WHAT IS A SINGLE DENTAL IMPLANT PROCEDURE?

A single dental implant can be used to replace a tooth that is already missing or needs to be extracted. Having an implant placed is a minor outpatient surgery that is typically done using a local anesthetic at one appointment. If your dentist thinks that you are a candidate for a dental implant, they will refer you to either a periodontist or an oral surgeon for further evaluation.

If it is determined that you are a good candidate for a single dental implant, your dentist will work in conjunction with the implant doctor to provide the best care possible.

What is a single dental implant procedure?

It is important to provide a current medical history, listing all medications that you are currently taking, because an anesthetic is going to be used during your implant treatment. Sometimes, general anesthesia is available, but that varies from patient to patient.

At the evaluation, your implant doctor will likely take an X-ray of the area to be treated so they can analyze the density of the bone to make sure the implant will be successful. If you do not have enough bone, he may be a candidate for a bone graft or sinus lift to improve overall bone in the area. If you need to have one of these surgeries, it will need to heal before the implant can be placed. Healing can take 3 to 6 months, though sometimes, the implant can be placed at the same time as the bone graft, but this is at the doctor's discretion, and not everyone is a candidate for that.

When it is time for surgery, your doctor will deliver a local anesthetic before making a small incision in the gum tissue. They will then drill a small hole directly into the jawbone and screw the implant in. Most of the time, an implant is made of titanium, but some can be made with zirconia. A healing cap is placed over the implant, and then you are left to heal for up to three months. During this healing time, a process called osseointegration occurs. This is the fusion between the implant and the bone. Osseointegration is crucial to the stability and success of the implant.

Your dentist will likely make an appliance for you to wear while you heal, which will have a fake tooth in it. An appliance will give you the appearance of a tooth while simultaneously protecting the implant. Once your implant is fully healed, your dentist can begin restoration.

When your doctor restores the implant, they will remove the healing cap and place the abutment directly onto the implant. The abutment acts as a link between the implant and the crown. Once the abutment is in place, the implant crown will be cemented onto the abutment.

A single dental implant can greatly improve your confidence and quality of life. Implants are the best way to restore a missing tooth, so if you are already missing a tooth or know that you have to have one extracted, speak with your dentist to see if you might be a candidate for a single dental implant.

Related Article: Why a Dental Implant?