How Does The Dental Implant Procedure Work?

Dental implants are used to replace missing teeth in the mouth. But how does the procedure work? What exactly is involved in getting a dental implant?

Those are common questions people have. An implant dentist can give you a detailed explanation. But if you’re looking for a brief overview of the dental implant procedure that’s easy to understand, then keep reading!

First thing to understand is that dental implants are not an option for everyone. You will need to have healthy gums and enough bone to support the implants in order to qualify.

Assuming you do, getting dental implants usually involves 3-4 visits to the implant dentist.

The first step involves an overall evaluation of your mouth and teeth. It may also involve prepping the mouth for an implant (or implants). This prep work may involve a tooth extraction. It could also involve some bone grafting work in situations where a tooth has been missing for a while. (If you have a bone graft done, this could take a good 3-6 months before you’re ready for the next step of the implant process.)

The second step is when the implant dentist will actually place the implant. This is surgery. The dentist embeds the implant(s) in your bone socket. As with any kind of surgery there is a recovery period involved. For the implant procedure, this usually will last from 1 1/2 to 6 months. Partially it depends on how well your body heals itself and how many implants you get.

As your jawbone heals, it will grow around the implant which helps to anchor it firmly in place.

The third step is when you get your replacement teeth. This could take two visits. In the first visit, your implant dentist will take an impression of your teeth. This will be used to create your replacement teeth so they have the best fit possible. It usually takes about 2 weeks for the replacements to be created. Once they’re ready, you’ll go back to the dentist and she’ll attach the replacements to your implant.

The 3 Main Implant Options

There are three main options for implants.

Option 1 is the single tooth replacement. This involves replacing – wait for it – a single tooth, where a single implant supports one replacement tooth.

Then there’s the fixed multiple tooth replacement. This option is used to replace a small number of missing teeth. Here a few implants will be embedded in the jawbone and then you’ll get a custom bridge of replacement teeth. So, for example, you may have 2 implants that support 4 or 5 replacement teeth.

Option 3 is called removable implant-supported tooth replacement. This is used if all your teeth are missing. Unlike the other two options above, the replacement teeth here are removable.

Why Get Dental Implants?

A major advantage of dental implants is that they improve your comfort and appearance. As mentioned above, the fuse with your bone. This means they are generally considered to be a permanent option. As such, dental implants will feel much like your own teeth. The same can’t be said about regular dentures.

Implant dentists are able to match the replacement teeth to the teeth around it so no one will be able to tell they’re fake.

Because of their permanent nature, implants can make it much easier to speak and eat. Removable options, on the other hand, may slide around. This makes it more difficult to talk, causing your to slur your words when they slip. It also makes it more difficult to eat as removable options may slip while you’re chewing. Because dental implants are more similar to your “regular” teeth, you don’t have to worry about them slipping.

The durability and convenience of implants are another advantage they have. If cared for properly, implants can potentially last for a lifetime.

As far as caring for them, the generally need the same care that real teeth need. Brushing, flossing and regular trips to the dentist.

Dental implants are also more convenient since they can’t be removed. There’s no worrying about when and where to remove them. And you don’t have to worry about using adhesives to keep them in place.

The dental implant procedure also has a high rate of success. Generally it’s about 98% of procedures work out well. So they are highly reliable.

Hope after reading the above, you have a better understanding of the dental implant procedure.