A dental implant is an artificial tooth root that is surgically placed into the jawbone to hold a prosthetic tooth or bridge. Dental implant surgery is a procedure that replaces tooth roots with metal, screw-like posts and replaces damaged or missing teeth with artificial teeth that look and function much like real ones. Here are the steps involved in a dental implant procedure:
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Initial evaluation: Your dentist or oral surgeon will first do a comprehensive examination to determine the best dental implant procedure for you. This initial evaluation includes X-rays, taking impressions, and matching the color of your teeth to make your implant look as natural as possible.
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Implant placement: During the procedure, the dental implant body is surgically inserted into the jawbone in place of the tooths root. The dental implant abutment is usually attached to the implant body by the abutment fixation screw and extends through gums into the mouth to support the attached artificial teeth.
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Healing process: After the implant placement, the healing process for the implant body may take several months or longer, during which time you typically have a temporary abutment in place of the tooth. During this time, the bone heals tightly around the implant, providing solid support for your new teeth.
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Final restoration: Once the implant has healed, your dentist will place the artificial tooth (crown) on an extension of the post (abutment) on the dental implant, giving you the look of a real tooth.
Dental implant surgery can offer an alternative to dentures or bridgework that doesnt fit well and can offer an option when a lack of natural teeth roots doesnt allow building denture or bridgework tooth replacements. Dental implants are intimately connected with the soft tissues (i.e., gums) and underlying hard tissues (i.e., bone) in the mouth, and since periodontists have had specialized training beyond dental school to make them experts on both soft and hard tissues, they have the ideal combination of experience and knowledge to make sure you get a dental implant solution that looks and feels like your own teeth.
