Step-by-step for dental implants
By 2022 most of us have heard of dental implants in Richmond for replacing missing teeth but you may be wondering what the procedure involves? Dental implants in Richmond are an invasive treatment procedure but replace your missing teeth for life.
Steps prior to the surgery
Here at Sheen Dental Implants we begin by carrying out an examination of your teeth and gums. Before you can have dental implants in Richmond it is important to make sure that your remaining teeth are healthy. If your teeth are unhealthy then your implant may not be successful. You will undergo a full examination of all your remaining teeth and you will need to have an x-ray and a 3-dimensional scan which will show us the health of your bone and gums. Thanks to advances in digital technology the scan allows us to create a digital image of your mouth, showing us the extent of healthy bone and whether this is sufficient for the procedure to be carried out successfully. The assessment of your jawbone is also important in enabling us to decide which size and width of dental implant is suitable for you. If our dentist decides that you do not have sufficient healthy jawbone for successful implant surgery then you will need to undergo bone grafting if you would like to replace your missing tooth with an implant. Depending on the extent of grafting necessary, this may increase the length of the treatment procedure by a few months. If you require minor bone grafting then this may be carried out at the time of the implant surgery.
Dental implant surgery
Here at Sheen Dental Implants, our dentist is a master of dental implantology and will book you in for the surgery when he feels that you are ready for the procedure. The surgery will be carried out under local anaesthetic and you can talk about sedation technique beforehand if you suffer from dental anxiety or phobia. A small drill will be used to create a hole in the bone socket of your missing tooth for the dental implant. The implant will be inserted into the bone and it will take approximately 3 to 4 months for the area to heal completely. During this time a process called osseointegration will help integrate the implant into your jawbone. Osteoblasts will form around the implant, fixing it firmly into place so that it becomes a permanent part of your mouth. During this time you can visit your dentist at regular intervals to make sure that there are no signs of infection and that the healing process is coming along successfully.
Replacing your missing tooth
When our dentist is happy that the healing process is complete you may undergo a further scan which will be used to create a replacement tooth for you. Depending on the number of teeth that need replacing you may choose to have a crown, bridge or dentures to replace your missing teeth. These will be designed to blend with your remaining natural teeth and with the help of the implant you will be able to restore the appearance, function and feel of your mouth and enjoy a happy and healthy smile once again.