The Surgical Placement of Dental Implants

If you’ve suffered from traumatic tooth loss, then you might be considering dental implants as a solution to restore your smile. However, many folks are concerned about how difficult getting implants installed is and the recovery time involved with the procedure. While dental surgery can seem scary, the technology used to install implants has come a long way, and now almost anyone can have them installed with little to no problems. The recovery time is relatively short as well.

To help you feel better about choosing dental implants, we will discuss how the entire procedure works, from the initial examination to final recovery. We believe that every patient has the right to a beautiful smile, and implants are one of the most effective ways to get your smile back once you have lost several teeth.

What are implants

If you’re not familiar with what exactly a tooth implant is, it is comprised of a metal post anchored into the gum or jawbone and a prosthetic or fake tooth. What makes tooth implants so valuable is that they are considered a permanent solution to tooth loss once installed.

The posts themselves are considered much stronger than organic tooth roots, meaning that the tooth will sit more securely in the mouth. This allows the patient to comfortably eat all the foods and activities they love without worry, unlike dentures or bridgework.

The prosthetic tooth is custom crafted to look as natural as possible and is attached to the metal anchor. These prosthetic teeth are stronger than traditional teeth as well. With proper care, the entire implant solution can last for years or even decades.

How the process works

First, it’s important to know when implants are a good option. For patients who don’t have a lot of root structure left from weakened, damaged, or diseased teeth, those who are missing a large portion of their teeth on either arch or simply don’t want dentures or bridgework, implants are an effective solution.

While a few factors affect whether implants are viable for a patient, your periodontist will be able to tell very quickly if they are an option for you.

The process always begins with examining the mouth to see the shape of the patient’s oral health, the remaining teeth and roots (if any), and the shape and density of the jawbone.

Once it is determined the patient is a candidate for implants, the procedure involves removing any remaining teeth that are unnecessary and prepping the mouth to receive the anchor points. This will typically happen via surgery and require time to heal before the final prosthetic teeth can be installed.

Under normal circumstances, including recovery time between the initial preparation and the installation of the metal posts, the entire process can be completed in as little as six months. At that point, your periodontist may want to check in to make sure there are no issues with the installation, but patients are free to go about doing the things they love with a fantastic smile.