Recognizing The Benefits of Dental Implants

From the time you visit a dentist for a consultation visit relating to a dental implant to the time the process is actually complete, it could be months or even an entire year. The dental implant process takes time, and here is what you should expect as the timeline if you want to get a dental implant.

The consultation visit

The first step of getting an implant is visiting a dentist for a consultation visit, and this visit is designed for several purposes. For one, the dentist will see if you qualify for a dental implant. Secondly, the dentist can help you understand the steps of the procedure and the costs involved. Finally, the dentist can help you understand the timeline for the procedure.

The preparation visit

If you decide to get the implant, you will need to go for a preparation visit. This visit will consist of taking x-rays and impressions and creating a unique plan for you. During this visit, you will find out if you can get the implant right away or if you will need a bone grafting process first. If you need to go through bone grafting, it will extend the time it takes for you to get the implant.

Bone grafting and implant installation visit

After the bone grafting is complete, you will need to wait for several months before the dentist can insert the implant in your bone. If you do not need a bone grafting procedure, the dentist will be able to insert the implant right away. Once the implant is in your jawbone, you will again have to wait. The waiting this time is for the process of osseointegration to take place, and this process simply means that you are waiting for your bone and the implant to fuse together to become one.

The final visit

The final visit you go to will be the visit when the procedure is completed, and this visit will involve placing the artificial tooth in your mouth. The dentist will secure it to the implant in your jawbone, and this completes the process. You may need to return to the dentist to have him or her examine it after a few months, but you should never need to go back for this tooth after that.

While it can take time to get an implant placed in the spot of a missing tooth, implants are the best option you have. To learn more about the process, schedule an appointment with a dental implant dentist today, such as at Tupelo Tooth.