Treatment Planning for Dental Implants

Posted by Todd Higginbotham on April 17th, 2019

A complete medical history is taken to assess the patient’s health and evaluate any impact this may have on implant therapy. This may include conditions that affect dental implant healing, such as diabetes, immunosuppressive diseases, irradiation of the jaws, and smoking. Also, some drugs have been found to negatively influence bone healing,

Dental implant is the best thing to missing tooth

Nothing replaces your natural teeth, but dental implants can come close. Implants have been used for many years. They are man-made “anchors” that look like screws and are made of titanium and other materials that are compatible with the human body. The single tooth implant is placed by surgery in the upper or lower jaw, where it replaces your missing tooth’s root(s).

An implant looks and acts like a natural tooth. It fits securely even when you chew and speak. A single tooth implant does not involve treatment to your other teeth. Plus, it may also help you keep a good level of bone around your teeth.

Most implants involve 3 or 4 basic steps:

Placement of the implant

Your dentist surgically places the implant into your jawbone. There may be some swelling and/or tenderness after the surgery, so pain medication may be prescribed to ease the discomfort. Your dentist may recommend a diet of soft foods during the healing process.

The healing process

What makes an implant so strong is that the bone actually grows around it and holds it in place. This process is called osseointegration and takes time. Some people might need to wait until the implant is completely integrated before a permanent replacement tooth can be attached to the implant. This can take several months. Other people can have the implant and a temporary replacement tooth placed all in one visit. The length of the healing process depends on location of the replacement tooth and the type of implant being used.

Replacing your missing tooth

For a single tooth implant, your dentist custom-makes a new tooth for you, called a dental crown. It is based on a size, shape, and color that will blend with your other teeth. Once completed, the man-made tooth is attached to the implant post or abutment