What Should You Expect With Your Dental Implant Surgery?
Are you scheduled for dental implant surgery?
You can look forward to having your smile restored by one of the most reliable and effective treatments available for missing teeth.
However, you may have some questions about the treatment itself, such as:
- How do dental implants work?
- What can I expect during my treatment visits?
- Is dental implant surgery painful?
Our dental team at Dr. Eric S. Farmer DDS wants you to feel confident about your upcoming treatment, so we have put together all the information about dental implants that you need to know.
What are dental implants and how do they work?
A dental implant is designed to replace a missing tooth from root to crown.
It consists of three parts:
- Implant – This is integrated into the jawbone to replace the missing tooth root.
- Abutment – Sits between the implant and crown and holds them together.
- Crown – The visible part of your implant, which replaces your missing tooth.
Dental implants are the #1 way to replace missing teeth because they offer benefits that other restorative treatments do not.
A dental implant looks, feels, and functions like your natural tooth.
Unlike other restorative services for missing teeth (bridges, dentures, etc.), implants don’t just restore the visible part of the missing tooth, but they also act as a root replacement.
Why is this important?
When you lose teeth, you also start to lose the underlying bone tissue. Implants stabilize this tissue, stimulating it to grow and remain healthy.
So, how do we complete this complex treatment?
Let’s take it step-by-step.
What can you expect during each phase of dental implant surgery?
Full mouth exam and dental implant consultation
The first step is a thorough exam and consultation with our Wichita dental implants experts, Dr. Bret Williamson and Dr. Eric Farmer.
Implants are the best solution for the majority of patients. What do you need to qualify as a good implants candidate?
- Good general health
- Freedom from gum disease
- Sufficient healthy bone tissue to support an implant
If you meet the three criteria above, we will probably recommend an implant for your missing tooth.
How a dental implant is placed
Advanced technology, using a specialized 3D x-ray unit that provides highly detailed photos of your teeth and soft tissues, allows us to plan your implant surgery virtually before we even begin.
Using this information, Dr. Williamson precisely and efficiently places your implant, ensuring your dental implant surgery will have the maximum success.
Your dental implant crown will be placed once the implant has healed and integrated successfully with the bone tissue. This integrating process usually takes a few months.
We will periodically check on the progress of your implant during this time. Once our dentists feel it’s healed enough, we will move ahead with the next phase in your dental implants surgery treatment.
How a crown is placed on a dental implant
Next, our Wichita dentists will place the crown. A dental crown is made from strong, tooth-colored porcelain and is designed to mimic the look of your natural teeth.
Dr. Farmer is world-renown for his superlative cosmetic dentistry results. He creates dental restorations that are beautifully life-like.
Once we permanently place your crown, you can enjoy the confidence that comes from knowing your new tooth looks good, feels good, and functions excellently.
Is dental implant surgery painful?
We are careful to monitor the comfort of our patients during any procedure, and dental implants surgery does not cause the pain most people think it would.
We use a numbing agent throughout your procedure to keep the procedure pain-free. Post-surgically our patients report they experience minimal discomfort and can usually care for it with over-the-counter medication.
Are you ready to try dental implants? If you are one of our nearby neighbors from Maize or Valley Center, let our dentists in Wichita, KS end the discomfort and embarrassment you deal with because of missing teeth. Just click the button below to make a convenient appointment.
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