Thinking Of Improving Your Smile With Dental Implants?
Do you want to improve your smile and are considering dental implants? Then read on to learn what to expect before, during and after dental implant surgery.
Dental implants are not a quick process because your mouth and jawbone must be prepared to withstand your implants for a long time. Dentists require the patient to have adequate bone density in your jaw before doing the procedure.
If there is not enough bone to support an implant, your clinician may recommend a bone graft. Graft materials can come from several sources and do not always require taking bone from your own body. The timing depends on the amount of grafting and healing needed; some grafts are placed with an implant, while others must heal first.
Follow your surgeon’s written instructions about eating, drinking, medicines, and transportation before surgery. Fasting may be required for sedation or general anesthesia. Do not assume you should eat breakfast on the day of surgery. Arrange an adult escort when instructed.
Most oral surgeons will use either a local anesthesia or another type of sedative to control pain and keep you comfortable during surgery. After administering anesthesia, your surgeon will make small incisions in your mouth; they look like small flaps that expose the bone needed to fuse the implants in your mouth. Using a drill, your surgeon will create the room needed to implant the new tooth. Since dental implants are comprised of a crown, abutment and titanium screw, your dentist will fix the screw in the empty space. Once the screw is in, your jaw will need time to grow and fuse with the screw. After the regrowth process, your dentist will add the abutment with the screw. The abutment keeps your new tooth in place. Your gums will need time to heal and strengthen. Once your gums heal, your dentist will take teeth impressions to make sure your implants fit securely and naturally. The last step is getting your natural looking tooth onto the abutment. Depending on how many teeth are getting implanted, the process can take anywhere from weeks to several months to finish.
After surgery, you will experience some degree of discomfort. Some common symptoms are minor bruising, pain at the implant site, gum and face swelling, or slight bleeding. Your dentist may prescribe a pain medication to relieve the pain. Be aware if your pain worsens over time, contact your dentist ASAP.
Aftercare is really important for a healthy recovery. Your dentist will give you an aftercare guide with instructions that may include avoiding hard and crunchy foods, opt for soft foods instead, continue daily brushing and flossing, having regular check-ups, and using antibacterial mouth rinse.
Following your aftercare instructions helps reduce complications, but cannot eliminate all risks. Infection, bone loss, and failure of an implant to integrate with the bone can occur. Contact your clinician promptly for worsening pain, swelling, bleeding, or a loose implant.
Implants can last many years, but neither the implant nor its replacement tooth is guaranteed to last a lifetime. Keep regular dental appointments, clean as instructed, avoid smoking and using sharp objects between teeth, and discuss grinding or clenching with your dentist. General health and good home care support healing but do not guarantee success.
Talk to our dentist, Dr. Farinas-Han, today to schedule a consult and find out if you are a good candidate for dental implants.
As someone suffering from tooth loss it is difficult to decide if you should or shouldn’t have surgery to insert dental implants to replace your teeth. At Smiles by Bergen Dental, Dr. Farinas-Han will patiently work with you to help you decide if dental implants are your best option. Make an appointment with Smiles by Bergen Dental for that perfect smile and healthy teeth.