The condition of your jawbone and the type of dental implants being placed determine what steps your implant surgery will entail.
The Surgical Procedure To Place Your Dental Implant
Our dental implantologist, Dr. Chris Ward, will create an incision in the gum tissue at the locations where the dental implants will be placed. Once the bone is exposed, holes can be drilled in the areas where the posts will be inserted. Since your posts will serve as the root of your tooth, they are inserted deep in your bone. Your surgeon may attach healing abutments to the top of your implants and then attach temporary crowns to these abutments. Some surgeons do not use healing abutments and instead give their patients a removable prosthesis to wear until their permanent crowns and abutments are placed.
After your dental implants are in place, the jawbone begins to integrate with their surfaces. This integration process is referred to as osseointegration. The osseointegration process can take several months.
Once the osseointegration process is complete, your surgeon can remove the healing abutment and attach the permanent abutment to the implant. If a healing abutment was not used, an additional surgery is necessary; however, it is minor and only requires local anesthesia. During this procedure, the gum above the implant is opened, the abutment is attached to the top of the implant, and the gum is closed around, but not over, the abutment. The permanent crown encases the abutment, and they are attached to one another using an extremely strong cement.
Dental Implant Costs and Options
In our video, Dr. Ward goes into detail over what to expect during your implant treatment, as well as the estimated costs of different procedures. If you have any further questions, do not hesitate to call our office.
Dr. Ward Provides Insight on Options and Costs
If you are interested in how we can improve your smile and would like to learn more about the dental implant process in Tulsa, Oklahoma, call Dental Implant Center of Oklahoma at (918) 906-2525 and speak with a member of our team.