Replacing missing or broken teeth is critical for your appearance and oral health. Leaving gaps in your smile can result in jaw and tooth misalignment, tooth decay, and feeling self-conscious about how you look. Dental implants are a permanent and natural-looking way to replace missing teeth.
Unlike dentures, the dental implant procedure provides a fixed tooth replacement that is nearly indistinguishable from your natural teeth. Patients asking their dentist whether implants are right for them also want to know more about the stages of dental implants, the timeline, and how the dental implant procedure works.
What Are Dental Implants?
Dental implants are shaped like a small titanium screw. During the dental implant procedure steps, the screw is surgically set into the jaw as a replacement for the missing tooth’s root and a foundation for a permanent crown.
Dental implants are a versatile treatment option and can be used to replace a single tooth or an entire dental arch. While the stages of dental implants aren’t complicated, the dental implant procedure can be lengthy. Your dental professional can advise you on the length and type of treatment best suited for your oral health.
Is the Dental Implant Procedure Right for Me?
Once you’ve completed the stages of dental implants, they have a high success rate and offer long-lasting functionality. Between 90 and 95 per cent of dental implants have been incorporated successfully into the jaw after the dental implant procedure.
Some people may be unsuitable to start the dental implant procedure, and certain conditions may require additional preparation before undergoing the process.
- Children and teenagers may be unsuitable for dental implants because their jaws and bones are still developing.
- Smokers with a higher risk of gum disease may not be a good match for dental implants.
- Gum diseases like gingivitis require treatment before beginning the stages of dental implants.
- Insufficient bone strength, thickness, or density in the jaw can also preclude you from receiving dental implants until you receive treatment, such as a bone graft or sinus lift.
- Pre-existing medical conditions like osteoporosis, diabetes, or hypertension can make you an unsuitable candidate for dental implants.
Many of these conditions can be addressed before the implant stages but will often add extra time to the process and recovery. Get a free consultation at your local dental clinic to see if the dental implant procedure is the best treatment option for replacing your missing teeth.
The Stages of Dental Implants
The dental implant procedure can be a long process and normally requires more than one surgery. The recovery process can take between three and nine months, so ensure you discuss the dental implant process with a dentist that offers a free consultation before deciding to go ahead with the procedure. There are five basic phases of the dental implant procedure.
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Evaluation
During the evaluation step, your dentist assesses your condition and determines which treatment options are best for your case. This gives your dentist a clear picture of where to place the implant. Additional treatments, such as bone grafting, may be recommended in patients with gum disease or bone loss before beginning the dental implant process.
At Available Dental Care, we use state-of-the-art technology, including an intraoral camera, a Sirona Orhtophos SL imaging machine, and a Cone Beam CT scanner to provide precision imaging to determine if you are a candidate for dental implants.
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Implant Placement
During the initial dental implant surgery, your dentist makes an incision in the gum and drills a hole in the jawbone. After placing the implant, the gum is stitched and left to heal. This stage is usually an outpatient surgery, and a local anaesthetic is administered for your comfort. Available Dental Care also offers inhalation or IV sedation for our more nervous patients.
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Osseointegration
After the implant is placed, the jawbone begins the healing process and regrows around the implant, holding it firmly in place. This phase of the process is called osseointegration, and you can expect it to last between two and six months.
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Abutment Placement
An extender called an abutment is placed once the bone fuses with the implant post. The abutment connects and supports the replacement crown to the implant. During this stage, a healing cap placed during the implant surgery that prevents tissue from growing over the implant is removed and the abutment screwed into place onto the implant post. Then, the gum is left to heal around the abutment.
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Tooth Replacement
Once the healing process is complete, your dentist can now make an impression and have a crown made to fit onto the implant. At Available Dental Care, we offer CEREC crowns created using CAD/CAM technology and milled on-site from a block of ceramic colour-matched to your teeth.
Dental Implants Near You
Available Dental Care offers fast, safe treatments through our state-of-the-art facility and advanced technologies, including operating microscopes, CAD/CAM ceramic teeth design and stem cell bone regeneration to give every patient a winning smile.
If you’re looking for a permanent fix for your missing teeth, then dental implants are the aesthetically pleasing and high-functioning solution you need. You can get a free dental consultation near you at Available Dental Care to see if you’re a candidate for the dental implant procedure. Call us now on (02) 4062 8763 for a consultation.
Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
References
Dental implant procedure
https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/dental-implant
Everything to Know About a Dental Implant Procedure
https://www.healthline.com/health/dental-and-oral-health/dental-implant-procedure
What Is an Endosteal Implant?
https://www.verywellhealth.com/endosteal-implants-5216744