Dr. Snider from Lake Country Dental in Forth Worth, TX is here blogging today to explain that dental implants are a good solution for people who love to travel but suffer from missing teeth or dental issues. Are you one of those people that does not like to stay in the same place? We completely understand that there are always new and exciting opportunities beyond the horizon, but just remember to manage your dental health while you are out exploring. Missing teeth are much more than an annoyance; when there are spaces in the gums, the tissue becomes more susceptible to infection and disease. For those people that have put their travels before their teeth, dental implants could be a great solution.
Here at Lake Country Dental we do our best to make the dental implant process as smooth and easy for you as possible. We do ask that you pencil us in to your busy schedule for enough time to cover the 2 or 3 appointments that it will take to finish the process. In between appointments the patient should be resting, cleaning their mouths thoroughly and eating appropriate foods. We want to give you some background on the actual procedure of dental implants so you are aware, step by step, of what will happen.
The first step you should take is to call us to schedule a consultation, during this appointment we will examine your jaw bone to see if there has been any significant damage that will get in the way of the dental implant procedure. If there has been severe damage due to lack of care for the teeth and gums, that patient will need to schedule a bone graft. A bone graft is a bone tissue transplant where the doctor replaces the fractured or damaged bone with new and healthy osseous tissue. There is a slight recovery period after this procedure that ranges from about 3-5 months to ensure that the patient heals properly and the jaw bone regains healthy strength. Once the patient has healed, they can schedule an appointment for the first part of the dental implant process.
Now, if a patient has been cleared initially for dental implants the doctor will place the titanium alloy in the jaw bone to begin the process of osseointegration. Osseointegration is the natural and biological bonding between the titanium and the jaw bone structure; this occurs from about 4-6 months and needs time to complete and heal. In order for the patient to heal properly and successfully, they must constantly clean the mouth, teeth and gums to reduce the amount of bacteria and keep saliva production stable. The manner in which one treats the mouth during this time, will directly reflect the progress of the process.
Finally, after the osseointegration is complete, the patient will be ready for the tooth- colored crowns to be placed in the spaces in the gums. These porcelain crowns are sized and matched exactly to the existing natural teeth of the patient in order to make them indistinguishable. We also match the color and contrast to make sure that the dental hues agree with each other.
Generally our patients only need about 2-3 days to rest after the procedure is completely finished; we do ask though that you stay in the city for at least 14 days after receiving the implants to make sure that the proper healing is taking place. This way if there is excessive bleeding or swelling, we can address the issue immediately to get you back on the right track.
The overall process takes anywhere from 8-9 months, depending on the damage to the jaw bone. If a patient needs to get a bone grafting done, this will add a few months to the developmental process.
Want to learn more about the procedure? Visit our Dental Implant Info page right now.
Call us Today to Schedule a Consultation in Fort Worth, TX
Let us give you the complete and healthy smile that you have always dreamed of taking on the road with you. Be able to smile ear- to- ear in pictures again and enjoy the wonders of the world with dental implants. Call us at 817-697-3488