A dental implant has been acknowledged as being a prosthesis that interfaces with one’s bone of the jaw or skull in order to support a dental prosthesis like a crown, bridge, denture, or even facial prosthesis, or perhaps to act as an orthodontic anchor.
Dental implants are indeed a permanent solution for missing teeth.
Dental Implants Procedure Stages:
1. Dental Implant without Extraction
Stage 1: Implant Post Placement
The patient will be given local anesthesia to numb the surgical area before placement of the implant. The numb area is fitted with the implant before a small incision on the gums to expose the bone is made. A hole is drilled into the bone, and the implant is placed inside. The gums are then stitched back up and left to heal for 3-6 months.
By then, the implant has fused or bonded with the jawbone. This process is known as osseointegration.
Stage 2: Implant Abutment Placement
A minor surgery is done for the abutment to take place once the implant has rather fused with the bone.
Stage 3: Dental Crown
An impression of the teeth after the abutment has shaped the gums is done.
The dental impression is sent to a dental lab for preparing the dental crown. A temporary dental crown can be placed.
The dental crown will be cemented or screwed into place.
2. Dental Implant with Extraction
A single tooth or even more teeth to the implant site can be needed to be extracted, and a bone graft procedure is then carried out.
Stage 1: Extraction and Bone Grafting
Local anesthesia is given, and then the gums will be incised to expose the bone. The implant dentist proceeds to extract decayed teeth or those badly damaged.
After the extraction, bone grafting is done to fill the sockets or even holes where the tooth used to be. The healing period takes about 3–6 months.
Stage 2: Implant Post Placement
After the healing of the grafted area, the implant post-placement is now ready. After the dental implant has been placed, it will be left to heal and fuse with the bone for around 3-6 months.
Stage 3: Implant Abutment Placement
The attachment of the abutment follows the placement of the dental implant post. This abutment will indeed serve as a connector for the dental prosthetic (i.e., dental crown). This stage does take about 1-2 weeks of waiting time for the gums to heal and the completion of one’s crown’s fabrication.
Stage 4: Dental Crown
Like before, a dental impression is taken and sent to a dental lab where the dental crown is made. The dentist will then cement or screw it into place.
The wait time for the implant with extractions as well as bone grafting can take up to 8-12 months.
Stage 1: Extraction, Bone Grafting, and also Implant Post Placement
After the tooth extraction, the dentist will perform bone grafting.
While the implant tooth is fitted soon after surgery, there is of course no shortcut for osseointegration, and the dental implant still does require the same amount of time (3-6 months) to fuse with one’s jawbone.
Stage 2: Implant Abutment Placement
Attachment of an abutment to the dental implant does follow after 1-2 weeks of healing.
Stage 3: Dental Crown
The dentist will take an impression of the patient’s teeth and send it to a dental lab.
Post-Surgery Care
- Do not spit. Use a tissue to wipe your mouth or swallow saliva.
- Do not use a drinking straw. Drink straight from one’s cup.
- Do not smoke.
- Restrain from pushing with one’s tongue the surgical area or sutures.
- Keep gauze on the surgical area with a little biting pressure for 30–45 minutes, replacing it as required until the bleeding becomes less.
- For full-mouth implants: Wait to brush and then rinse teeth until 24 hours have passed.
- For single-tooth implants: On the same evening of surgery, brush and clean other teeth normally while being extra careful on the surgical site.
Conclusion
The dental implant procedure is sophisticated.