The Dental Implant Process Explained
Whether you receive dental implants in Richmond, or indeed anywhere else in the country you’ll be committing to a process rather than a treatment. Typically this process happens over a number of months (usually somewhere between 3-9). As a permanent solution to natural tooth loss it involves a series of routine surgical procedures that are interspersed with periods of recovery time. While the surgical procedures themselves can be easily estimated in terms of time, it’s the recovery periods that differ from one person to another. Having said that, let’s take a look at what you might expect from a typical dental implant process.
This is known as the first stage of the process and is where examinations and tests are carried out to see the extent of the health of your teeth and the surrounding gum and bone. Also the dentist will look into your overall health and lifestyle which may play a part in your treatment. From the information gleaned the clinic will give you a personalised and unique treatment plan.
On the proviso that the patient has no gum disease and has healthy and sufficient bone, then the next stage is to fit the titanium implant/s. After being given a local or general anaesthetic, a small hole is then drilled down into the jawbone. The implant is then placed into position and a temporary healing cap placed over the top. In the meantime the dental team will be making your permanent prosthetic crowns based on x-rays and scans taken at the time of consultation
After implant placement there’s a period of recovery as osseointegration (a natural process where bone tissue fuses with the titanium implant) takes place. Typically here at Sheen Dental when we fit a patient with dental implants in Richmond we will expect a period of recovery of somewhere between 3-6 months. During this time we’ll see the patient regularly for routine progress checks.
Once your dentist is fully satisfied that osseointegration has been a success, then they’ll call you back to undergo the fitting of the abutment and crown. This again involves a surgical procedure and it means making a small incision in the gum line to expose the implant once more. Once exposed then a small socket-like abutment is fitted. This connects the crown to the implant and acts as a kind of shock-absorber when normal biting and chewing is resumed. It depends on the clinic at this stage whether or not the crown is then placed on the same day, if not, another non-surgical appointment is made to have the final crown fitted.
Generally the first six months of an implant being fitted is always the most crucial time For this reason regular check-ups are scheduled so that the dentist can check progress and can spot any issues or problems quickly should they arise.
If you want to know more about dental implants in Richmond, then contact Sheen Dental. We’re a well-established dental clinic who has been dealing in preventative, cosmetic and restorative methods of dentistry for many years including dental implants. So if you want to replace that missing smile then Dr Harmit Kalsi and the team can help. Contact us on 020 8876 5277 or visit our website at www.sheendental.co.uk to book a free, no-obligation consultation today.