How Does Dental Implant Surgery Work?
Trying to decide if dental implant surgery is right for you? Considering the high success rate and longevity of dental implants, it remains one of the most effective and affordable dental solutions for people suffering from tooth loss. However, careful understanding and personal preparation is the key to a successful procedure.
The first stop on your journey to restoring a normal quality of life and to a bigger and brighter smile will be your dentist. Your dentist can assess the nature and extent of your current dental health, tooth loss, and determine the most suitable type of dental implant. The procedure will vary from patient to patient depending on whether you’re getting conventional implants or mini implants (aka small diameter implants).
Mini implants are smaller diameter implants (between 1.8 mm to 3.0 mm), making them suitable for a wide range of patients who aren’t ideal candidates for conventional dental implants (between 3.2 mm and 6 mm). This includes individuals with potentially poor bone density or resorbed ridges.
Preparing for Dental Implant Surgery
The first step in the process is to provide a comprehensive record of your health history that you can then discuss with your dental provider.
Apart from any chronic ailments, it is important to consider any allergies you may have or any habit which may potentially interfere with proper healing and to avoid infection which could lead to the failure of the implant. Your dentist is also required to review a complete list of your medications—both prescription and over-the-counter- as some medications can increase the risk of dental implant failure. At the end of this step, your dentist will determine whether you are a suitable candidate for dental implant surgery.
Next your dentist will schedule you for digital scans. These will provide a clearer understanding to the dentist of the overall condition of your current dental situation and health. Based on the results, your dentist will create a model of your jaw and teeth and design an individualized treatment plan taking into account your overall oral and physical health, the condition and quality of your bone, the possible need for bone graft and determine the type of implants that will be best for you. In the meantime, your proposed restorations will be created for your surgical visit.
Your dentist may or may not have been trained in implant placement surgery. If not, you will be referred to an oral surgeon, periodontist or prosthodontist, a dental clinician specifically trained in implant surgery. Following the procedure, you would return to your regular dentist for the final restoration.
The Surgery - A Breakdown
Implant surgery can either be completed under local or general anesthesia. Typically, you will have your surgery appointment and then return in 4-6 months for final restorations. This recovery phase provides the required time for proper healing of the implant and bone graft if required.
The dentist or oral surgeon will first prepare your jaw bone, which involves completely removing the damaged tooth including the root. This is followed by creating access to your jaw bone through the gum tissues. Once the jaw bone is exposed, the surgeon uses a series of precisely sized drills to create the planned cavity into the bone that will receive the implant. The implant will then be screwed into the bone. Depending on the overall treatment plan, the implant will either be permanently restored at the time of oral surgery (immediately loaded in the case of mini implants) or the implant will be covered and allowed to heal for a period of time before final restoration.
If the treatment plan is for an overdenture, at the time of surgery, you will be provided with a temporary denture while the implant osseointegrates into the jaw bone (i.e., the bone grows around and fully integrates into the implant and becomes part of the jaw). The next phase is to wait for the gums to heal and for the implant to osseointegrate. The permanent restoration is not immediately placed to avoid interfering with the implant healing process. It will typically take 4 - 6 months for this to occur. However, there are some implant techniques which allow for immediate loading of the final restorations. Your dentist will review these options with you, prior to surgery. There is normally little to no discomfort associated with the implant in the bone; the gums may remain sensitive until the soft tissue is healed. Over-the-counter pain medications are usually indicated.
Following the healing period and the dentist has determined that osseointegration, confirmed by examination and X-rays, has occurred and the gums have healed properly, steps will be taken to prepare the final restoration.
Potential Reasons for Dental Implant Placement to Fail and Adverse Affects
Dental implant surgery is proven and safe. Properly trained dental professionals follow strict surgical protocols to ensure dental implants are placed under sterile conditions and according to regulatory requirements. It is extremely important to follow the strict guidelines for maintenance and care of your implant and surgical site in the mouth as set forth by your dentist in order to avoid any adverse affects including infection and ultimate implant failure. There are extremely rare instances where there may be an allergic reaction to some aspect of the surgical procedure and this will be discussed by your dentist with you beforehand, considering your health history. All potential risks would be considered by your dentist in the pre-treatment planning, for mitigation.
Careful attention must be taken to properly care for the implant sites to ensure proper healing and to avoid infections. Peri-implantitis can occur as time goes on and this can induce other potentially worse conditions including bone loss, the failure of a graft to integrate, and the overall failure of the implant. This can occur at any time in the future after the placement--even after healing and final restoration is completed-- and proper dental hygiene practice. Many situations and hygiene practices that caused the need for a dental implant to begin with, once improved, can help prevent implant failure. It is important to understand that most of this relies on the patient’s willingness to properly maintain the area.
ln certain instances, there may be abnormal bleeding. If this occurs, make sure to consult your dentist for the best treatment to control.
Post-Operative Care
Carefully follow your dentist’s post-care instructions. Most patients will only experience mild discomfort following the procedure. Over-the-counter painkillers and analgesics can help deal with post-operative pain and swelling. Cannabidiol or CBD medication for Temporomandibular joint or jaw pain (TMJ) may be considered as an alternative, holistic relief option. In some instances, your dentist may pre-treat you with antibiotics to hedge any potential infection.
Remember, the success of your dental implant surgery also largely depends on your positive dental hygiene routine after the procedure is completed.
Life Changing
Dental implant can be life changing. They can restore your ability to savor what you once loved to eat, regain confidence in your smile, and most of all, improve your quality of life.
Speak to your dental professional if dental implant treatment is the right option for you.