| The Procedure A dental implant procedure is not a | | | | dentist will be required to complete the process |
| one visit process, typically taking several visits to one | | | | during the later visits. Implantologists are qualified to |
| or more dental experts. As with any medical | | | | perform the entire procedure themselves, from |
| procedure, the first step is to find a qualified, skillful, | | | | beginning to end. Long-term Success Overall, dental |
| and trustworthy surgeon to perform your dental | | | | implant procedures have about a 90% success rate, |
| implant procedure. Having a capable dentist can be | | | | and many last more than 20 years. With good oral |
| the deciding factor of whether or not you will be | | | | hygiene, your dental implants can last you a lifetime. |
| pleased with the results. First, the dentist will take | | | | The success of your procedure also depends on the |
| x-rays of your mouth and perform a thorough oral | | | | quality and quantity of bone available to the dental |
| examination. Typically, the dentist will administer a | | | | surgeon. The better the bone, and the more of it, |
| local anesthetic to ease any discomfort during the | | | | the better the chances of a complete success. The |
| operation. A pilot hole is then bored into the jawbone, | | | | quality of the restorative prosthesis placed on top of |
| to allow for the placement of the implant. After the | | | | the implant is also a major factor affecting the |
| hole is drilled, the implant is inserted into position. The | | | | success of your procedure. If the design of the |
| implant is left for around four months to fuse into | | | | crown, over-dentures, or other prostheses are poorly |
| the jawbone through a natural process known as | | | | constructed or poorly designed, the biting forces of |
| Osseo integration. After a few months, and when | | | | the mouth will not be balanced and may cause |
| the implant has fused securely to the bone, the | | | | complications in the future. Who Does NOT Qualify |
| dentist will then attach the post to the implant. The | | | | for Dental Implants? Some medical conditions or |
| post is the support for the synthetic replacement or | | | | specific physical characteristics may make it |
| replacements. The last part of the procedure is | | | | impossible or dangerous to have a dental implant |
| known as the restorative phase. This is when the | | | | procedure performed. People who suffer from |
| dentist will take impressions and create the | | | | uncontrolled diabetes, parathyroid disorders, blood |
| necessary prosthesis that will attach to the implant or | | | | disorders, rare bone disorders, or bone marrow |
| implants. This process normally take several visits in | | | | cancer should not consider getting dental implants. |
| itself. Qualified Dentists You may find that you will | | | | Also, those undergoing or who recently have |
| have to see several different dentists in order to | | | | undergone chemotherapy or other radiation therapy |
| complete your dental implant procedure. Periodontists | | | | should avoid this procedure. Some with certain |
| and oral surgeons are both qualified to perform the | | | | physical characteristics such as insufficient or poor |
| first part of the process, placing the implant or | | | | quality bone, low sinuses, or low nerve bundles may |
| implants. If a periodontist or oral surgeon is used to | | | | also not qualify for dental implant procedures. |
| complete the implant procedure, then a restorative | | | | |