Dental implants have become a standard procedure, with millions of people benefitting from them worldwide. Whether you’re missing a front tooth or a molar at the back of the mouth, a dental implant is an excellent solution to replace missing teeth.
No matter how common the dental implant process is, it can alleviate any stress or worry if you are familiar with the procedure and know what to expect.
So, pull up a seat, and let’s get started.
The dental implant process – Everything you need to know
If you’ve carried out any research, you’ll already know that dental implants can take several months to complete. The procedure comprises multiple stages, with time spent waiting for the body to heal between each step. It’s also common for several dental professionals to work together to customise your dental implant process.
Dental implants are a more permanent solution to missing teeth than bridges or dentures, and here’s why. A dental implant acts as an artificial tooth root fixed into the jaw bone. A small component known as an abutment is attached to the implant and secures either false teeth or dental crowns.
The first step
The first step is for your dentist to take several x-rays and 3-D scans to create a three-dimensional replica of your teeth and gums. The x-rays also help in evaluating the condition of your teeth, gums, and jawbone. If any teeth need extracting, this is the point where that will happen.
Unless you are replacing a complete arch of missing teeth with ‘All on 4’ dental implants, you won’t get your new tooth or teeth right away. As mentioned previously, the body needs to heal between some of the steps. Your dentist can fit a temporary crown while you wait for the process to progress.
Like natural teeth, dental implants rely on the bone for support and stability. If your bone is thin, you may need a bone graft to improve its depth and width. While this is minor surgery, your mouth will have to heal before getting dental implants.
Unfortunately, this adds time and extra cost to the dental implant process.
Once your mouth has fully healed, it’s time to move to the next stage.
Oral surgery
Implant surgery is necessary to insert titanium dental implants into your jawbone and is the most invasive part of the dental implant procedure. The dentist will administer local anaesthesia to numb the mouth so you won’t feel any pain. Nervous patients can also request dental sedation to help relax them during surgery. Your dental team will have spent several weeks planning ahead of your surgery to ensure it goes as smoothly as possible.
A small incision is made into the gums to expose the bone, and the surgeon drills a small hole to accommodate the implant ‘root.’ The gums are then closed with sutures, and you’re free to return home.
What happens next?
Following surgery, the jawbone needs time to unite and grow around the dental implant in a procedure known as osseointegration. It may take several months for this to occur, during which patients can go about their business as usual.
Regular dental visits will enable our dentists to monitor your progress and ensure things are going to plan.
Osseointegration must happen correctly before moving onto the next stage of the dental implant process, so please be patient as it’s different for everyone.
Good oral hygiene is essential to prevent infection that could cause the implant to fail at this early stage.
On the subject of infection, the dental team at No Gaps Dental wants to reassure patients that they take every precaution to keep patients safe. Hygiene and sanitisation are critical to prevent spreading infection. Hand sanitiser is placed in strategic locations for patients to use when entering and leaving our clinics.
Our surgical team also uses hand sanitiser before and after surgery. We also advise patients to have hand sanitiser in their homes to avoid any possible contamination around their dental implant site.
While you wait for your jaw to heal, there will be a gap where your dentist will eventually fit your new tooth. However, you can always wear a partial denture to hide this.
Once your dentist is satisfied that osseointegration has been successful, it’s time to move to the next step.
Fitting the abutment
Do you remember, the abutment is the piece that secures the artificial teeth to the dental implant?
This procedure is less invasive than the implantation and quickly completed. The dentist opens the gums to expose the implant. The abutment is attached, and the gums are closed back up. On occasions, the abutment is connected to the dental implants during the implantation surgery itself.
Nearly there!
When your mouth has healed (usually within a couple of weeks), the last stage of the dental implant process is for the dentist to attach your crowns. These are shaped and colour-matched to your surrounding teeth so that they fit in seamlessly for a natural-looking smile. No one will be able to tell the difference!
Once your dental implants are in place, it’s essential to care for them as you would your natural teeth. Habits like smoking and using your teeth to pull off bottle tops will damage your new teeth and are not recommended.
Try and stay on top of your oral hygiene. Infection and gum disease are the number one reason dental implants fail, and this can happen soon after implantation or several months or even years later.
If you have missing teeth or are facing tooth extraction, why not contact the experienced dental teams at No Gaps Dental. We have 15 locations scattered around the Sydney metro area with modern facilities and the technology to match. Book online or call us on (02) 8806 0227 today. We’re happy to answer any questions relating to the dental implant process and discuss other missing teeth replacement options.
Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks.