What To Expect With Your Dental Implant Procedure

Knowing that you are about to get dental implants can be both exciting and anxiety-provoking. If some of that anxiety is related to not knowing what will happen, read on to find out more about the process and what to expect.

An Overview of the Process

Dental implants involve several steps and more than a single visit to the dentist. Before you can begin the process, your dentist will need to find out more about your jawbones. Strong jawbones are required to anchor the implants so that they will remain in place for a very long time. If your jawbones have suffered some bone loss, you might need to have a separate outpatient surgical procedure called a bone graft. Once your jawbone is healed from the bone graft, which can take several months, then you can begin the implant process.

The implant process can take several appointments and it all begins with an evaluation of your dental health. Your dentist will provide you with a written treatment plan that explains what will be done and when. At this appointment, you usually discuss pain relief choices with your dentist as well.

Insertion of the Post: After being administered an anesthetic, a titanium post is inserted into a tiny incision in your gums. The post is very small but sometimes your dentist may need to remove some bone and tissue to do the insertion properly. When you leave this appointment, you may be fitted with a temporary false tooth over the post for appearance's sake.

The Abutment is Placed: After the insertion of the post, several weeks must pass to allow for the complete healing of the incisions. Then, the post that was inserted previously is topped with an abutment. This is a small metal piece that serves as the link for your prosthetic tooth (also called a crown). In most cases, this is the final part of the implant process.

The crown is fitted, and your dentist will ensure that it appears as natural as possible alongside your natural teeth. The color should be like your other teeth and the shape should blend in seamlessly. By the way, if you plan to whiten your teeth, doing so before the implant procedure is advised. Then, the crown can be shaded to match when it's made. Otherwise, the crown cannot be bleached like your natural teeth, and it can appear darker than the other teeth.

To learn more about dental implants, speak to a dentist.

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