Dental implants are a process of multiple mini-dental surgeries that help restore a missing tooth with an implant. These procedures have an amazing success rate of 98%, making them a favorable choice for many.
This blog will examine the different steps involved in the dental implant procedure. So read until the end to get your dental implants right.
Introduction:
More than 156 million American citizens have at least one missing tooth, making dental implants an excellent go-to corrective measure for many. Boasting an excellent success rate of 98%, dental implants are becoming more popular daily.
These implants are known for being much more durable than other alternatives, such as removable dentures. But before you head out to get dental implants, you must familiarize yourself with all the steps involved in the dental tooth implant procedure. So, let’s dive into the nuances of the matter to enhance your understanding of the same.
Step By Step Process For Getting Dental Implants
The overall process for getting dental implants is relatively simple if you follow the appropriate steps. Understanding these steps is critical to understanding how implants work in the first place. So, let’s check out the steps for an effective dental implant procedure.
Step 1: Consult a Reliable Dentist
As with every other medical procedure, even dental implants start with a consultation with a reliable dentist. Your dentist must have access to all your dental history and evaluate your teeth’s condition with an x-ray. This will help evaluate the condition of the jaw, further helping determine if implants are a viable option for you.
After a thorough evaluation, your dentist can easily decide if you should continue with the dental tooth implant procedure. You can then discuss other details about the procedure, such as the overall tooth replacement cost. You can even consider evaluating other alternatives to dental implants based on your mouth’s condition.
Step 2: Bone Grafting
Once the test is done, bone grafting comes into the picture for people who have been missing a tooth for an extended period. Leaving a vacant space in your jawbone for a long time can harm your health. As a result, it might not always be strong enough to support the implant.
This is where bone grafting can help your jaw restore its strength and facilitate effective bone growth. You might require a major or a minor graft based on the amount of bone in the jawbone. You can complete the procedure before getting the implant if you need a smaller graft. On the other hand, if you need a significant graft, your dentist might recommend you go with a separate bone grafting procedure.
Step 3: Tooth Extraction
There can be many such cases where the tooth might remain in your mouth while a significant portion is already broken. Going through the dental implant procedure with such a tooth in your mouth is impossible.
This is when your dentist might recommend you undergo a tooth extraction procedure to remove the remaining tooth. The dentist will extract the tooth before going through with the dental implant procedure and make it easier to install it.
Step 4: Implant Placement
Now that your jaw is all set to get the implant, the dentist will finally go through with the implant installation procedure. You will be given an anesthetic to undergo this surgical process as the dentist cuts through the gums to reach the bone. This is also when the dentist will drill small holes into the jaw and tighten the implant on the teeth.
Usually, these implants are made of zirconia or titanium and swerve to the jawbone. The overall process of integrating the implant into the jawbone might take a couple of months, based on the severity of your case. When the implant fuses into the jawbone, we know this recovery process as osseointegration.
Step 5: Abutment Placement
After your dental implant is at the right place and secure a couple of months after the treatment, it is time to move on to the following dental implant procedure step. This is where the abutment placement step comes into the picture. After the initial procedures, you must revisit your dentist to maintain the abutment.
Abutment placement is also a surgical process where the dentist re-opens the surgical area and attaches abutments. These abutments are extension pieces for the dental implant and help keep it in place and secure. Following this, the dentist will stitch back the wound, and you can wait for the wound to heal eventually.
Step 6: Get The Dental Crown
The final step in the dental implant procedure is to get your crown. This will only happen after your tooth and jawbone have recovered successfully and the dentist is satisfied.
The dental crown is the visible portion of the dental care implant. The dentist will provide you with a temporary crown until the final crown is ready for installation.
Takeaways:
- More than 156 million American citizens have at least one missing tooth
- The dental implant can be divided into six different steps.
- The overall process of integrating the implant into the jawbone might take a couple of months.