Say Cheese! What to Expect During a Dental Implant Procedure

A smile is a very important part of a person's overall image. Without a beautiful smile, some may lose confidence and stop feeling like themselves. When one person approaches another, their smile is usually the first thing noticed.

A person needs to have a smile that they feel comfortable in if they want to feel their absolute best! Sometimes, the loss of a tooth or several teeth is the reason for a shattered smile. But just because a tooth is lost, all hope is not lost.

Luckily, perfect smiles are restorable. It's done through a process known as an implant procedure. When a patient enters a dentist's office for a dental implant procedure, he or she may not know what to expect.

The unknown causes anxiety and perhaps fear. It's important to know exactly what to expect when having the procedure done. Knowing exactly how the process works eliminates both fear and anxiety.

Here is what a patient can expect when having an implant procedure done.

Before any procedure can begin, a patient must have x-rays taken. A 3D CT scan is another option used to determine any potential pre-existing issues. These are done to determine the condition of the gums and bone.

Impressions of the teeth and jawbone are also taken. This helps the dentist have an exact replica of the patient's mouth, gums, teeth, and more.

A patient's medical history also needs to be reviewed before preceding with the procedure. The dentist will ask the patient several questions, and the patient should be prepared to tell his or her dentist about any medical conditions, medications taken, supplements taken, over-the-counter medications taken, and more. Once the dentist has all of the patient's medical history taken into consideration, a treatment plan is created.

The treatment plan is specifically tailored for each individual patient. This plan will take all factors into consideration and be a perfect fit for that patient.

Patients should know that implant procedure times vary on each individual. Although it is possible, no patient should go into their first appointment thinking that the whole procedure is getting completed in one sitting.

That's usually not the case because the dentist will need to evaluate the patient's tooth or teeth.

Factors that Determine the Length of the Procedure

• The damaged tooth needs removal
  
• Jawbone grafting is needed
  
• Time for the bone to grow and heal
  
• Minor surgery to expose the bone
  
• A patient's overall dental health
  
• How many teeth are involved
  
• Other unforeseen factors

These factors affect healing times and how long a patient must wait between the different stages of the procedure.

Dealing with Pain or Discomfort

A patient's dentist will provide them with medications to take. There is also a choice of local anesthesia or an IV for oral sedation. Both options will eliminate any pain or discomfort during the procedure.

Like any surgery, the patient will experience discomfort after the procedure is completed. But as mentioned before, the dentist will prescribe medication to ease any discomfort.

Preparation for Surgery

As with any surgery, there are steps that need to be taken before the procedure is done. The patient's dentist may ask him or her to follow several guidelines as prep for the surgery. These guidelines may include the following:

• Rinsing with an antibacterial mouth wash
  
• Changing diet the morning of or night before
  
• Taking antibiotics days in advance as a preventative
  
• Scheduling another person for drop off and pickup

It's important that patients follow all guidelines given to them by their dentist as each guideline has specific reasoning behind it.

Not every patient needs a tooth extraction completed. This stage is only done when a patient has an existing damaged tooth. That damaged tooth will need to be removed before the implant is inserted.

A patient is given medication for numbing purposes and the tooth is pulled.

Before the implant is inserted, the dentist needs to drill a hole inside the jawbone. Patients describe this feeling similar to having a cavity drilled. In some cases, an incising in the gum is done to expose the bone.

The titanium implant is inserted deep within the jawbone and serves as the root of the tooth. A bone graft may be necessary if the jawbone is not strong enough to support the implant.

Once the area has healed after having the implant inserted, the abutment is placed on and the permanent crown is connected. This creates the look and creates the feel of a real tooth. Again, the patient is given local anesthesia so pain and discomfort are decreased.

An abutment is tightened, which helps it remain in its place during chewing. A healing cap is normally placed on top as a means to prevent the patient's gum from healing over the abutment. Time is normally needed between the abutment placement and connecting the crown.

Patients can discuss these options with their dentist. Once healing is finished, the permanent crown is attached to the abutment and the procedure is complete.

There are normal post dental surgery symptoms that the patient can expect after having an implant procedure completed. As with many dental surgeries, the patient may experience the following:

• Pain or discomfort at the site
  
• Swelling around the mouth and face
  
• Bruising within the skin or gums
  
• Some minor bleeding

The patient should always take any medications or antibiotics given to them by their dentist for post surgery. The dentist will also give the patient specific guidelines to follow such as what they can or can't eat, not drinking out of a straw, and more.

When longing for that perfect smile, a person should know that there is hope. There is a way to get back that smile that they once had. Having a dental implant procedure completed is a great way to pave the path to a perfect smile.

Patients should keep this guide in mind when scheduling the procedure. Knowing the steps is a sure way to ease anxiety. Contact us today to schedule the first step in getting that amazing smile back!