Getting Ready for Dental Implants

Your dentist may recommend a dental implant procedure near San Jose if you have missing teeth due to a tooth extraction, gum disease, or trauma. Before undergoing your dental implant procedure, review these tips that will help you prepare for dental implants.

Preliminary Dental Office Visit

Prior to your dental implant procedure, you’ll meet with your cosmetic dentist or emergency dentist for an exam and evaluation. During this dental office visit, your dentist will take dental impressions, X-rays, and digital images of your teeth to determine how to proceed with your dental care. If your dentist discovers signs of gum disease, you may need to undergo periodontal treatment before receiving dental implants. Your dentist will use your X-rays, digital images, and dental impressions to create a tooth implant that matches the size, shape, and appearance of your natural teeth.

The Dental Implant Procedure

Your dental implant procedure will be performed in a dental office while you’re under general anesthesia. During the first stage of your dental implant procedure, your dentist implants a titanium rod into your jawbone, which acts as your tooth implant’s root or anchor. Once your jawbone has healed around the rod, your dentist can proceed to the second stage. During this stage, your dentist uses dental screws to attach an abutment to the rod. In the third and final stage, your dentist attaches your custom-created prosthetic tooth to the abutment.

Recovery Period and Caring for Dental Implants

Your jawbone may require two to four months to completely heal after stage one of the dental implant procedure. Once the prosthetic tooth is attached to the abutment, your dentist will schedule a follow-up visit to evaluate the strength and placement of the dental implant. You should maintain the same level of dental hygiene for your dental implant as you do for your natural teeth. You will need to brush twice a day, floss daily, and visit your dentist regularly for dental care and checkups. While your dental implant is immune to tooth decay, your surrounding gum tissue can develop gum disease without proper dental hygiene.