The process of placing dental implants begins with consultations and evaluations. Before embarking on the procedure, our team takes time to understand why the patient is considering the procedure.
At times, patients can have unrealistic expectations that dental implant procedures cannot attain. For example, dental implants are not face-lifting procedures. The evaluation examines the patient’s medical history, existing conditions, and lifestyle to determine the suitability and level of care needed. People living with controlled diabetes mellitus, renal disease, and HIV have compromised defense systems meaning they need more care. Similarly, patients with bleeding disorders require detailed intervention to ensure bleeding during surgeries does not turn into life-threatening emergencies. Our team also assesses the patient’s parafunctional habits and pregnancy at this phase.
The next stage involves the placement of the implants after tooth extraction of the natural teeth root if still present. Our team of prosthodontists conducts the procedure of placing the implants into the jawbone. To ensure that the patient remains comfortable, local anesthesia or sedation is used. The patient then receives instructions on how to care for the wound to reduce the chances of oral infections and enhance the fusion with the jawbone. The process of the implants integrating with the jawbone is referred to as osseointegration.
After successful osseointegration, the third and final phase begins. This stage entails the placement of the abutments and the crown. The abutment is the connector between the implant and the artificial tooth. The team opens the gum lying over the implant and places the abutment. The crown is then placed on the abutment to complete the procedure.