Dental implants are an appealing option for patients who are missing teeth, owing to their incredible durability and realism. While lots of people are interested in what they have to offer, they can also be a little bit nervous about the surgery involved in obtaining them.
Thankfully this procedure is fairly low-impact, and can be manageable for most people interested in the treatment. If you’re wondering what this treatment is likely to entail and how long you can expect it to take, here’s what you should know.
Preliminary Treatments
First of all, it’s often necessary for patients to undergo some preliminary dental treatments in order to prepare themselves to actually receive their dental implants. If your jawbone isn’t sufficiently strong, for example, it may be necessary to get a bone graft. It can require several months to heal fully after this procedure, so you should be sure to consider this factor when thinking about your treatment timeline. The same goes for tooth extractions, which also require a fair amount of healing.
The Surgery Itself
In comparison, the dental implant surgery itself will be incredibly brief. The procedure should really only last for a few hours at most, and that’s on the higher end. If you opt to have your teeth extracted at the same time as the dental implant surgery, this can add to the amount of time that the procedure will take.
If you aren’t sure whether you’ll be able to sit still for that long, you might want to talk to the dentist you’re seeing about sedation. This can make the procedure much easier to deal with, and can be something of a must in the case of exceedingly long treatments.
The Length of Aftercare
Typically, patients are able to return to normal life as soon as the day after their dental implant surgery. Any swelling or bleeding should fade within a few days after the treatment, meaning that aftercare isn’t going to be much of a burden on dental implant patients.
It will take several months, however, for the dental implant to fuse fully with the jawbone. While you won’t necessarily notice this process happening, it’s still a good idea to be gentle with your dental implant during this time.
About Our Practice
We know that the dentist’s office isn’t everyone’s favorite place to be, which is why at Carlson Dental Group on Bartram Park, we’re proud to offer our patients an experience unlike any other they’ve had before. When you visit our practice, you’ll find a team of dedicated, friendly dentists who will work their hardest to ensure you’re getting the highest quality dental care possible. They’ll do this while ensuring that any procedure you get from us will be completely comfortable.
If you have any questions about dental implants, we can be reached at our website or by phone at (904) 262-8409.