Dental Implants: A 5-Step Plan to Restoring Your Teeth
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Dental implants are a desirable way to replace missing teeth. They can provide numerous benefits compared with other options, including dentures and dental bridges supported by natural teeth.
Dentures are often unstable and uncomfortable to wear. Traditional dental bridges rely on natural teeth that are strong enough to support them. These teeth may not always be present or suitable for support.
In contrast, dental implants are self-supporting, help protect your jawbone, and can provide strength and stability similar to real teeth. However, treatment takes longer, and several steps must be considered.
This guide takes you through all the stages and explains what is required.
The first and most important stage is to find out if you are suitable for dental implants. Most people are, but some may not be such great candidates for treatment.
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Schedule an appointment to see a good dental implant dentist. Try to choose a specialist like a periodontist with additional training in planning and placing dental implants. Their dental office will also be equipped with everything you need to complete your treatment from start to finish, so you needn’t worry about traveling to other locations.
When you see your periodontist, they will want to review your medical and dental health. Certain medical conditions can affect the overall success of implant treatment. These include heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. If you have any signs of dental disease, especially periodontal or gum disease, these must be addressed first.
Smoking is another factor that can negatively impact successful implant placement. Smokers need to quit during treatment while the implants heal.
Nicotine constricts blood flow to your jaws and gums, slowing healing and increasing the risk of oral infections. It also makes it harder for the jawbone to heal around the implants so that they can fail prematurely. Ideally, if you smoke, then consider quitting for good.
Cost is an important factor for most people, and dental implants can be expensive initially, although they are a good investment in the long term. Certain factors can increase the cost of implants, such as if you need bone grafting.
A good dental insurance plan may cover part of the cost of implant treatment. Otherwise, your periodontist can discuss options like payment plans.
There may be more than one implant treatment available. Some solutions, like implant dentures, are more cost-effective than full arch fixed bridges of teeth.
Dental implants are artificial, but they need a similar level of care to real teeth because living tissues surround them. During your initial appointment, your periodontist will want to ensure you understand the importance of looking after implants properly. Some people may need to improve their oral care routine to ensure implant treatment succeeds.
Plenty of help is available for people who want to improve their oral care routine in preparation for dental implants. A dental hygienist can work with you directly, ensuring you know the most effective way to clean your mouth. They can discuss which tools to use and demonstrate how to use them correctly.
You need to be committed to seeing a dentist regularly for checkups. Most people need to see a dentist biannually, but some people may benefit from more regular visits. Professional dental cleanings with your hygienist are equally as important.
When you have dental implants, monitoring your oral health between professional dental care visits is important. You must contact your implant dentist immediately if something feels wrong or has begun to hurt. Dental implants can become infected, but prompt treatment can sometimes save them.
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After reviewing your eligibility and ensuring you understand what’s involved with dental implants, the next stage is to devise your custom treatment plan.
You will need diagnostic images, including a cone beam CT scan, digital dental X-rays, and possibly digital photographs and impressions of your mouth.
Your dental implant dentist uses this information to plan your treatment. Your dental implants should be placed using computer-guided surgery.
The plan will include the removal of any failing teeth and other treatments that might be needed, like bone grafting. The ideal location for each implant is determined. Your implant dentist will ensure each implant can be inserted at the right depth and angulation so that once restored, your new implant teeth look and feel good and function properly.
When the plan is complete, your implant dentist creates a surgical stent. A surgical stent is computer-generated and replicates your implant treatment plan exactly. It is a surgical template that will fit over your gums, guiding your dental implant dentist. The surgical stent ensures every implant is placed exactly as planned. It also ensures the surgical procedure is quicker and smoother for you.
Several steps will probably be involved in your dental implant treatment, and these may extend over several months. The first stage is your implant surgery.
Before your implant surgery, your dentist will discuss if sedation dentistry is needed. Sedation dentistry can be useful for anyone who feels apprehensive or nervous. It can be great if you require a more complex implant treatment that might take longer.
On the day of surgery, your dental implant dentist will prepare your mouth, cleaning it with an antiseptic, and they will ensure your mouth is fully anesthetized so you feel no pain or discomfort during treatment. If you receive sedation dentistry, you can expect to feel very relaxed and comfortable in the dental chair.
If you need a bone graft, this treatment may be completed first as a stand-alone procedure. Alternatively, it can sometimes be completed at the same time as implant placement.
The actual procedure to place your implants is quite quick. Using the template or surgical stent, your dental implant dentist identifies where the implant is to be inserted and makes a small hole in your bone.
Once the hole is ready the implant is placed and is tightened or torqued into position so it cannot move during healing. At this point, your implant dentist may put a healing cap on the implant. Increasingly, an abutment can be attached to the implant soon after surgery, and a temporary tooth can be fitted onto it. The abutment acts as a connector between the implant post and the temporary and, eventually, the permanent prosthesis.
The temporary tooth is designed for appearance and will not be fully functional. While your implant heals, it mustn’t be disturbed, so if you have multiple implants, you must follow a special softer diet during healing. If you only have one or two implants, you must avoid biting or chewing on them.
When healing is complete, you return to your dental office so your new, more permanent teeth can be made, which normally takes two weeks at least.
The final appointment is to fit these teeth onto your implants.
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As discussed earlier, good oral hygiene is vital if you want your implant teeth to last problem-free for years or even for life. It’s your responsibility to ensure you practice good oral care every day and attend regular dental checkups as frequently as advised.
Dental implants have an extremely high success rate. Most dentists can achieve success rates of around 95%, but some of the more experienced, like a periodontist, have success rates that are even more impressive and can be as high as 98%.
As with any surgical procedure, there is always a small risk that something will go wrong. However, meticulous treatment planning and computer-guided implant surgery greatly reduce this risk, combined with the proper after-care.
This page was modified on by Dr. Alexander Bokser, DDS (Dentist) of Precision Dental NYC
Dr. Alexander Bokser is a dentist in Astoria, NY and Bayside, NY. He received his degree from New York University College of Dentistry, licensed by the New York State Board of Regents and the North East Regional Board of Dental Examiners.
He is currently teaching dentistry at Albert Einstein School of Medicine. Dr. Bokser has received numerous awards in dentistry and community service. He is a member of the American Dental Association, Academy of General Dentistry, and North Queens Dental Study Club.
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