Patient Portal How Dental Implants Work – Highland Park, TX
What To Expect When Getting Dental Implants
At Highland Smiles Dental, we know that our patients want a tooth loss solution that looks and feels natural. When possible, we recommend dental implants because they’re the closest thing to your own teeth. Implants are completed over 3-6 months and can last a lifetime with basic care and maintenance. And while they do involve an investment of time, our patients often tell us how much easier the process was than they expected.
Initial Dental Implant Consultation
The first step is a consultation with Dr. Sandadi. First, he’ll spend time discussing your needs and goals and answering any questions you have. Then he’ll gather information to make sure you’re a good candidate for the procedure, starting weeith a close evaluation of your general health. This ensures you’ll heal properly, which is important for the long-term success of your implants.
Next, with the help of 3D cone-beam imaging, he’ll take a highly detailed, 3-dimensional image of your teeth and jaws to make sure you have adequate bone density to support an implant. Lastly, he’ll discuss any treatment you may need beforehand, such as a bone graft procedure, extractions, or gum therapy, and give you an estimate of cost and how long your treatment will take.
Dental Implant Surgery
As a dentist in Highland Park with extensive advanced training, Dr. Sandadi can perform every step of the implant procedure from start to finish so you won’t have to go to another office for the initial surgery.
This surgery usually takes 1-2 hours per implant and is much easier than people anticipate. First, we’ll completely numb the area and make sure you feel comfortable. Then we’ll place a surgical-grade titanium post in your jaw that takes the place of the missing root and put a “healing cap” over the area to protect it over the next several months.
Dental Implant Osseointegration & Abutment
Many of the benefits of dental implants in Highland Park are due to a process called osseointegration. This occurs when your implant bonds or fuses with the surrounding jawbone, and typically takes 3-6 months.
Once the implant has fully osseointegrated, you’ll return so we can attach an adaptor called an abutment that connects your implant to its dental restoration (e.g. either a dental crown or an implant-retained bridge or denture).
Placement of Dental Implant Restorations
During the final stage of your implant procedure, you’ll get your new prosthetic tooth or teeth. Your restoration will be matched in size, shape, and color to the rest of your smile so that no one will know you have an implant. And since it will feel so much like one of your own teeth, you may have a hard time telling as well.
If you have any other questions about how dental implants work, or if you’d like to schedule a consultation, don’t hesitate to contact us!