When I had a badly decayed tooth extracted, I got a partial denture to fill in the gap. I didn't mind it at first, because I was just so happy to have my painful tooth out of my mouth. Over time, I began to get tired of taking it out at night. I asked my dentist if I was could get a dental implant, and he said that my gum disease did not make me a good candidate, but a fixed bridge may be a good option for me. I went with his suggestion, and I have no regrets. I love feeling like I have a real tooth again that I don't have to remove at night. I created this blog to remind other people with a missing tooth that they have many replacement options, and if one is not for you, then try another that may be right.
Do you plan on using dental implants to replace your missing or damaged teeth? If so, you may be wondering what you should expect during this dental procedure. Thankfully, you can finally put that curiosity to rest by taking the time to review the information below and learning more about what you can expect during each stage of the dental implant process.
Stage 1: Pulling Damaged Or Decayed Teeth
If your dental implants will be taking the place of damaged or decayed teeth, these natural teeth will need to be removed before your implants can be placed. In most cases, you can expect your dentist to remove all of your damaged teeth in a single visit. While pulling several teeth at once can be a bit painful, completing this task all in one visit will allow you to heal much faster than removing one tooth at a time. This is extremely important as your gums must fully heal from the tooth extraction before you can move forward with the next step in the process.
Stage 2: Placing Implant In Jawbone
Once your gums have healed from the tooth extraction in stage one, your dentist will schedule you for surgery so that your dental implants can be placed in your jawbone. This surgery is typically performed on an outpatient basis and may take several hours to complete.
During your surgery, your dentist will drill small, deep holes in your jawbone where the implants will be placed. By drilling deep into the bone, your dentist will ensure that your implants have the support they need to provide the strength of natural teeth.
After the surgery is complete, you will undergo an extended recovery process while your jawbone heals around the newly implanted posts. This process can take several months depending upon your personal rate of recovery.
Stage 3: Attaching Post And Crown
Once your jawbone has completely healed, your dentist will make a small incision in your gums. This incision will allow them to access to the implant below and add a metal post to this implant that will rise above the gum line. It is this metal post that your dental crown will be attached to.
With the metal post in place, your dentist will attach your dental crown using dental cement. In order to ensure that this cement dries fully and that your crown is able to stand up to the test of time, it is important to avoid eating and drinking for several hours after this final stage is complete.
Share13 January 2015
