Facts About the Dental Implant Procedure

A lost tooth can affect your healthy smile. If you have lost a tooth you don’t have to worry anymore. Restorative dentistry has several options for restoring your smile. Dental implants are one such restorative option. They can restore your smile and give you the confidence you need. You only need to talk to Dr. Freddy Mezquia, and he will restore your smile.

Dental implants are artificial roots that we use to replace your lost natural root. After successful placement of the implant, we do fit a crown on it. They are strong and provide a permanent base for attachment of the crown. You can talk to our dentist in Ocoee for more information about this procedure.

In this article, we will give you all the truth about dental implants. You know what to expect when you come to our clinic for this procedure. Read on to find out more about the steps involved in this dental procedure.

Dental Implant Procedure Steps

The procedure can be divided into six steps. Here is what to expect when coming in for a dental implant procedure.

1. Tooth Extraction

This is the first step in this procedure. We do this to remove any existing damaged tooth to prepare the site for placement of the implant. Our dentists do this carefully to preserve the existing bone so that it can hold the implant in place. We will then give it time to heal before we proceed to the next step.

2. Grafting the Socket

After the extraction, it is important to prevent bone loss. We preserve the bone by grafting the socket. Our dentist will remove any granulation material from your socket. The dentist will then fit the socket with the grafting material.

3. Allowing the Site to Heal

We need to give it time to heal and for the graft to mature. The healing process can take up to four months. During this time your bone cells will replace the grafting material. This creates a strong site that can support the implant. You can visit us at Smiles of Ocoee for a bone grafting procedure before the dental implant procedure.

4. Placement of the Implant

After your sockets completely heal, you can return for the implant placement. Our dentist can evaluate the site to confirm the bone volume before proceeding. The dentist will then place the implant into the bone using a special drill. Our dentist will then stitch your gums and let you start the healing phase. For esthetic purposes, we do make a temporary denture to replace the missing tooth.

It is during the healing phase when the implant fuses with the bone. During this time you shouldn’t bite on hard things. This will facilitate faster healing.

5. Delivering Healing Abutment

Our dentists will test the implant to see if the previous procedures were successful. If the implant has fused with the bone and is strong, we will connect an abutment to the dental implant. The abutment will hold the replacement tooth in place.

6. Taking the Final Impression

You will revisit our clinic after three months for this step. Our dentists will take the impression of the abutment and make a custom crown. We will also remove the abutment after taking the impressions.

Dental Implant Procedure Pain

The whole dental procedure is done under local anesthetic. You won’t feel any pain during the procedure even if you will be awake. There may be some discomfort after the procedure. The discomfort however varies from patient to patient. Immediately placing an ice pack on the side of the site will help ease the swelling.

You can also manage the pain with over the counter pain drugs. If the surgery was more invasive, you may require to use stronger pain medications. Antibiotics are also important as they help prevent infections. Using oral rinses for several weeks after the surgery is also recommended.

Caring For Your Dental Implants

Taking good care of your implant is important. Proper care ensures no complications arise during your healing period. You should ensure you brush your teeth on a regular basis to prevent plaque buildup.