Dental implants can improve your quality of life when you have missing or impacted teeth. Because they look and function like your natural teeth, they restore your smile and renew your confidence. When you visit your dentist, you can expect to go through several stages of the tooth implant procedure.
What Are the Stages of a Tooth Implant Procedure?
Your dentist examines your oral health using X-rays to see if you are a candidate for dental implants in an initial consultation. They review your medical history to determine if you have medical conditions that may affect the dental implant procedure, such as clotting disorders, type I diabetes, and other autoimmune diseases.
If you show signs of gum disease, your dentist needs to treat it first before you receive dental implants. The dentist can also assess your jawbone density to determine if you require a bone grafting procedure.
If you do, they can discuss with you what to expect from the surgery and the effects it may have on the stages of tooth implant treatment.
However, if your jawbone and gums are healthy enough to support dental implants, your dentist can talk about the dental implant procedure with you and explain the following stages of a tooth implant procedure in more depth.
Tooth extraction
Your tooth extraction may prolong your procedure depending on various factors, such as the location of your tooth and the type of extraction. To extract a tooth, your dentist uses an instrument called an elevator to wiggle it until it loosens. Then, they use dental forceps to remove it.
If you have an impacted tooth, you will need to undergo oral surgery to remove it first. It may need to be sectioned and extracted into pieces. It may take up to seven to ten weeks for the extraction site to fully heal.
Bone grafting
If the jawbone cannot support dental implants, bone grafting may be necessary. The dentist can transplant natural or synthetic bone into the jawbone. This procedure promotes bone tissue growth to support the implant. Bone grafts usually have high success rates.
Bone grafts usually take several months to heal and require multiple follow-up visits to your dentist to check your healing. Your dentist can let you know when your new bone is stable enough to support the implant.
Dental implant procedure
Before you begin your dental implant surgery, your dentist can talk about your sedation options. At No Gaps Dental, all our practices offer inhalation sedation dentistry, and we monitor your vitals to keep you safe during the procedure.
We also ensure we follow all Australian dental guidelines for infection control. This includes the availability of hand sanitisers. Our dentists encourage patients to use hand sanitisers to prevent the spread of disease. Hand sanitisers that contain between 60 and 95% ethanol (isopropyl alcohol) are effective against many bacteria that cause illnesses.
Your dentist makes an incision in your gums during the dental implant procedure. They drill a small hole into the bone to allow for the insertion of the dental implant. Once the implants have been fixed in place, your dentist sutures the gums closed.
Bone growth and healing
As your implant heals, the tissues form around it and help it become permanently embedded in the jawbone in a process called osseointegration. Dental implants are made from titanium which is biocompatible, meaning your body won’t reject it during the integration process.
The process can take anywhere from three to nine months for the implant to fully integrate into the bone. It helps provide a solid foundation for your new artificial abutment.
Abutment placement
An abutment connects your implant to the dental crown. Your dentist opens your gum again to place the abutment for the dental implant.
They then close the gum around but not over the implant and abutment to allow the site to heal. Your gums must recover for about two weeks after the abutment placement before they can attach your dental restoration.
Permanent restoration
When osseointegration is complete, and your mouth has healed, your dentist places a permanent restoration on top of your dental implants.
The dentist customises a dental crown using 3D imaging or X-rays. The dental crown is milled on-site using CEREC technology from a single block of solid ceramic zirconia. If you have been wearing a temporary dental crown, your dentist will remove it to cement a permanent dental crown in place.
Your dental procedure may take four to nine months to complete, depending on the need for bone grafts and tooth extractions before the procedure, as well as the recovery times for all stages of a tooth implant. The result is an attractive, permanent smile that can last a lifetime.
Taking Care of Your Dental Implants
After the completion of your dental implant procedure, you must follow good oral hygiene habits to ensure the success of your dental implants. Regular flossing and brushing can help you prolong the life of your implants by dislodging food particles and removing bacteria.
Avoid hard foods, such as ice and hard sweets to prevent your implants and natural teeth from breaking. Regular dental checkups can help your dentist evaluate the state of your implants.
Learn More About Dental Implants with No Gaps Dental
If you are considering a dental implant procedure, our dentists at No Gaps Dental can answer your questions about what’s involved in all the stages of a tooth implant. Call us on (02) 8806 0227 to book your appointment today.
Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
References
Tips for Recovering from a Tooth Extraction
https://www.healthline.com/health/tooth-extraction-aftercare
Systematic analysis on the efficacy of bone enhancement methods used for success in dental implants
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5601489/
Epidemiologic background of hand hygiene and evaluation of the most important agents for scrubs and rubs
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15489352/
Does the use of alcohol-based hand gel sanitizer reduce travellers’ diarrhea and gastrointestinal upset?: A preliminary survey
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25065273/
Dental Implant Surgery
https://www.colgate.com/en-us/oral-health/implants/dental-implant-surgery
Dental implant surgery
https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/dental-implant-surgery/about/pac-20384622