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When your dentist tells you that there is nothing he can do to save your teeth and the only option is to remove them, you begin to think of ways to replace your broken teeth so they wouldn’t ruin your smile. Here is where dental implants enter the picture. Let us find out the step-by-step tooth extraction and implant timeline so we can understand the process of how dental implants replace your missing teeth seamlessly.
Dental implant process
The consultation
Your dentist inspects your oral cavity and gives you a comprehensive observation. If he notes that there will be teeth that need to be extracted, he can already give you your missing teeth replacement options. He can include using a bridge, dentures, or implants. If the dental implant is the chosen solution, he then investigates if your oral cavity can accommodate the implant placement.
The preparation
For a dental implant to be used, you must have two things: a missing tooth and a healthy jaw bone under it. So after your tooth extraction, your dentist can perform a bone graft if he observes that the bone underneath is not enough to support the implant. It can take a few months for the graft to heal, so this part may be very challenging to your patience, but this part cannot be skipped and is one of the most essential parts of the process.
Implant placement
Once the bone has healed, surgery to attach an implant to the bone is done. A few more months will pass until the implant fuses firmly to the bone. This is the time when, depending on the type of implant you will use, another surgery is performed to connect an abutment to the implant post so they can easily attach the crown or the false tooth. They can be screwed to the implant posts embedded to the bone, or the dentist can cement it in place.
Your dental implant option is a permanent solution and is the gold standard for missing teeth replacement. However, correct usage and maintenance are still essential to keep its efficiency.
