Stages of Dental Implants — Six Steps to a Beautiful Smile

Carry on reading as we explain the six steps of the dental implant procedure. This is your expected journey towards a life-changing, new smile.

Stages of Dental Implants

Unlike other alternatives for teeth replacement, dental implants can take a while to finish. The lengthy treatment time, expected to be around 6 – 9 months, is essential to ensure a healthy and stable foundation for your future artificial tooth. Success is achieved only if each step of the implant process is meticulously done to prevent complications that may affect the treatment outcome. Here are the six stages of a dental implant procedure explained. 

Initial Consultation and Screening

The first step is a thorough assessment of your remaining teeth, gums, jawbone, and surrounding muscles using digital X-rays and scans. This can be accomplished with a free dental consultation near you.

The general rule to proceed with any dental implant procedure is that oral and overall health must be in good condition, and your jawbone must be of good height and density.

Treatment Planning

Once you’re considered a good candidate for dental implants, our dentist will design your customised treatment plan. This is made according to their evaluation,  plus individual preferences and goals.

Some things to be taken into consideration during treatment planning are:

• Proper placement and angulation of the implant
• Number of dental implants needed
• Access to the surgical site
• Type of final restoration to be placed
• Material for your final restoration

These are noted on your treatment plan as a guide for the rest of the dental implant procedure.

Dental Implant Surgery

Once the plan is laid out and discussed with you, our implant dentist will proceed with the surgery. The dental implant procedure starts with administering an anaesthetic. This will numb the surgery area to help you relax and improve your overall experience.

In conventional implant cases, the gum over the implant area is incised and flapped open to access your jawbone. However, at Beyond 32 Dental, we use state-of-the-art keyhole surgery to insert the implant through the gum and into the jaw without cutting the gum. This means no sutures, minimal discomfort and faster surgery time.

Bone-implant Integration

While you’re waiting for the gum to heal, dental implants are designed to fuse with the bone. This is an integral part of the process and is known as Osseointegration. Implant-to-bone fusion is vital because it creates a robust platform. Without it, any subsequent stages of dental implants could not be completed. 

To encourage proper bone-to-implant healing, follow your dentist’s post-operative guidelines. The most important is to practice a good hygiene routine to prevent bacterial growth that may cause infection in the wound. Also, avoid anything that might slow the osseointegration process, like smoking or drinking alcohol.

Abutment Placement

Once the implant has fully integrated with the bone (typically 3-5 months), minor surgery is again done to place an abutment to the implant post. The process links the dental implant to the artificial tooth attachment. The implant will be uncovered to place the abutment so your dentist can screw the fitting in place.

After two weeks, the abutment should have already healed, and you should be ready for the last leg of the dental implant procedure.

Final Restoration

To complete treatment with dental implants, a permanent restoration will be designed, customised, and fabricated for attachment. Once this is cemented into position, you should finally see the full effects of a brand new, complete, and confident smile.

Understanding Possible Pre-surgical Procedures

While the stages of dental implants involve six routine steps, some patients may need an extra stage in their treatment. This comes before dental implant surgery.

If necessary, your dentist may recommend getting pre-surgical treatments that will optimise the health of your jawbone in preparation for the dental implant procedure. Some pre-procedures that may be included in your treatment are bone grafting and sinus lifting.

To know if you need these before your implant surgery, look for a dentist that offers free consultation near you for a comprehensive assessment.

Want to learn if dental implants are for you?

The only way to know if dental implants are the solution to your smile goals is to get a free consultation at your local dental clinic.

At Beyond 32 Dental, we have experienced and trained dentists that know to accurately diagnose tooth loss and can identify the best treatment route for you. So, if you are considering dental implants, our dentists can help you achieve the permanent and hassle-free smile you want.

Want to know more? Call us at (02) 9158 6334  to book your appointment.

Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.

References

Mayo Clinic – Dental implant surgery
https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/dental-implant-surgery/about/pac-20384622

StatPearls – Dental Implants
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470448/

PubMed – The effects of age, jaw site, and bone condition on oral implant outcomes
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9922739/

PubMed Central – Osseointegration: An Update
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3602536/

Implant Dentistry – Post-operative Infections After Dental Implant Placement – Prevalence, Clinical Features, and Treatment
https://journals.lww.com/implantdent/fulltext/2015/12000/Postoperative_Infections_After_Dental_Implant.13.aspx

PubMed Central – Bone manipulation procedures in dental implants
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4934094/