Dental Implants
What are Dental Implants?
How do Dental Implants Work?
Because implants fuse to your jawbone, they provide stable support for artificial teeth. Dentures and bridges mounted to implants won’t slip or shift in your mouth — an especially important benefit when eating and speaking. This secure fit helps the dentures and bridges — as well as individual crowns placed over implants — feel more natural than conventional bridges or dentures.
For some people, ordinary bridges and dentures are simply not comfortable or even possible, due to sore spots, poor ridges or gagging. In addition, ordinary bridges must be attached to teeth on either side of the space left by the missing tooth. An advantage of implants is that no adjacent teeth need to be prepared or ground down to hold your new replacement tooth/teeth in place.
Dental implant placement usually involves the following steps:
- Initial consultation: Dr. Friscia will thoroughly examine your mouth, including taking X-rays and images. He will discuss the various implant options and develop a plan for your implant surgery.
- Dental implant placement:At your next scheduled appointment, Dr. Friscia will place the dental implant in your jawbone where your tooth is missing. Local anesthesia or sedation can be used to keep you comfortable. Although each patient’s experience is unique, most patients typically return to work the next day
- Post-implant surgery: Again depending on the patient, there may be some discomfort, similar to that of any other dental procedure or surgery. It may include swelling, bruising, minor bleeding and/or pain, but most patients usually manage any pain with over-the-counter medications.
- Osseointegration:As you heal, your implant and jawbone will grow together in a process called osseointegration (os-e-o-in-tuh-GRAY-shun), forming a strong, long-lasting foundation for your replacement teeth. During this healing process, which can take up to a few months, you should be on a soft food diet for the first few weeks to make sure your implants heal properly.
- Abutment Placement:Once your implant bonds with your jawbone, a small connector – called an abutment – is placed on the dental implant just above the gumline. In some cases, the abutment can be placed at the same time as the implant.
- Periodic Check ups:Depending on the number and type of implants and replacement teeth you receive, the entire process can take several months. After your dental implant placement is finished, you should visit Dr. Friscia periodically for follow-up and regular dental checkups.