For most patients, the placement of dental implants involves one surgical procedure. Implants are placed within your jawbone and attach abutments (small posts) to act as anchors for the replacement teeth. For the first three to six months following surgery, the implants are beneath the surface of the gums gradually bonding with the jawbone. You should be able to wear temporary dentures and eat a soft diet during this time and recommend a minimum of four months healing time before the replacement teeth are placed. Most patients experience minimal disruption in their daily life.

There are even situations where the implants can be placed at the same time as a tooth extraction – further minimizing the number of surgical procedures. Advances in dental implant technology have made it possible, in select cases, to extract teeth and place implants with temporary crowns in one day. This procedure is called “immediate loading”.

Implants are a team effort between an oral and maxillofacial surgeon and a restorative dentist. The Oral & Facial Surgery Center doctors performs the actual implant surgery, initial tooth extractions, and bone grafting, if necessary, the restorative dentist (your dentist) fits and makes the permanent tooth replacement. Your dentist will also make any temporary prosthesis needed during the implant process.

A single prosthesis (crown) is used to replace one missing tooth – each prosthetic tooth attaches to its own implant. A partial prosthesis (fixed bridge) can replace two or more teeth and may require only two or three implants. A complete dental prosthesis (fixed bridge) replaces all the teeth in your upper or lower jaw. The number of implants varies depending upon which type of complete prosthesis (removable or fixed) is recommended. A removable prosthesis (over denture) attaches to a bar or ball in socket attachments, whereas a fixed prosthesis is permanent and removable only by the dentist. Our providers will work as a team alongside your restorative dentist to help provide you with a stable prosthetic plan.

If you are considering implants, your mouth must be examined thoroughly and your medical and dental history reviewed. If your mouth is not ideal for implants, ways of improving outcome, such as bone grafting, may be recommended.