What to Expect During an Implant Treatment
The time frame for completing the dental implant treatment varies and depends on many factors but you can expect the process to take several months.
First, we conduct a comprehensive exam and review your medical and dental history, take X-rays, and create impressions of your teeth and gums so that models can be made. In some cases, we may even order a CT (computerized tomography) scan of your mouth and jaw area which will help us develop our treatment plan.
During your initial treatment, we surgically insert the dental implant into your jaw, which will act as the “root” of your new tooth, then give it several months to attach itself to your jaw bone. There may be some swelling or tenderness for a few days, so a diet of soft foods, cold foods and warm soup often is recommended during the first few days of the healing process.
The next step is when we attach an extension, called a"post," to the implant and again, the gum tissue is given some time to heal around the new post. Once the area is completely healed, the implant and post will serve as the foundation for your new tooth.
As a last step, we’ll attach a custom-made porcelain tooth called a "crown" which will be a size, shape, and color that will fill the space left in your mouth by the missing tooth and blend with your surrounding teeth.
