Dental implants can be an amazing restorative solution for people with missing teeth. They feel and look natural, stimulate the jawbone and prevent bone loss, and are long-lasting and easy to maintain.
But, as you may have heard, getting implants involves quite a slow process. How slow?
Here's the average dental implant treatment timeline.
First Dr. Maria Jovanna Garubba needs to ensure that you are a good candidate for dental implants. She will evaluate your oral health, make sure you have enough bone mass, and may even take X-rays or 3D images to get an accurate idea of what you need.
If she determines that you're a good candidate for dental implants, she will create a personalized treatment plan for you.
If dental implants are not right for you, she will help you find the best restorative solution for your needs.
If the tooth that is being replaced by an implant is still in place, it will need to be extracted.
You will need to wait for a few weeks for the extraction site to heal before you can proceed with the implant. Make sure to follow Dr. Garubba's instructions to ensure swift recovery.
If there isn't enough bone in your jaw to support an implant, Dr. Garubba will recommend a bone graft. This is bone tissue taken from another part of your body, from a donor or synthetic bone, and placed into the jawbone to give it enough structure to support the implant.
The healing time for a bone graft can be anywhere from a few weeks to several months.
During this appointment, Dr. Maria Jovanna Garubba will place the dental implant in your jawbone. This involves a surgical procedure in which she opens the gum, makes a small hole in the jawbone, and places the implant inside. This process can take 1-2 hours per implant.
It will only take a couple of weeks for the implant site to heal, but it takes much longer for the implant to fuse with your jawbone. This process is known as osseointegration and it can take up to six months.
After the implant has successfully integrated with your jawbone, your Lehigh Valley dentist will place the abutment. This is a component that connects the implant and the dental crown.
Finally, the dentist will take impressions of your mouth to create a custom-made dental crown.
While this is the average timeline, yours can vary depending on factors like your oral health, how quickly you heal, whether or not a tooth extraction is necessary, and whether or not you need a bone graft.
If you have missing teeth and want to know if dental implants are right for you, you should get in touch with Next Chapter Smiles LLC.
You can contact us online or call us at (610) 735-8010.
