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Understanding the Dental Implant Procedure

Nov 24, 2015 @ 10:36 AM — by belldental The team at Bell Dental has been helping patients in the greater Angleton area have the healthiest and most beautiful smiles possible. We offer a number of advanced dental care solutions, including dental implants to replace missing teeth.

Many patients ask us what the dental implants process. Let's go ahead and give a general overview of the procedure and the healing process so you understand what it entails.

About Implant Dentistry

Implant dentistry process involves the surgical placement of artificial tooth roots. These artificial tooth roots are embedded into the jawbone and gum tissue, allowing for a strong hold that is comparable to natural tooth roots.

Dental implants can support individual dental crowns, dental bridges, partial dentures, and full dentures.

The Oral Surgery

The oral surgery is the first step of the treatment process. There are different implant types and ways to perform the surgery, but the basic approach involves an incision made along the gum tissue, through which an oral surgeon can insert and embed the dental implant. The implants themselves are made of biocompatible titanium, meaning that there is a low chance of the implants being rejected by the living tissues of the mouth.

Healing After Oral Surgery

After oral surgery, patients can expect soreness in the mouth, bruising, swelling, and minor bleeding. This is all normal, and the discomfort should steadily abate over the course of a week or so. In the first few days of healing, a liquid diet and soft food diet is recommended. Patients should also consider avoiding foods that are hot or cold in temperature to reduce potential issues with tooth sensitivity.

Things to Avoid After Surgery

Patients should avoid smoking as they heal as this makes the gum tissue more susceptible to infection and gum disease. It's also important that patients avoid using drinking straws for the first week or so of recovery since the suction can undo sutures and have a negative impact on the clotting in the surgery area.

Why Osseointegration Is Important

Before placing the implant restoration, there will be a months-long healing and recovery process that will allow the dental implants to fuse with the jawbone and gum tissue. This is known as osseointegration.

Only when osseointegration is completed will the dental implants be sturdy enough to support an implant restoration. In essence, it means that the dental implants are able to function just as your natural tooth roots would.

Crafting the Implant Restoration

Whether it's a crown or a full denture, the implant restoration will be custom crafted to the needs of the patient in a dental lab. This restoration will be created based on dental records as well as impressions of the patient's remaining teeth. The idea is to make a restoration that looks natural and fits in seamlessly. Both aesthetics and pure function are considered in this designed and fabrication process.

How long does the treatment process take?

Overall, the dental implants process can take anywhere from several months to a little over a year. This will vary from patient to patient. You'll be able to get an estimate on total treatment time during your consultation at the practice.

Learn More About Implant Dentistry

If you are interested in getting dental implants and would like to learn more about the treatment process, be sure to contact our advanced dental care center today. The team at Bell Dental looks forward to your visit and providing answers to all of your questions about the implant dentistry process.

Tagged with: Dental Implants Oral Surgery Missing Teeth Restorative Dentistry



