How is a Dental Implant Put In?

How is a dental implant placed or "put in"?
Before any implants are placed, it is important for your dentist to assess the health of your teeth and gums. If there are any signs of gum disease or decay, these must first be treated. Thereafter, your Dental Implant placement treatment will be planned following several x-rays and, in some cases, a CT scan to assess that bone quality and check for nearby anatomical structures to avoid before dental Implant Placement. So how is the Dental Implant put in? The procedure is usually carried out under local anaesthesia; IV Sedation is sometimes used if it is a long procedure or the patient is very anxious. 

The gum where the implant is to be placed is "nicked" and lifted and a small hole is prepared in the jawbone at the precise location of the intended implant. The titanium implant is tightly fitted into this socket and the gum is stitched back over the implant. If there is insufficient bone material to accommodate the implant, a bone graft may be required, or the dentist may use smaller-sized mini implants if suitable.

Once the implant has been placed, it is left to heal and integrate with the jawbone for between six weeks to six months. The bone tissue will grow and anchor itself into the microscopic rough surface of the implant.

During this “healing period”, patients are given temporary teeth (bridges) or continue to wear dentures. It is important that temporary teeth do not exert any force on the healing implant. After the healing period, the gum is again lifted and a post is attached to the implant with a temporary crown. Four to six weeks later, when the surrounding gum tissue has matured, the final permanent restoration can be fitted to the implant.

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