If you are missing a tooth, and have an otherwise strong and healthy jaw, a dental implant is usually considered the best way to restore it. No other form of tooth replacement so perfectly mimics the natural tooth structure, while leaving the surrounding teeth untouched. If you are planning to receive a dental implant from our South Park restorative dentist sometime in the near-future, here are the steps that will be involved in your treatment.
Step One: Post Insertion
After an initial consultation to discuss your treatment plan, you will return to our South Park dentist office for the first part of your dental implant procedure. Your dentist will surgically implant a titanium screw into your jawbone, which will eventually act as the artificial “root” of the tooth. Most dental implant surgeries occur while the patient is awake, under local anesthesia. You should not feel any pain during surgery.
Once the implant has been inserted, you will wait for 3-6 months for the jawbone and gum tissue to heal and regrow around it. The gums and bone tissue will actually fuse with the implant in a process called osteointegration. Once you have healed, you will be able to return for the next part of your treatment.
Step Two: Attaching the Post
In your next visit, your dentist will attach what is called a “post” or “abutment” to the implant. This tiny device will essentially serve as the “scaffolding” underneath the implant crown. While the implant replaces the tooth root, the abutment replaces the dentin that lies underneath the enamel of a healthy tooth.
In order to attach the post, the dentist will need to access the implant by removing a small amount of gum tissue, which he or she will usually do with a small dental laser. A laser cauterizes the tissue as it cuts, decreasing bleeding, which is why it is usually preferred over scalpels or other tools. Again, anesthetics will prevent you from feeling any pain. After this step, you will once again wait several weeks for the tissues to heal before going back to see your dentist.
Step Three: Making and Attaching the Crown
After your gums have healed, your dentist will create the crown that will fit over the post. The crown will be identical in shape and color to the original tooth and the teeth next to it. If your dentist has a CEREC machine (which we do!) he or she will be able to scan and create the crown in one 90-minute appointment. If your dentist does not have a same-day crown machine, he or she will take impressions of your mouth (using impression material some of our patients refer to as “goo”) and send them off to a dental lab, which will mill the final restoration.
Once your dentist has the crown ready, he or she will attach it to the abutment. After making some adjustments for bite and fit, you will be ready to head out the door with a tooth that is just as sturdy and stable—if not more so—than the old one! If all goes as planned, the entire dental implant process should take from 6 to 8 months.
Caring for Your Dental Implant: Going Forward
Although they don’t decay, your new teeth will need the same routine care, checkups and cleanings as your natural teeth. Your dentist will explain how to floss around and beneath a dental implant to remove bacteria. You will return for a follow-up appointment to ensure everything is going smoothly, and after that, you should return to the dentist once every six months for regular care and cleanings.
Need Dental Implant Surgery in South Park?
The thought of a dental implant can sometimes be scary, even for grown-ups! However, there is nothing to worry about. Although it is lengthy, the dental implant process is painless, and has a very high success rate. We are actually very lucky to live in an era when this treatment is possible–no other dental service is able to so perfectly mimic the function, feel, and appearance of a natural tooth. In fact, don’t be surprised if you often forget which tooth is the implant tooth!
If you would like to schedule an appointment to learn more about our South Park dental implants, please click here.