A thorough examination
The first step in dental implant therapy is a discussion with your dentist, followed by a thorough dental examination. It is also important that the gums are healthy and maintained with the help of your hygienists and therapist. The jaw is x-rayed to check the levels of the bone and to determine whether there is sufficient bone to support a dental implant. Impressions are taken of the jaw and existing teeth, forming an important baseline for the planning of the treatments.
Placing a dental implant
The dental implant is placed in the bone and then covered by the gum. The abutment and crown are added at a later date. No healthy teeth are affected or damaged. With other replacement solutions, adjacent teeth might need to be ground down to support a bridge, or have a rest seat to support a denture.
This is then followed by the healing phase for between 3-4 months.
Attaching the abutments
The next procedure involves making a minor incision to open the gum and put the healing screw in place. More often than not, however, this stage is missed out as healing ‘screw’ is placed when the implant is put in the bone at the first stage.
Producing the teeth
The healing ‘screw’ is removed and impressions are take and a dental technician carefully crafts the crown, bridge or prosthesis. Special attention is given to ensuring the right colour and shape so that your new teeth look like your natural teeth.
Fitting and re-examination
When the teeth are ready, your dentist simply attaches them to the dental implants. This is usually followed by a few follow-up visits to check functionality and aesthetics and to make sure you are completely satisfied with your new teeth.
Interested?
When you are ready for a dental implant, you will have a solution tailored to your needs, general state of health and the quantity and quality of your bone tissue. These factors also determine the total duration of the treatment. For your specific options, please phone and book a consultation on 01253 714145
