How Long Do Dental Implants Take?

Your mouth, including teeth, gums and all soft tissue, are as unique to you has your fingerprints. The length of time for a successful dental implants port huron, mi procedure will fall into a range based on your own health, the practices of your dentist, your healing abilities and the location of the dental implant in the mouth. Let’s look at the procedure, the variables involved and the benefits of having a tooth replaced with a dental implant.

The Dental Implant Procedure

A standard practice today in the dental industry is to take all measures necessary to keep natural teeth. If you must have a tooth extracted or lost a tooth from an untimely accident, the dental implant has now become the new gold standard for a tooth replacement. Introduced in the 1960s, the dental implant has demonstrated continued improvements through technology and the United States is seeing over 500,000 procedures now a year.

The initial step is to document the health of the jawbone with an x-ray. Bone density is an essential element of a successful implant. Once that has been confirmed the procedure begins with the soft tissue involved being numbed with a local anesthetic. Then the dentist gains access to the jawbone with a small surgical incision in the gum. The next step is that of drilling a small hole in the jawbone into which will be placed a titanium post. This step is the difference maker because this post will act as a natural root would act. The incision is closed with sutures and the dentist will configure a temporary tooth as the post needs time to fuse to the jawbone. This process can take three months, or it might take up to six months. X-rays will identify when the post is solid and secure.

The surgical process is repeated as an extension or abutment is placed on the post to reach the surface. Then an artificial porcelain or ceramic crown is affixed to the abutment. With that you have a new replacement tooth.

The Benefits of a Dental Implant

Even though some offices today will claim that a dental implant can be done in a day the success rate is actually lower. There is no substitute for the jawbone growing into the implant surface. The actual length of time for your procedure will be then based on your own ability to heal and the confidence the dentist has in that post fusing properly. The benefits are substantial. That post, acting as a root, will deliver pressure sensations as you bite and chew. It will also deliver temperature changes that a dental bridge cannot. There is the health of the jawbone that is enhanced with the post as well maintaining bone density and stymieing bone atrophy. The life expectancy can be twice that of conventional dental bridge, but it comes at a slightly higher cost. Finally, there is the quality and health of your smile. Your smile is a very undervalued asset that is foundational to your personality. If the dental implant takes a little longer to achieve success, be patient, it will be worth the effort.

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