The Ultimate Guide to Dental Implant Surgery

Dental implants have been considered as the best oral restorations by dentists from all around the world. If you are unhappy with your dentures or bridgework and wish to get a more reliable and sturdy dental restoration, implants are definitely the best alternatives for you. They offer a few excellent features that dentures and bridges do not, making them the go-to solution to replace missing teeth.

Is implant surgery complicated?

The common misconception among patients is that dental implant surgery would be quite a complicated and painful one. But, this is absolutely not the case. At iSmile Dental, we make dental implant surgery seem so simple and painless that you’d never feel that you have a prosthetic tooth in your mouth. Such is the level of precision and care we provide.

Candidacy for Dental Implants

Before the dentist prepares you for implant surgery, a few tests will be conducted to better understand your physical and oral health. During this, the dentist will diagnose your oral cavity to check for signs of gum disease, damage to the teeth, etc. X-rays will be taken to check the underlying jawbone and determine if it has deteriorated and if the adjoining teeth have drifted from their positions. Based on these observations, your candidacy will be decided.

How is the implant surgery conducted?

A common concern among patients who prepare for implant surgery is that the procedure would be painful. The dentist will discuss the various means of sedation and help you understand how the process can be made pain-free. In most cases, we prefer intravenous sedation as it numbs the tissues and helps to calm your nerves.

If you have damaged teeth, we will make sure to remove them meticulously. Due to tooth extraction, the jawbone may have deteriorated. In some instances, the bone may not be wide enough to house the dental implant. Hence, we may have to perform a bone graft, which involves extracting healthy bone tissues from a different source and grafting it near the jawbone.

During the implant surgery, the dentist will make a small cut on the gums to expose the jawbone. High-precision dental instruments are used to make a hole in the bone, and the implant will be placed in it. Once fixed in place using dental cement, it may take a few months for the bone to fuse with the implant. Once the process has been completed, the dentist will schedule a consultation to place the ceramic crown over the implant.

Once local anesthesia is administered, a connecting abutment will be fixed to the implant. A temporary crown will be placed on the abutment, while the permanent crown is fabricated. Once it is finished, it will be attached to the implant and secured firmly in place.

Post-surgery Care

A few days after the surgery, you may experience pain and bleeding near the site of implantation. However, this will wear off gradually. For the first 2 - 3 weeks, it is suggested you stick to a soft food diet to prevent any damage to the implant. Along with these, you may also have to consume anti-inflammatory and antibiotic medication as prescribed by the dentist.

In order to ensure the implant is as good as new for several years, optimum care is crucial. Brushing and flossing the teeth at least twice every day keeps the growth of microbes to a minimum. Also, avoid chewing on hard foods, such as hard candy or ice cubes, tearing open plastic bags, or opening bottle caps with the teeth as this can damage the implant. With ideal care, implants are known to last upwards of 10 years without any hassle.

Call us at (614) 459-3229 or schedule an online consultation with our highly experienced team, and we’ll be happy to guide you further.