If you are missing teeth and are considering dental implants in Charlottesville VA 22911, you may have questions about the how the implant process works.
The first step is a visit to Dr. Carlos Ibañez, your Charlottesville oral surgeon, to determine whether you are a candidate for dental implants. Patients must have enough bone material to support the implant’s fusing with the jawbone, so patients with extensive bone loss may need to undergo a bone graft surgery before the dental implants can be placed.
After the oral surgeon has determined that your case is suitable for dental implants and you’ve decided that you want to move forward, a date will be scheduled for your surgery.
The surgery itself is a straightforward procedure that can be completed right in your oral surgeon’s office.
As with any dental procedure, dental implant placement requires a local anesthetic to numb the surgical site. Many patients also opt for sedation to put their minds at ease during the procedure.
After the anesthetic and sedative have taken effect, your oral surgeon will make an incision in the gum at the implant placement site. The surgeon then drills a small hole in the jawbone to accommodate the dental implant, which is then inserted into that hole.
Although your permanent prosthetic crown should not be placed until the implant has fully fused with the bone, which takes between two and six months, you can be fitted with a temporary replacement tooth for aesthetic purposes.
For patients who require a bone graft prior to dental implant placement, it’s important to recognize that the treatment timeline is extended by the several months needed for the grafted bone to fuse with the patient’s natural jaw. That process must be complete before dental implants can be placed.
You will also need to visit your oral surgeon for follow-up appointments after the dental implants have been placed. These visits will allow the oral surgeon to make sure that your implants are healing properly. It also gives you an opportunity to work with the oral surgeon to develop a home care plan that will ensure that your dental implants last as long as possible.
If you have any qualms about the process of having dental implants placed, discuss your concerns with Dr. Ibañez, who may be able to put your mind at ease.