Dental Implant Placement
Dental implant placement surgery is one of the best ways people with missing teeth can get very natural-looking, fully-functional artificial teeth. At Tualatin Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, Dr. Emerson Rowley, DMD can help determine if you are a viable candidate for a dental implant.
Dental implant surgery is a procedure that replaces your missing tooth root with metal posts and replaces your missing tooth with natural-looking prosthesis.
How your dental implant placed depends upon the technique used and the condition of your jawbone. Since the bone is required to heal, this process can take many months.
PREPARING FOR A DENTAL IMPLANT PLACEMENT
At Tualatin Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, we will:
- Conduct a comprehensive dental exam: We will take digital x-rays and 3D images of your mouth and may also make models of your jaw and teeth.
- Review your medical history: We will request you to give us a detailed account of your medical history, including any medical conditions and medications that you take.
- Make a treatment plan: Once we have assessed your situation, we will tailor a treatment plan specific to you, based on how many teeth need to be replaced and the condition of your jawbone.
To manage pain during surgery, we will prescribe you local anesthesia or general anesthesia, depending on the extent of your treatment.
JAWBONE GRAFT
If the bone in your jaw has lost its density, we may need bone grafting before implant surgery can be done. That’s because the soft bone in your jaw won’t be able to support the implant when you start to chew and can result in implant failure. A bone graft will regenerate your jawbone and provide a solid foundation for your implant.
There are several bone graft options to help improve your bone density. We can graft natural bone from another part of your body, or we can use a synthetic bone-substitute material that can help bone growth.
It may take several months for the grafted bone to regenerate enough bone to support the implant. In some cases, only very minor bone grafting is needed, which can be done at the time of the implant surgery.
DENTAL IMPLANT PLACEMENT
To place the implant, we will make a small incision in your gum to expose the bone. Holes will be drilled into the bone, and the implant metal post will be embedded deep into the jawbone. You will then be given a temporary denture to hide the gap.
Once the implant is placed, osseointegration takes place, fusing the metal post to the growing jawbone. The healing process can take about 4 to 6 months and will help provide a solid base for your implant.
DENTPLACING OF THE ABUTMENT
Once your jawbone has sufficiently regenerated, you will need another minor surgery to place an abutment – the component which will attach the crown to the post. This will be done under local anesthesia.
During this surgery, we will reopen your gum to expose the implant and attach the abutment to it. The gum tissue is then once again sealed around, but not over the abutment.
In some cases, the abutment will already be attached to the dental implant post during the implant surgery, which means you won’t have to undergo this extra step. However, the jutting abutment will be visible when you open your mouth, and most people don’t like this appearance.
After the abutment is attached, the gums need about two weeks to heal.
FITTING THE CROWN
Once your gums heal, we will take some impressions of your mouth and remaining teeth. These will be used to fabricate the crown. The crown, however, will not be fitted until your jawbone is strong enough to support chewing by a new tooth.
WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER THE PROCEDURE
After every step of the procedure, you may experience pain, swollen gums, bruising in your skin and gums and minor bleeding, which can be treated with pain medication and antibiotics. You will also need to eat liquid and soft food while your wound heals.
With proper oral care, regular dental exams, and visits to the dentist, your dental implant can last you a long time. Habits like chewing tobacco, alcohol consumptions, and teeth grinding can damage your dental implant, so avoid these.
Call us at (503) 878-7474 to schedule an appointment, and we will determine whether you are a viable candidate for a dental implant.