Dentist Rockville Placing Dental Implants

More than one dental professional can have a hand in you getting your implants. Your jawbone will have the implants placed in it by either an oral surgeon or a periodontist. Your crowns, bridges or dentures are made to look like natural teeth by a prosthodonist or general dentist. The surgeon will coordinate your treatment with your general dentist or prosthodontist to decide what implants to use, how many implants you need and where they should be placed.

Because there are different types and manufacturers of implant devices, the approach your dentists use may differ.

Not all people are good candidates to get dental implants. A person who is most suitable is someone who is in good health, has healthy gums, and has enough bone in his or her jaw to allow an implant to be placed in the jawbone. To determine if you are suitable to get an implant, you will have to be examined by a dental professional.

To replace teeth that have been missing for a number of years is the reason why some people want implants. Teeth that have been extracted lately due to severe decay, periodontal disease, infection or injury may be another reason why others may need implants. In some cases, the teeth can be extracted and the implant placed at the same time. The dentist, after removing the teeth, may however leave it for a few months to heal of you had a severe infection.

You may need to have the bone in the area built up to increase the chance of success, before the implant is placed. This procedure called bone grafting or augmentation is common. You may have the bone graft done and get the implants at the same time, but your dental specialist may decide to do the bone-graft procedure first and give the bone time to heal before placing the implants. If the bone graft is done first, you will need 4 to 12 months to heal before having the implants placed in your jawbone. However, you can wear your dentures or bridge during this time, so you won't be without teeth.

There is a two step process by which most implants are placed but some newer implant can be placed in one step. The surgeon will make an incision in your gums to expose the bone, to place the implants. To place the implant, he or she will drill a hole in the bone for the implant placement. To make sure that the implant is where it should be, the surgeon will probably take an X-ray of the area.

You are ready for the second surgery after the implants are integrated with the surrounding bone. After giving you local anesthesia, your surgeon will make a small incision in the gum to expose the implant.

Following the second surgery, you generally will go to your dentist or prosthodontist two or three weeks after to start the process of having your crown, bridge or denture made. A replacement with a new implant can be made for a broken implant or an implant that has failed due to an infection.