If you are missing a tooth or multiple teeth in one area of your mouth, dental implants are a great way to restore your smile! Dental implants help stimulate bone regeneration and prevent the bone deterioration that can result from other restorations such as a bridge or denture.
Dental implant placement and maintenance requires the care of multiple providers including an implant specialist, your general dentist, a dental lab, your dental hygienist, and of course, you! Each professional is vital to the success of your implant in their own way. Dental implants are one of the best ways to restore missing teeth so if you are considering implant treatment, it is important to understand each step of your treatment and caring for your investment.
Dental Implant Placement By An Oral Surgeon or Periodontist
If your dentist believes that you are a candidate for dental implants, they will refer you to either an oral surgeon or periodontist for an evaluation. If the doctor determines that you are a candidate, they will schedule you for surgery.
It is important for anyone looking to receive dental implants to have sufficient bone structure in their jaw in order to provide a stable foundation for the implant. During your evaluation, the implant doctor will assess your bone and if you do not have enough, they may need to perform a bone graft prior to implant placement. A bone graft can be synthetic or harvested from the patient or a donor cadaver. Once your bone graft heals, you can have your implant placed.
First, the doctor will administer a local anesthetic via injection to the area being treated. They will then make a small incision in the gum tissue and drill a small hole into your jaw bone and place your titanium implant. Once the implant is in place, they will stitch up the tissue, leaving a small portion protruding through the gums onto which a temporary abutment is placed. This abutment will help protect the implant while you heal!
The healing time after implant surgery can be up to six months. During this time, you will visit your implant doctor periodically for follow up appointments to make sure that everything is healing properly. You will also have a temporary appliance that will give you the appearance of a tooth until your permanent implant restoration can be placed! The specialist will send progress reports to your dentist after each visit to keep them in the loop. Once they determine that you are healed and your implant is fully integrated with the bone, they will release you from care and your dentist will take over!
Restoring Implants By Your General Dentist and Dental Lab
Once you have been approved for restoration, your general dentist will make a simple impression of both arches of your mouth which are used to make a model that will be sent to the dental lab. The lab will use this model to fabricate your implant restoration. An implant can support an individual crown, a bridge, or a full denture. Most cases take about two weeks to fabricate and once your dentist receives your case back from the lab, they will have you come to the office to try it in. Together, you and your dentist will make sure that your case is perfect in appearance, fit, and bite. If everything is perfect, they may be able to permanently place your restoration at this appointment. If not, they will send it back to the lab notated with any adjustments that need to be made.
Maintaining Your Implant With Your Dental Hygienist
Once treatment is complete, your dental hygienist will help you maintain the implant so you keep your investment for as long as possible. Patients that endure implant placement will benefit from more frequent professional cleanings than the typical every six months. Implant care is a lifetime commitment so if your dentist and dental hygienist think that you should have cleanings three or four times a year, it is important to do so in conjunction with good home care.
At each cleaning, your hygienist will evaluate your gum tissue to make sure it is healthy and pink and will check the mobility of your implant to make sure that it is stable. They will use ultrasonic and handheld instruments to scale plaque and tartar from your teeth and the implant. Once a year, they will take an x-ray of the implant and surrounding bone structure as well as take measurements of your gum pockets, all of which will be sent to your implant doctor to keep them up-to-date on the status of your implant.
With a qualified team of dental professionals treating you, your dental implant can easily last a lifetime!