How do Dental Implants Stay in Place?

Posted By All On Dental Implants

If you’re an adult who has lost one or more teeth for any reason, whether that be as a result of tooth decay or injury, you’re a possible dental implants candidate.

When put in properly by a dentist with the right skill set and expertise, dental implants can restore your smile in all its toothy glory for a lifetime. During the procedure, you may actually be treated by multiple dental professionals. For example, a dentist may put the implants in your jaw, while a general dentist would then construct your crown.

However, regardless of who is doing your surgery, a dentist will examine you to see if you are really an ideal candidate for dental implants beforehand. Some people are not deemed suitable patients if they lack sufficient bone in their jaw to place the dental implants, smoke, have diabetes that is uncontrolled, have undergone radiation therapy to the neck and head region, have either an autoimmune disease or are on medication related to such a condition.

If after an examination you’re given the thumbs up, you can proceed with dental implants. But have you ever wondered how, exactly, implants are installed securely in your mouth? What follows is an explanation about how dental implants stay in place.

Procedure #1

One thing you should know is that the majority of dental implant procedures are done in two steps. During the first procedure, the dentist will, after possibly giving you pain medicine, antibiotics and local anesthesia, cut into your gums in order to access the bone.

The dentist will then drill into the bone to create a hole into which he or she will place the dental implant. After doing this, the dentist will close the hole via stitching to secure the implant. Within a week to ten days, the dentist will remove the stitches.

It will take several months for your jawbone to bond with the inserted dental implant. Specifically, the bonding process can be between three and four months and five to six months for the lower jaw and upper jaw, respectively.

Procedure #2

You’ll be ready for the second procedure after the dental implant has fused with the surrounding bone.

At this state, your dentist will administer local anesthesia and make a little slit in your gums so as to expose the implant. Then the dentist will take out the protective screw that had been inserted into the implant, and he or she will replace the protective screw with a metal healing cap. The healing cap basically holds the space to enable the gum to heal properly around the dental implant.

Although some dentists prefer a one-step dental implant procedure, the two-step method as described above is common. The two-step process also demonstrates both how the dental implant is inserted and how it ultimately meshes with the jawbone.

For more information on what would work best for your mouth, contact our office today!