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The Dental Implant Procedure

The Dental Implant Procedure

August 3, 2015 by admin

Implant procedures can be performed in the dental office with local anesthesia.

The actual implant procedure involves several steps:

1. The implant or implants are surgically placed into the jaw.

2. The jaw is allowed to heal for a period of up to six months. During this stage, the bone grows and bonds in and around the implant(this is also known as osseointegration). The dentist may create a temporary tooth replacement for the patient to wear over the implant site during the healing period.

3. The implant is uncovered, and a small metal post called an abutment is attached. The gum is again allowed to heal for a couple of weeks following this procedure.

4. The restoration or crown is fabricated and permanently attached to the abutment.

Note that there are some implant systems(one-stage) that do not require step 3 above. These systems use an implant which already has the abutment attached. The implant procedure may be a cooperative effort between a surgical dentist who does the actual implant placement and a restorative dentist who creates and inserts the final replacement teeth. Some dentists have advanced training and can perform all of these services.

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