What is the Dental Implant Process Like?

If you’re missing one tooth or a full row of teeth, restoring your smile is essential to ensure your confidence and give you the ability to speak clearly and chew a variety of foods. More dentists than ever are recommending dental implant supported tooth replacement as the gold standard in dental care, but many patients still don’t know much about the dental implant tooth replacement process. Keep reading to learn more about what to expect.

Consultation

Before a good dentist begins dental procedure, they should sit down with patients one on one to discuss all of their treatment options. The goal is to ensure patients feel 100% confident in their treatment plan and prevent any unpleasant surprises throughout the course of care. During your dental implant consultation, the dentist evaluates your current oral and overall health condition. The dentist also reviews the cost and time involved in the dental implant process to ensure this tooth replacement plan meets your needs and fits your budget.

Preparation

Many patients require preparatory treatments. Dentists may recommend a gum or bone graft to ensure the implant post will have plenty of supportive tissue to fuse with. Prior to designing and placing an implant supported denture, you may need to have one or more damaged teeth extracted. The dentist also needs to address oral health concerns like gum disease or cavities before beginning dental implant treatment.

Implant Placement

Once your smile is fully prepared and you’re healthy enough for surgery, the dental implant placement procedure is schedule. The process itself requires the dentist to place a small incision in the gum line. Then, the dental implant is placed into the jaw. A protective cap is attached to protect the implant while it heals. Over the course of three to six months, the implant post will attach to the gums and supportive bone tissue mimicking the natural function of the tooth roots.

Restoration

Once your dental implant post has fused with the jawbone, you’ll return to the dentist’s office, so they can attach your dental restoration. Versatile dental implant posts can be used to support any number of replacement teeth. A single dental crown attached to an implant post replaces one tooth, and two dental crowns can often be fused together and supported by a single implant post. Three or more consecutive teeth combined to create a bridge typically require two implant posts, one on each end, for support. Partial and full dentures can be attached to between four and six implant posts.

Meet the DeMartino Dental Group Team

The DeMartino Dental Group offers dental implant supported tooth replacement solutions, so if you’d like to find out more, contact our team to get started with a consultation. Our Phillipsburg dentist and team will walk you through all your tooth replacement options and help you find the right treatment option for you. Come back to our blog regularly to hear more about the dental services we offer and find out about community events and activities the DeMartino Dental Group team is involved with.