If you smoke cigarettes, your local dentist advises you to quit at least two weeks prior to the procedure. Smokers face increased risks. Plus, smoking can affect how your full dental implants — or even a single tooth implant — bond to your jawbone.
You may need a bone graft if the bone has already begun to deteriorate. This surgery has to be completed before you have the dental implant procedure. Another option is to have smaller implants called mini dental implants.
Other common issues to resolve before the surgery include:
Tooth decay
Gum disease
Tooth extraction
Bone Graft
If you need a graft before the mouth implants, it may take up to a full year to fully heal. The procedure for any dental implant, even for a single tooth implant, is a two-stage affair, therefore you need multiple visits. But the surgery is an outpatient procedure, so no hospital visit is required.
During your first visit, the dentist surgically places the titanium stubs or posts into your upper or lower jaw. Titanium actually encourages your bone to grow, so it will surround the post and hold it in place.
At further visits, an abutment or extension is attached to the post, and the final crown or tooth replacement attaches to the abutment. This process alone may take up to two months.