Over the course of the last two decades dental implant procedures have advanced, growing in popularity and availability. A dental implant is a great way to replace a lost tooth and maintain healthy jaw structure.
While losing a tooth and having a gap in your mouth might bring some emotional distress of self-conscious feelings, it’s important to keep in mind that getting a dental implant is a procedure that can sometimes take up to nine months.
The amount of bone available to anchor the implant could be a factor. You might need to have a bone graft or bone augmentation procedure several months in advance to ensure there is enough healthy and strong bone material available.
During this part of the process you will probably have x-rays or a CT scan performed to better assess how much bone is left and just what kind of placement procedures you might need.
Once you have enough bone in the area, the dental implant procedure itself can be performed on an outpatient basis.
During the procedure a channel is made in the bone and the titanium abutment is inserted. It will take several months for the titanium abutment to fuse to the bone in a process known as osseointegration. The oral surgeon or periodontist will usually cover the implant with a temporary cap.
Once the abutment is thoroughly fused to the bone your dentist will make a crown which will match your smile and bite pattern.
If you have questions about the dental implant procedure or you are curious whether it might be right for you please feel free to call us at 619-591-8945 to schedule an appointment.
