level of Comfort During the Procedure

The dental implant procedure is similar to other surgeries in that there is some degree of discomfort that patients may experience. Fortunately, local anesthesia is used to sedate patients and numb any pain during the procedure. Most patients report that they never experienced any pain during the process. Furthermore, medications are prescribed to reduce post-surgery pain.

Preparing for Dental Implant Surgery

At times, dentists recommend pre-operative instructions to be followed for better results. These include:

• Prescription of preventive antibiotics to be taken days before the surgery.
• Eating well on the day of the surgery unless you are having the surgery under IV sedation. In this case, you are required not to eat anything the night before the surgery.
• Using special anti-bacterial mouthwash such as Chlorhexidine.
• Having someone accompany you to the surgery if you will be sedated.

The First Phase of the Surgery

The implant is first sterilized and an incision made in the gums before a drill is used to create space to get to the jawbone. The implant is then screwed into place before a secondary component is used to help it stay in place. The gums are then closed, and the implant given some months to firmly attach to the jawbone.

The Second Phase

If no secondary component was placed on the implant, then it is exposed, and a small extension is placed on it to get an impression. The impression is then used to make the crown which will finally be fitted.

Ready to Get Your Dental Implants Now?

Contact Guerrino Dentistry to find out more about getting dental implants! We specialize in a variety of dental services and you can rest assured that you are in safe hands!