A Brief Guide to Dental Implants for Patients

Dental implants are considered the optimal tooth replacement treatment to replace one or more failing teeth. A single dental implant can support an individual replacement tooth, while a handful of implants can stabilize a removable denture or support an entire arch of fixed replacement teeth. Whichever procedure you choose, the overall process is nearly the same.

Evaluation and Planning

First, we will take detailed X-rays and scans to learn the current condition of your mouth and determine whether you are a suitable candidate for dental implants. We will then work with you to create a treatment plan that meets your goals and budget.

Repair and Extraction

The next step is to make sure your mouth is as healthy as possible. Dental implants have a low failure rate, but they are best placed into a healthy mouth. If you need fillings, root canals, or other dental work, that must be completed first.

If failing teeth remain in your mouth, they will be extracted. Depending on how many teeth are extracted and where they are in your mouth, you may be given a partial or full denture to wear during the healing process.

Bone Grafting (If Required)

You must have enough strong, healthy jawbone to support dental implants. Most people have plenty of bone, but if you have extensive jawbone loss, we can fix it with a simple bone grafting procedure.

Implant Placement

We will thoroughly numb your mouth, and then cut a small flap in your gum tissue to expose the bone. Using a series of drills, we will open a hole in the bone just large enough for the dental implant. We then screw in and secure the implant, cover it with a healing cap, and stitch the gum tissue back together. You will then continue to wear your denture, if needed, while your mouth heals.

Abutment and Crown

After several months, your mouth will be healed and ready for an abutment and crown. We will reopen the gum tissue and replace the healing cap with an abutment, which serves as an attachment for the crown. The crown will be carefully fitted to ensure maximum aesthetics and functionality.

If you are having multiple teeth replaced, your implants will have been placed simultaneously. Instead of a single abutment and crown, you will receive an abutment on each implant and a removable overdenture or fixed bridge of replacement teeth.

Teeth in One Visit

While the typical dental implant procedure requires several months of healing, we do offer an alternative. “Teeth in One Visit” allows you to have your failing teeth extracted, implants placed, and replacement teeth fitted all in a single appointment. Whether you need one tooth or all the teeth in your mouth replaced, this allows you to walk out of our office with your new teeth in place! Ask whether this is the right choice for you.