Dental Implants

Would you like to restore your smile with dental implants? Placement of a dental implant may involve the following steps.

• Consultation: We’ll comprehensively review your dental and medical history to determine your suitability for implants. We’ll also use digital X-rays, photos, and 3D scans to determine the health of your bone. For successful implant treatment, your bone should have sufficient density and volume. CT scans also assist in identifying the sinuses and nerves that should be avoided during surgery.
• Bone grafting: If your dental images show you have insufficient jawbone, the dentist will discuss options for bone augmentation. Bone grafting helps to replenish lost bone tissue to avoid implant failure during osseointegration. If implants are being placed at the back of the upper jaw, your dentist may administer a sinus lift or augmentation. This procedure moves or “lifts” the sinus membrane upwards to create room for implant placement.
• Teeth extraction: If you want to replace your failing tooth with a predictable dental implant, this must be extracted first to create room for an implant.
• Implant surgery: After anesthetizing your gums, we’ll make a small incision to expose the underlying bone. Then, we’ll create a tiny hole at a precise location in the jawbone to place a screw-like titanium stud. After implantation, we’ll clean and suture the implant site and leave it to heal.
• Healing and fusion: Your gums need about two weeks to heal, but your implant requires 3-6 months to fuse with the jawbone through osseointegration. After fusion, the implant fixture and the jawbone form one solid biological structure. 
• Abutment placement: After healing, we’ll initiate the second part of the implant procedure. We’ll make a small cut on the gums to expose your implant. Then, we’ll attach a small metal connector (abutment) to the implant and give it two weeks to heal.
• Final restoration: We’ll cover your implant with a custom-designed dental crown, which becomes your implant’s visible and functional portion. Your crown is designed to resemble your natural tooth, making your implant virtually indistinguishable from other teeth.