If you’ll be restoring your smile with the help of durable, lifelike dental implants, it’s understandable that you’d be eager to get started. However, before you start making plans to show off your gorgeous new grin, it’s important to remember that it could be a while before your terrific new teeth are ready to show off. Here’s what could delay it, and why these strong, realistic restorations are totally worth the wait!
Preliminary Care
During your dental implant consultation, your dentist will examine your teeth and gums and determine if you need any preliminary treatments to get your mouth ready for restorations. These procedures may include tooth extractions, gum disease therapy, and even bone grafting. If you do require additional care, this can add weeks or even months to your treatment timeline, as you’ll need to both undergo and heal from them before moving on to the next step.
The Big Day: Dental Implant Surgery
Once you’ve recovered from any preliminary treatments (or if you didn’t need any to begin with) you’ll be ready for your dental implant surgery. During the procedure, your dentist will numb your mouth and insert a titanium or zirconium post into your jawbone, where it will permanently fuse via the process of osseointegration in the coming months. The surgery itself typically lasts between one to two hours per implant.
The Road to Recovery
Once your surgery is complete, you’ll enter the recovery phase of treatment. In most cases, this lasts between three and six months but may be longer if you heal slowly or don’t fully comply with your aftercare instructions.
After osseointegration is complete, the next step in your treatment is the placement of your abutments, which are the parts that connect the implant post to the crown, bridge, or denture. This procedure requires your dentist to make incisions in your gums, but because only the tissue is affected, should take a lot less time to heal from- usually only about one or two weeks. Then, you’ll return one last time for your final restoration(s), which shouldn’t require any numbing or recovery. In fact, you’ll likely be able to begin sharing your gorgeous new grin immediately after your appointment!
Helpful Tips for Healing
Whether you need preliminary treatment or can hit the ground running with surgery on day one, it is essential that you follow all the aftercare instructions from your dentist. These will provide you with essential tips for faster healing, including what to eat, how to manage discomfort, and how to keep your dental implants healthy and free of infection.
Remember, while the dental implant treatment process may take a little longer to complete than those of temporary or removable restorations, the benefits are undeniably worth the wait. To begin rebuilding your own smile, take the first step and contact your dentist and schedule your consultation today!
About Our Practice
At Burncoat Family Dental, our caring and talented trio of dentists want to restore your gorgeous grin with the help of dental implants. Whether you need one or more of these durable, lifelike prosthetics, it could be possible to get your healthy smile back in under a year. To learn more about this treatment and see if you qualify, schedule a consultation for dental implants today by visiting our website or calling 508-852-0168.