How Do Dental Implants Work?

In April, we talked about dental implants as a cost effective and permanent solution to a missing tooth or teeth. This month, we will break down how a dental implant would work from the beginning consult to the actual implantation.

At Sterling Dental Center , this is how we handle dental implants.

The consultation

The first step is a consultation appointment with Dr. Bursich. At your appointment Dr. Bursich will evaluate, gum and bone health, overall health and your objective. All necessary x-rays and diagnostics can be done in our office. If you are a good candidate, your treatment options including budget and if an outside specialist will be needed to perform some aspect of the surgery. At your consultation we will discuss treatment options, budget and the benefits and risks of all your options including not doing any treatment. Knowing all your treatment options and making the choice that is best for you is very important to the process.

Treatment

After we have a plan in place, we will schedule out your appointments. This can include extractions, bone graft, and the implant surgery itself. Each patient's treatment is personalized based on the amount of bone and gum support. and their overall health. The treatment is usually done with a local anesthesia and or a mild sedative. If you want sedation, that can be arranged at another office a few doors down from ours. We will let you know ahead of time if you need a ride home after surgery.

The healing

It takes four to six months for the implants to fuse to your bone and be stable enough to act as your natural tooth root. This process forms a strong and lasting foundation for your new teeth. You will usually have temporary teeth to help you eat your food comfortably and smile with confidence while you are healing. You will be given detailed instructions on what you can and cannot eat during the various stages of the healing process. Usually short visits are scheduled every couple of months to check on your progress.

Your new teeth

When your implants have integrated into your bone Dr Bursich will be ready to give you your permanent teeth. Some minor adjustments will need to be made after, and you will need to maintain them like your natural teeth with regular cleanings.

Care for your new smile

While dental implants and artificial teeth cannot get infected as your natural teeth, they do require you to continue to take care of them as if they were your god given teeth. That means daily flossing and brushing, regular cleanings, at a frequency determined by Dr. Bursich.

We know how important a healthy smile is to our patients and we want to help you achieve your goals. If you have any questions about dental implants or other treatment, call now for a no charge no obligation consultation to get your questions about treatment options, cost insurance coverage and benefits of treatment now.