A healthy life has a lot to do with healthy teeth because your teeth help you digest food properly. Needless to say, you need to get an appointment with a dentist at the first sign of trouble with any of your teeth. To get your smile back, you would need to undergo dental implant surgery.
The Dos And Don’ts Of Dental Implant Care
If you’re feeling scared or nervous, you don’t need to! There is nothing to fear when it comes to getting dental implants. However, it is crucial to understand that it’s a multi-step process, and depending on the condition of your mouth and jawbone, it could take between several weeks to nine whole months for a full recovery.
Detailed Steps Involved in Dental Implant Surgery
Here is the complete surgical process for dental implants:
Bone Grafting:
Before proceeding with surgery, the dentist will need to ensure that your jawbone has the thickness required for the surgery, or else you will have to undergo bone grafting. The time required for surgery depends on the kind of jawbone support required for bone mass regrowth. If the requirement is little, then your tooth implant and bone grafting could take place on the same day.
Preparing for Surgery
There are some pre-surgery instructions you need to follow to ensure you have the right oral health. These would include using a special antibacterial mouthwash for a certain period before the surgery and arrangement of reliable transport from your residence to the surgery and back.
Implantation Procedure
While you feel some discomfort during the surgery, the oral surgeon will ensure that it is pain-free with the use of local anesthesia. The surgical procedure for dental implants after administration of anesthesia would be as follows:
- Making small incisions to create small flaps in your mouth to get to the bone where the implant will be fused
- Creating space for the implant with a drill
- A titanium screw, part of the dental implant, will be screwed into the space
- The metal post and your jawbone will need time for natural fusion
- The abutment, another part of the dental implant, and the titanium screw will be combined. Your crown will be set in place with the abutment
- The crown will be added in a few weeks after the gums have healed
- Teeth impressions will be taken by your dentist to ensure a natural and proper fit
- The natural-looking crown will be fixed to the abutment in the final step
The time taken for surgery for dental implants would depend on the number of teeth being replaced.
The Recovery Post Surgery
There are some common post-surgical symptoms when it comes to dental implants, which include minor bruises, implant site-related pain, facial and gum swelling, and slight bleeding. You will be administered pain medication to relieve your discomfort. There are some aftercare instructions you need to follow for a healthy recovery such as incorporating soft food into your diet, ensuring that you brush and floss regularly, go for regular check-ups, and using an antibacterial mouth rinse. If you don’t follow these aftercare instructions, you are likely to suffer from infection of the gums at the implant site, bone loss at the site of surgery, inability of the implant-bone fusion, or your dental implants being rejected by your body. For best results, provide the same care for your new teeth in the same way you treat your natural teeth.
Long-Term Care For Dental implants
Dental implants need to be maintained and, if required, replaced. Your teeth, jawbone, and gums need proper care. If you want your dental implants to last long, then there are certain bad habits that need to be avoided, such as smoking, biting sharp objects, drinking coffee, clenching your jaws or grinding your teeth, and lack of proper hygiene. Drinking plenty of water and keeping good health overall is important too.
A Little Care Give You Great Teeth
Your dental implants need the care to go a long way, and you can do your bit by following the aftercare instructions given by your dentist. If you are looking for dental implants in Orange, you can get in touch with OCMax Surgery, who have extensive experience in maxillofacial surgery.
Keep smiling!
