According to statistical data, dental implants are gaining popularity in the United States. The data collected shows that currently, implants have more than 3 million users, and the number of people going to have them placed is expected to rise to about 500,000 persons each year.
What Are Implants?
When you choose to have dental implants near you, you are basically choosing to have your tooth root replaced by metallic tooth posts. These posts look more like screws, and they are usually placed deep in the jaw bone to support artificial teeth.
Innovo Dental and Implant Studio is a dental clinic in Tracy, CA, that you can visit to have a dental implant placement surgery. If you think you need one, give our dental implant specialist in Tracy, CA, a call or visit us to have your appointment scheduled.
The manner in which our dentist in Tracy, CA, will perform your dental procedure will depend on a variety of factors such as the type of implant you want, your jawbone’s health condition, and whether you are allergic to metals or not. One thing you can be sure of is the implant placement will require more than one visit before it’s completed. You will have to give the part of your bone near the implant time to heal properly after undergoing several procedures for it to support your new tooth properly.
The Placement Procedure of Dental Implants
1. Initial evaluation
During the first visit, your dental practitioner will conduct a comprehensive test to see if you are a perfect candidate for implants and determine what implant procedure will best suit you. The evaluation will include taking impressions, X-rays, and the assessment of your jawbone’s condition. The oral expert may also ask you some questions that you are required to answer honestly. These questions will give him/her a better understanding of any previous medications you’ve been on and the existing medical conditions that you have or have had.
2. Dental extraction
If there are any remaining pieces of the tooth being replaced or if the tooth is still in place, your dental practitioner will have to get rid of the pieces or the whole tooth before any dental work begins. He/she will then give you a dosage of local anesthesia to make you comfortable during the procedure. The anesthesia will numb your nerves, thus taking away the pain associated with the extraction procedures. Avoid spitting excessively, smoking, blowing the nose, and taking drinks with straw upon completing the extraction process as this can cause pain and dry sockets.
3. Bone grafting and the insertion of the implant
Implants are categorized into two types depending on where they are to be placed. There are implants that will be inserted under your gumline, and there are those that are placed into the jawbone. Our topic of discussion will focus on those that get inserted into the jawbone.
If your jawbone appears weak, your dentist is going to add extra bone from a different part of your mouth to make it thick and strong enough. This is necessary because the chewing process exerts pressure hence the need to make your jaw strong so that it protects your implant.
If you have undergone a bone grafting procedure, you will have to wait for your bone to heal before the implant is added. Once you have healed, the oral surgeon or dentist will then attach the implant to the jawbone, and the jawbone tissue surrounding it will start to grow, making the implant a part of the natural gumline. Due to the difference in our genetic composition, the timeline for this process varies from one person to another and will range between three to ten months.
4. Abutment placement
Once your dental implant has gained stability, an abutment that will link your crown to the implant is placed on the top part of your dental implant.
5. Addition of a permanent dental crown
After the gums have healed, the dental professional will make an artificial crown or tooth for you. The patient gets to choose whether they want a permanent or removable implant. If you select the permanent one, the crown will be permanently glued down or screwed into your abutment.