WHAT TO EXPECT WITH DENTAL IMPLANTS - Midland, TX
Your Guide on What to Expect with Dental Implants
Making the Decision to Get Dental Implants
Living with missing teeth can cause many disruptions in your daily life and can also be linked to oral health issues, including gum disease and jaw bone loss. As you explore different tooth replacement procedures, you may be wondering what to expect with dental implants. Dental implants continue to have a high success rate and our doctors in Midland, TX, have found them to be advantageous to the patient over several other tooth replacement options.
Your Dental Implants Consultation
The best way to get started is with a one-on-one consultation with one of our doctors. We will need to take digital x-rays of the mouth and jaw and learn more about your oral health history. The doctor will review the x-rays with you to explain exactly where tooth loss has occurred and if we can detect any bone loss. After that, he will explain how the implant placement and restoration process works. You will leave the consultation with a fully mapped out treatment plan and get an estimate on dental implant cost.
What to Expect with Dental Implants Surgery
Some patients need to undergo a bone grafting procedure, such as a sinus lift, or get treatment for gum disease before we can place dental implants. This may require postponing the actual implant placement surgery for a few months until the prep procedures are complete. When your gums and mouth are ready for dental implants, we can perform surgery with anesthesia so you don’t feel anything throughout treatment.
The procedure involves inserting a titanium post directly into the jawbone. If multiple teeth are missing, the doctor may insert a set of posts in the upper or lower jaw to accommodate for Dental Implants® full arch dental implants. Our doctors use state-of-the-art equipment for this procedure, including guided implant surgery technology and advanced x-ray systems.
Dental Implant Steps
- Consultation
- Prep procedures
- Dental implant placement (surgery)
- Recovery phase
- Dental implant restoration
What to Expect with Dental Implants Post-Procedure
You can expect some soreness and mild swelling after surgery but this will resolve in a few days. Your doctor will give you post-op instructions to ensure optimal healing. The healing process can take several months as the post of the implant fuses to the jaw bone through a process called osseointegration.
What to Expect with Dental Implant Restorations
After the dental implants have healed, the doctor can complete the final restoration. This is the final stage of treatment where we create a custom crown and place it on top of the abutment. This restoration looks and feels like your natural teeth and is designed to last for years.