What Are

The Dental Implant Procedure.

A dental implant involves several processes to ensure the safety of the surgery. Beforehand, a dental specialist will examine the patient’s mouth and take x-rays to determine if their gums and bone are ready for surgery. Once it’s ready, the surgery can be arranged, and the implant(s) can be placed. Afterward, the patient is advised to attentively care for their teeth and allow time for healing. Mini dental implants require a bit of a different process and shorter healing time but still need attentive care afterward.

Pre-Surgery

The dentist cannot perform the procedure until measures have been taken to ensure the bone structure is ready for drilling. Bone grafts may be necessary, but not in all cases–it will depend entirely on the patient’s jaw size and bone density. Once the foundation is set, the surgery can be scheduled.

Surgery Appointment

If the surgery involves the use of anesthesia, an IV will be inserted in the patient’s arm before the procedure begins. If you prefer to be awake, numbing medicine will be injected into your gums beforehand. Once everything is prepped and the patient is ready, the dentist will begin by drilling into the gums and jaw bone. Then, he or she will screw in the implant(s) and, in some cases, attach an abutment during the same surgery. The upper or lower gums may also be trimmed to allow for a more leveled and acquired smile.

Post-Surgery

Pain after implant surgery is usually minimal; however, you should still expect to experience some discomfort, swelling, bruising, and minor bleeding. The extent to which patients experience these symptoms largely depends on the type of procedure involved. If needed, the dentist can prescribe stronger drugs, but Ibuprofen or Tylenol typically does the trick for the less-invasive surgeries.

Afterward, patients should allow time for healing, which can take several months. The jawbone and mouth need healing time to make sure the teeth have a strong, long-term foundation. To avoid complications such as infection or excessive bleeding, gentle brushing–away from the direct surgical site–is suggested for the first two weeks or so. Additionally, solid foods are not recommended–especially those that are tough or sharp, as they can irritate the surgical site and increase risk of infection.

Over the course of one or more appointments, abutments will be placed, followed by temporary and/or permanent teeth replacements. From this point, the implant site(s) will not fully heal for at least 6 months, but the pain should subside fairly quickly.

Mini Dental Implant Procedure

Mini dental implants, on the other hand, require a much less-invasive surgical procedure and shorter recovery time. Before the procedure can begin, the bone structure will still need examination, but after that, the process is a breeze. The surgery itself may still incorporate anesthesia but will require smaller holes to drill in the jawbone since smaller implants are used. Most of the time, the dentist will even attach the crown(s), bridge, or denture immediately after the procedure. It may cause a bit of discomfort for the following few days, but medication can help ease the pain. Swelling may also occur, but when it does, it usually goes away in just 48 hours. In terms of healing time, it takes approximately a week for the gums to heal and a month for the jawbone. It is highly recommended that solid foods are avoided and teeth are brushed carefully for at least the first month to avoid agitating the surgical site, especially since these implants aren’t quite as sturdy as the full-sized ones.