Dental implants are a permanent solution for patients with teeth that are missing, broken, or failing. Before your dental implant procedure, you will meet with Dr. Brar for a consultation to determine the right treatment plan for you. At this time, Dr. Brar will evaluate your current oral health, review your past medical history, provide any necessary scanning, and discuss your anesthesia options and overall goals for treatment. Your consultation is an opportunity for you to present any questions or concerns that you may have.
What are dental implants?
Patients who are missing a single tooth or several teeth should consider dental implants as a permanent solution to tooth replacement. At North Sound Oral & Facial Surgery, dental implants are a popular option because they look, feel, and function just like a natural tooth.
There are three parts to a dental implant:
- The screw is composed of medical-grade titanium and secures the dental implant to the jaw bone. Acting as the new tooth’s root, the screw provides an anchor for the new tooth.
- Placed on top of the screw, the abutment holds the new tooth in place.
- The crown is the visible part of the implant and is custom-designed to look and feel like the rest of your teeth.
What are the benefits?
Dental implants offer several benefits over other tooth replacement options. Patients can expect to enjoy these advantages and more:
- Ability to eat the foods you like
- Enhanced comfort
- Increased jaw stability
- Improved self-confidence
- Improvement of speech
- Prevention of bone loss
- Natural appearance
Taking care of dental implants is simple — just brush and floss every day as you would with the rest of your natural teeth. If you take care of your dental implants and see your dentist regularly, they can last a lifetime. At North Sound Oral & Facial Surgery, we want you to feel confident about your smile and oral health. The good news is many patients are excellent candidates for dental implants and can get started quickly. If you would like to address your tooth replacement options and learn more about dental implants, please give our office a call.
What happens during placement?
The dental implant process always begins with a consultation. Dr. Brar will perform a thorough oral examination, review your medical history, order any additional scans (if needed), and form a personalized treatment plan just for you. Anesthesia options will be discussed and chosen at this time as well. This is also the time to ask any questions that you may have. Your surgical appointment will be set for another day, and you will leave the consultation with pre- and post-operative instructions.
Your surgical appointment will begin with the administration of anesthesia which will help you to relax and sleep comfortably during your procedure. The initial step is usually the insertion of the titanium post — also known as the screw. The oral surgeon will lift the gum tissue and insert the screw into the empty tooth socket. Stitches are used to close the surgical site. After this procedure, you will have a three-month healing period allowing time for the screw to fuse into the jaw bone for a secure foundation. During the healing period, you will wear a temporary prosthesis. Once the screw has fused into the jaw bone, you will return for the placement of the crown and abutment. In some cases, the abutment is positioned at the same time as the screw. After the crown is placed, you can start enjoying your new, permanent smile!