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With a wonderful success rate around 95 percent, dental implants are now the standard of care in tooth replacement treatment. For this reason, many of the patients we see are often very excited about the prospect of permanently fixing their smile. However, despite a desire to make changes, many patients are worried about the idea of undergoing oral surgery. Here at The Foleck Center, we want our patients to rest assured when it comes to their dental implant placement procedure. If you choose to use Dr. Foleck for your treatment, your placement can be quick, painless, and achieved in just a few short visits to our office.
Step One
The first step after you make the decision to get dental implants is to make an appointment with a qualified dental implants provider for a comprehensive evaluation. During this appointment, your mouth, teeth and jaw will be completely examined, as well as your medical and dental history. You will then have X-rays taken and perhaps a CT scan as well. This will allow your provider to evaluate your jawbone density and make a plan to ensure you have the best chance for dental implant success.
Step Two
Step two is usually performed in our office with local anesthesia or light sedation to help ensure a comfortable and pain-free experience. After a small incision is made in your gum tissue, the fixture or rot piece is attached to the jawbone. Next, you will be sent home for a healing period of 3 to 6 months while your jawbone fuses to implant piece. This helps make a strong and stable foundation for your new replacement teeth.
Step Three
Once your gum tissues have healed sufficiently, you will return to have a middle piece called an abutment attached. This sometimes requires a small incision if gum tissues have grown over the fixture piece. If that happens, more healing time will be required. Step three is also critical because your new replacement tooth will also be created during this stage to perfectly match the color, shape, size, and texture of your real teeth.
Step Four
Step four involves carefully attaching your new tooth to the dental implant fixture that was previously attached to your jawbone. Dental implants can replace a single missing tooth, several teeth, or a complete row of teeth. Your provider will typically recommend the best choice for you and your oral health goals after your comprehensive examination.
How Long Does It Take To Get Dental Implants?
The answer to this question depends on the patient’s dental health, how many implants are being placed, which teeth are replaced, and if any supplemental procedures are needed. If bone or gum tissues are in poor health, extra procedures grafting of gum or bone may be required to strengthen your mouth and ensure the best possible chance of implant success. Although they are necessary, supplemental procedures can add up to 6 months to the total procedure healing time.
Does Getting Dental Implants Hurt?
This question depends in large part on your own level of pain tolerance. However, most of our patients report that their dental procedure was no more painful than having a tooth removed. To ensure that you have a pain-free procedure, general anesthetic will usually be used during the surgery and over-the-counter pain medication can be used to take care of any remaining pain.
After Your Dental Implant Placement?
After dental implant placement, patients are sent home with a list of after-care instructions from Dr. Foleck. These instructions usually involve minimizing pressure on the implant site, restricted activities, and rest for the first day after your procedure. Activities like lifting, bending, or strenuous physical activity can cause increased risk of bleeding, swelling or other complications after oral surgery. Patients should expect mild to moderate pain initially. A visual inspection of the site for any abnormalities should be done regularly and any unusual signs should be reported immediately.
Get Started With A Consultation At The Foleck Center Today
The Foleck Center offers the best tooth replacement options with great financing options. If you have missing teeth and live in the Norfolk or Hampton, VA areas, we can’t wait to help you restore your smile with functional and natural-looking dental implants. Our skilled and experienced staff is ready and waiting to help you get a stunning new smile today. Don’t wait to fix your smile, we have great payment options, so give us a call now to get started!
