On average the dental implant process can last between three to four and occasionally as much as six months. While that may be a daunting number to some, consider this: the dental implant if cared for properly has the ability to last a lifetime, with proper care and maintenance, and this permanence requires a careful process to ensure that the dental implant is firmly bonded to your jawbone. Let’s go through the details step-by-step below.
The Consultation
The first step in the treatment process is to schedule a consultation with Dr. Anthony Dailley, who has over 20 years of experience in the diagnoses, treatment application, and maintenance of dental implants, Dr. Dailley will sit down with you to discuss your best treatment options, the process for dental implants, the cost and financing, and ultimately help you determine if dental implants are best for you and your smile.
There are a few prerequisites that factor into a patient’s candidacy. Patients should be in generally good health, be free of extensive tooth decay or periodontal disease, and of course must have one or more missing teeth or is at risk for losing teeth. Lastly, patients must also have ample jawbone support for the dental implant. If you are a victim of bone loss due to missing teeth, an option that may be recommended is a bone grafting procedure.
Bone Grafts: Why Might I Need One?
What is a bone graft? A bone graft is the surgical process of placing a small amount of bone from either another part of the patient’s body, or placing freeze-dried bone from a donor bank source into a deficient area of the jaw and allowing new bone to grow. The purpose is to use the new tissue to revitalize the old bone into regenerating and creating a better foundation for the dental implant to be placed. If the area of bone deficiency is small, the new bone can often be transplanted at the same time as the first stages of dental implant treatment.
Titanium Implant Body
After you have been approved for dental implant surgery, the first step is the placement of the titanium implant body. Exactly as it sounds, this implant is embedded into the jawbone. Often, dentists can provide temporary restoration tops to cover the area as the process of osseointegration take place.
The Abutment
After a period of healing, the stitches from the initial implant are removed. The next step is the application of the abutment, a titanium piece that is capped on the screw and protrudes above the gums. After the application, there is another period of healing in order for osseointegration to continue.
Osseointegration
So, what is osseointegration? Back in the 1950s it was discovered that titanium was biocompatible with human bone and this discovery was translated into the field of dental implantology. The fusion of the implant to the bone was dubbed as osseointegration and paved the way for modern dental implants. When the titanium implant is embedded, the bone is triggered to wrap fibers around the implant and secure it in place as though it were a real tooth.
The Crown
The last piece is also one of the most customizable pieces. While the first two are sized to fit comfortably in your mouth, the porcelain crown is not just sized for comfort but also colored and shaped to match the rest of your smile with as natural an appearance as possible.
Learn More About Dental Implants
If you’re missing one or more teeth in Berkeley, CA, look no further than dental implants with Dr. Anthony Dailley. Contact us today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Dailley and find out more about the benefits that dental implants have to offer, our cost and financing policy, and decide your candidacy for dental implants.