Dental Implant Surgery: 5 Steps You Should Know
Dentists suggest dental implant surgery for individuals with a missing tooth or teeth, which may be due to tooth decay on several teeth, eroded enamels, or gum diseases.
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A dental implant may be a biocompatible metal (such as Titanium, Zirconia, or an alloy of Titanium-Zirconium) or ceramic reserved for individuals interested in a metal-free alternative. A dental implant resides in the jawbone to support the crown and mimic the attributes of the natural teeth.
The sound of this implantation of artificial teeth will make one assume and speculate about how easy it is. Still, on the contrary, dental implant surgery is not a simple procedure because the anesthesia will only make one numb to the difficulty he is prone to experience after leaving the surgical room.
That is why it will be essential if you are knowledgeable about the various procedures you will be exposed to if you decide to benefit incredibly from dental implants without being caught off guard. Listed below are the progressive procedures involved with the process of dental implants.
The First Step: The Detection of Dental Abnormalities with X-Rays
In this step, the dentists will take x-ray images of your mouth and jaw to scrutinize the occurrence or existence of dental abnormalities that might hinder the dental implant surgery. If they find any abnormalities such as bone loss or gum disease, they will offer the best treatment plan to restore them back to good health before proceeding with the surgery.
However, the health conditions of your teeth, root, and gum that an X-ray image display plays a significant role in the number of procedures it will require to restore them to good health before the performance of the dental implant surgery.
The Second Step: The Setting Up of a Suitable Foundation for Dental Implants
Dentists make a foundation on the dental implants by an impression that places imprints of your teeth, which enables dentists to perfectly fix implants without the fear of oversized or under-sized implants and create crowns as well.
In order to make these imprints from the impression, the dentist will make use of a U-shaped impression tray in which the dentist has placed a certain liquid. Then, the tray would be placed onto your teeth where it is left until it solidifies and becomes rigid.
After the impression is complete, the dentist will send the tray to the laboratory, where experts will make the exact look-alike of your natural crown that will be placed over the implants.
The Third Step: The Removal of the Natural Teeth in Preparation for the Artificial Implant
The extraction of a tooth or multiple teeth by the dentist is not done without the inceptive use of anesthesia. The anesthetics will be placed on the area of teeth that requires removal to number the pain receptors before the dentist begins the process of loosening the tissues that encompass and holds the teeth firm.
The loosened teeth would break free from its stronghold and then, removed with specific equipment. However, the dentist will insert a gauze pad on the surface from which the teeth or tooth will be removed to harness the bleeding. The placing of implants on the imprinted jaw may be immediate or delayed.
The dentist will delay the dental implants if there are several factors such as bone deterioration from infections or gum disease, which will require bone grafting before the insertion of dental implants (it takes about a month for one to heal from bone grafting). Implants can also be placed immediately after the extraction of the teeth if the individual jawbone is healthy.
The Fourth Step: The Boring of Bone for the Insertion of Preferred Implants
Dentists frequently use anesthesia for dental implant treatments. In most cases, they will limit their patients to specific types of food that would not alleviate the effects of the anesthetics used.
In dental implant surgery, the gum in the affected area(s) will be cut open, thereby exposing the bone underneath the jaw. Afterward, the dentist will use drilling equipment to bore a hole into the bone where the implant would be inserted. However, this implant may be a removable denture or fixed prostheses, depending on the individual’s choice and the dentist’s recommendations.
The Fifth Step: The Fixing of Abutment & Crown and Healing Phase of Dental Implants
This involves the opening of gum to expose the dental implants by the dentist for the attachment of the abutment that will stick to the implants before the dentist will attach the crown. However, before the dentists perform this procedure with the involvement of an anesthetic, you will have to wait for several months for the healing of your jawbone that holds the implants.
The steps and procedures listed above are succinct explanations of what you should expect when you fix an appointment with a dentist for dental implant surgery. After successful biocompatible dental implant surgery, the implants’ area will possess the attributes of a typical injury.
It will take months to heal before you can use them for various activities natural teeth will perform. You can catalyze this healing phase and prevent yourself from being susceptible to peri-implantitis due to poor maintenance by adhering to the following factors after dental implant surgery.
– Management of pain, bruise, and swelling: The area of implants takes the attributes of a typical injury, such as swelling and inflicting pains. You can harness these by biting on a gauze pad, using ice to alleviate swelling, and taking pain medications recommended by your dentist.
– Following a specific diet that forestalls the eating of crunchy and hard foods that demands thorough mastication. It will prevent you from pains that come from straining your jaw.
– Keep the surgical area clean: The use of saline water to rinse your mouth keeps the implant areas clean. However, when the swelling reduces, it would be best to resume your routine oral hygiene, whereby you would have to keep the areas clean without having to brush intensively.
When the dental implants have healed, you will have to take care of the implants like your natural teeth by brushing and flossing twice a day. It would be beneficial if you visit your dentist for regular checkups.
