subject: Understanding The Steps Involved In Dental Implant Surgery [print this page] If missing teeth is the reason you refrain from smiling in public, you need to consider possible treatments. Dentures and dental bridges are available; however, implants are the right choice if you were looking for a long-lasting and least bothersome solution. Your dentist would be able to explain the details of the dental implants surgical procedure. Before you consult your dentist, here is a quick look at the steps involved.
Step 1: Bone grafting This may be necessary before or during the surgery depending on the condition of your jawbone. If the jawbone does not provide adequate support for the implant, it would be of no use. This is because your mouth exerts pressure on the teeth and bone during chewing and grinding actions. If the jawbone is too soft or thin, this surgery is necessary to prepare it for the implant.
In this step, a piece of bone, removed from some part of your body, preferably from another part of your jaw is transplanted at the place marked for the implant. You may have to wait for 6-9 months after this to ensure that there is adequate new bone growth to support the implant.
Step 2: Dental implant placement This surgery is usually done on an outpatient basis, and you may leave the hospital or dental clinic after a few hours. Your dental surgeon cuts open the gum to expose the bone and drills the holes necessary to place the implant cylinder. This is to serve as the tooth root. It is placed deep into the jawbone to ensure proper placement of the tooth.
Step 3: Bone growth period Termed as the osseointegration period, this usually lasts between two and six months. The process involves the growth and union of the jawbone with the implant cylinder. Only when the cylinder is properly set in the jawbone, it would be able to support the artificial abutment and crown and replicate the missing tooth.
Step 4: Abutment placement This may be done along with the placement of the dental implant cylinder. This would help you avoid another surgery. However, the abutment is visible past the gum line, making it not a preferable option for most individuals. This is especially because this remains the same way for about six months. This is the reason most patients choose a separate surgery for placing the abutment.
During this surgical procedure, your dental surgeon uses local anaesthesia. The gum is cut and opened once again to expose the implant cylinder. After the abutment is attached to this cylinder, the surgeon closes the gum tissue around it. This step is also done on an outpatient basis.
Step 5: Artificial tooth attachment The gum needs to heal before the crowns can be attached to the abutment. The dental specialist takes impressions of your mouth and your bite to create the crown to fill out the gap over the abutment. You may choose fixed or removable prosthesis for teeth implants. The natural looking artificial dental crowns are individually attached to the abutment to complete the procedure.
