Improve Your Smile With Cosmetic Dentistry

A Look At What's Involved With The Process Of Getting Dental Implants

7 February 2019 by Christy Long

Getting dental implants is often a process that requires multiple steps. An implant consists of a post that's screwed into your bone and a crown, denture plate, or bridge that's attached. Here's a look at some of the services you may need when you have an implant put in.

A Bone Graft

In some cases, a dentist has to do a bone graft before putting in a dental implant. This isn't always necessary even if you do have some bone loss. However, if you don't have enough bone to support an implant, then getting a graft is the first step of the process. This could lengthen the process too since the bone will need time to heal before an implant can be put in.

New Dentures

If you're getting your teeth pulled and implants put in for dentures, then the dentist will have dentures custom made and fitted to your gums. If you already have dentures, the dentist might be able to use them instead, but they'll have to be adapted to fit the implants. The implants will hold your new dentures snugly in your mouth, but the plates still need to fit your gums perfectly so you're comfortable, and that might take a few visits so your new teeth have just the right appearance and feel.

A Dental Crown

If you're having an implant to replace a single tooth, then the dentist will have a crown made by the lab to attach to the post. In the case of a few missing teeth, you may need a bridge made that has multiple crowns on it. Crowns look like natural teeth, and your dentist ensures the shape and color look like your real teeth so the crown blends in.

Follow Up Visits

The entire process from getting evaluated for implants to monitoring healing will take multiple visits. Even if you get same-day implants, you'll usually need a few visits to complete the process. Some of the visits will be to monitor your progress to ensure your gums are healing properly and that your bone is attaching to the implants as it should. You'll then need to keep up with your usual routine dental visits so your dentist can monitor your oral health and clean your teeth so you can avoid further dental problems or gum disease. This helps your implants last as long as possible.

Dental implants make a difference in your smile when you have a missing tooth, and they make wearing dentures more bearable. If you have a gap in your smile you want to fill in or if you're thinking about getting dentures, talk to your dentist about dental implant services to see if this is a good option for you.

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