Missing teeth is taking a toll on your smile, your confidence, and the overall quality of life. You’ve been doing research about the best restorations available on the market and quickly came to find that dental implants from your dentist in Pittsburgh is your best bet at repairing your smile. Although there’s tons of supporting evidence that dental implants are a great tooth replacement, you’re still skeptical because implants require oral surgery.
In this week’s blog post, we’re going to walk you through the steps of getting dental implants to put your fears and concerns to rest. Continue reading to learn more!
Why Do Dental Implants Require Oral Surgery?
Dental implants replace both the root of your missing tooth and the crown, which means that your implant post must be inserted where your old tooth root once resided. This requires oral surgery, but you shouldn’t shy away from the implant process. It’s relatively simple and practically painless with the use of local anesthetic, sedation if necessary, and pain medication during your healing period. Let’s take a look at what you can expect.
Step 1. Preparing for your implants.
Prior to surgery, your dentist will speak with you one on one about what to expect. If the procedure makes you a bit nervous, you can discuss getting sedation during your procedure along with your local anesthetic for numbing. This is the best way to plan for your implant placement so that you can complete the procedure without any discomfort or anxiety.
Step 2. Your dental implant placement procedure.
This step is completed during one appointment. While you’re numbed and/or sedated, your dentist will make a tiny incision in the gum tissue. This opens the jawbone that your implants will be placed into. With that little space exposed, your implant posts can be inserted and then your dentist will close the affected area. It’s that simple!
Step 3. Completing the healing period.
Healing the affected area is extremely important to the success of your implant. Your body will use this time to create a bond between the implant post and the jaw with a process known as osseointegration. Basically, you should keep the area clean, avoid tobacco and alcohol, and maintain the area as your dentist instructs you to.
Step 4. Attaching your dental prosthetic.
Finally, once you’ve completed your healing period, you’ll visit your local practice for a final appointment to complete your implant placement process. This appointment is to attach your customized dental prosthetic to the implant post! You’ll finally be able to see the actual tooth replacement and start using your teeth as normal.
Are you ready to explore dental implants in depth? Feel free to call your local dentist to discuss how they may be able to help you and what to expect.
About Our Office
Here at Voller Dentistry, LLC, our dentists want to help you feel comfortable with your dental procedures. That’s why we use consultations, phone calls, and even the actual appointments to answer questions you may have and address concerns. Call us today if you need answers about dental implants in Pittsburgh.