05/13/2016 09:27
If you are missing a tooth due to injury or damage, your dentist will likely recommend a dental implant to fill the space and restore your smile. Our Northridge dental implant dentist may also recommend an implant if you have a tooth that is currently severely damaged or decayed beyond repair. If you are a patient waiting for your first implant appointment, you might be curious about the process, and what steps are involved.
There are three steps to getting your new dental implant.
Step One
If your damaged tooth is not already missing, your dentist will remove it along with any surrounding decay. The jawbone will then be prepared, and grafting will be performed if there is not enough bone to support the implant. To prepare the jawbone, the dentist must drill into the space, making enough room for the implant to be inserted. You will likely be given a temporary implant at this time.
Step Two
After a short healing period, your dentist will then place the first part of the implant. It will act as a replacement for the root of the tooth you have lost. This part is a screw-like device made of titanium, which is a material that is able to set into bone without causing infection.
Step Three
A longer period of healing is required next. The titanium implant will need time to fuse with the jawbone, a process that is called osseointegration. This can take anywhere between two and seven months. When you return, your dentist will place an abutment if one was not already placed during the second appointment. Finally, a crown is applied on top of the implant to protect and strengthen it.
If you require more information about dental implants, be sure to contact our dentists in Northridge.
