Dental Implant Surgery

Dental implant surgery supports a person’s jaw to help them chew or look better. They hold up fake teeth like crowns, bridges, or dentures. When a person loses a tooth because of an accident or illness, they may have problems like rapid bone loss, trouble speaking, or painful changes in how they chew. When a person loses a tooth, a dental implant can significantly improve their health and quality of life.

Dental implant systems have a dental implant body, a dental implant abutment, and sometimes an abutment fixation screw. The body of the dental implant is implanted surgically in the jawbone where the tooth root used to be. Most of the time, the abutment screw connects the abutment to the implant body. The abutment goes through the gums and into the mouth to support the artificial teeth attached to it.

Types of Dental Implants

Endosteal (in the bone): Most people get this type of implant. It comes in many different styles, such as screws, cylinders, or blades surgically implanted into the jawbone. Each implant supports one or more fake teeth. In most cases, this type of implant is an alternative for people who already have bridges or removable dentures.

Subperiosteal (on the bone): This type of implant sits on the jawbone. It is held in place by metal posts that stick out through the gums. Most of the time, subperiosteal implants serve people who cannot wear regular dentures and don’t have enough bone height to hold an endosteal implant. The periodontist makes treatment plans based on specific conditions and the type of implant chosen.

Here are other mentions:

Single Tooth Dental Implants: One dental implant can replace a missing tooth.

Multiple Tooth Dental Implants: If you are missing more than one tooth, you can get multiple dental implants to replace them.

Full Mouth Dental Implants: If you’ve lost all your teeth, full-mouth dental implants can replace them.

Sinus Augmentation: How much and how well the bone is where the implant will go is crucial to its success. Dental implants have always had trouble settling in the upper back jaw because there isn’t enough bone that is close to the sinuses. Sinus augmentation can help fix this problem by raising the sinus floor and building up the bone, so it is possible to place dental implants.[1]

Ridge Modification: If the upper or lower jaw isn’t shaped right, the patient might not have enough bone to put in dental implants. Pulling the gum away from the ridge is necessary to reveal the missing bone space to fix the problem. Reinforcing the ridge involves using a bone substitute or bone. Changing the shape of the ridge has been shown to improve the look of the jaw and make it more likely that implants will work.[2]

How To Prepare For Dental Implant Surgery

Before the procedure, you’ll have the first meeting with your dentist. Your dentist will do a complete examination of your teeth. They will take X-rays and talk to you about your options to make a plan for the implant surgery.

Once you’ve made a plan and they’ve made sure you’re healthy, they’ll set up an appointment for the surgery. If your dentist suggests sedation for the procedure, you’ll need to plan for someone to take you home that day.

Most of the time, getting a dental implant is done at a dentist’s office. An oral surgeon and dentist work together to fix things.

It is advisable to eat a light meal a few hours before receiving anesthesia with local anesthesia. If you’re getting sedation, you won’t be able to eat after midnight the night before.

Before surgery, your dentist may give you antibiotics for a few days to keep implants from failing too soon. They may also have you rinse your mouth with chlorhexidine, which kills bacteria.

Because smoking can slow healing, it may make dental implants less likely to work. Talk to your dentist about whether or not you should get dental implants if you smoke.

How Long Does Dental Implant Surgery Take

Has your dentist suggested dental implants in Maple Grove, Minnesota, but you’re unsure what to expect? This happens to many people. Before deciding if dental implants are the best option for you, there are several factors to consider. You know that implants can take a long time, right? Let’s go through each step so you can see how the process works.

Dental Exam

Before starting any work, your dentist will want to make an appointment for a complete exam to check the health of your mouth. This could involve X-rays or even 3D scans. Even if your dentist knows a lot about your mouth, this step is needed to ensure you have healthy gums and jawbones to support an implant; and to also figure out the best way to treat you.

Surgery for Implants

Upon completing the full exam, your dentist will set up an appointment for surgery. The surgery is the first step in getting an implant. Your dentist will put the titanium implant in your jawbone, just below the gums. Most of the time, this surgery takes between one and two hours per implant.[3] Following this step, most dentists will wait about three months before putting the tooth back in place. This may be annoying, but the healing time is crucial for ensuring the dental implant procedure goes well. You have to give the implant time to fuse with the bone, so it is strong enough to hold your final restoration.

What To Expect After Dental Implant Surgery

Carefully do what your dentist says to take care of your teeth. For the implant to last for a long time, it is imperative to regularly clean it and the teeth around it. Make regular appointments with your dentist. Tell your dentist right away if your implant feels loose or hurts.

Your dentist will tell you how to put the implants best. Implants can sometimes take place the same day as the teeth (crowns).

But it is common for the implant procedure to take place over several appointments, usually spaced out by a few months.

During the first step, the surgery to place the implant, you will receive local anesthesia. So you won’t hurt or be uncomfortable. The dentist cuts your gums, so the implant fits into your jawbone where your missing tooth used to be. Once the implant is in place, the dentist will close the gums over it, so it stays covered.

You’ll get better at home and probably return for the second part of the surgery in a few months. So, the bone can grow around the implant and make it strong enough to stay in place. This is called osseointegration, which means that the titanium becomes part of the bone.

The dentist will check your mouth to make sure the implant is safe. Then, they will put a piece of metal called an abutment on top of the implant’s post. This is the part where the new tooth will go.

The dentist will make an impression on your teeth after your gums have healed. They will make a crown; a replacement tooth made just for you. After that, the crown connects to the abutment.

Dental Implant Surgery Recovery

If your dentist gives you local anesthesia, you will feel sleepy for a few hours. Make sure that you have a ride home after the procedure.

You might get bruises, swell up, bleed a little, and feel pain after implant surgery. While you’re getting better, avoid tough foods, cold foods, and warm soup. Your dentist will probably suggest over-the-counter painkillers to help with the pain.

Most of the time, dental implants need the same care as your natural teeth. To keep your teeth healthy, brush them twice daily, floss them, and go to the dentist for regular checkups. Even though dental implants don’t cause cavities, they are susceptible to gum disease, so it’s important to take care of your teeth.

Just like natural teeth, dental implants need careful care at home and regular trips to the dentist to keep working and avoid peri-implantitis.[4] Even if you have an implant, you still need to brush and floss to keep it clean and free of plaque.

After you get your implant, your periodontist will work with you and your regular dentist to develop the best plan for your care. There will be follow-up appointments so that you can discuss the health of your implant, teeth, and gums.

Conclusion

During dental implant surgery, the oral surgeon puts in your jaw artificial tooth roots. These implants grow into your jawbone and hold new teeth. You will need to come in for a few appointments to get dental implants. The first step is to talk to the doctor. Then you’ll have an operation to put the implant in place. You’ll have an appointment in a few months to get the new teeth in. This gives your bone time to grow around the implant, which keeps it in place.

Reference

[1] Sinus lift surgery? “Sinus Augmentation” American Academy of Periodontology, 2022

[2] Ridge Modification? “Ridge Modification in Orlando” Pinnacle, 2022

[3] Surgical procedure? “Just How Long Does Dental Implant Treatment Actually Take?” Sheen Dental, 2019

[4] Recommendations for maintaining your implants “How to take care of your dental implants” Salloum Dental Clinic, 2017