Dental implants are the profession’s closest thing to natural teeth offered today. They are the best way to replace missing teeth and preserve the jawbone, which tends to disappear once the teeth are gone. Prior to this procedure, we advise a consultation with Dr. Ilic to determine if dental implants are the right choice for you.
A dental implant consists of three parts:
- Titanium post – part that is placed into the bone
- Abutment – part which sticks through the gum tissue
- Final restoration – part that is visible to you and everyone else inside the mouth. Depending on your condition, this part may be a crown, bridge or denture.
Typically, this procedure requires four main appointments. These appointments include:
- Implant placement – Placement of the post into the bone by one of our trusted specialists.
- Implant uncovering – Sometimes the implant is covered by gum tissue and allowed to heal undisturbed, and other times it may be possible to place the abutment and a restoration over the post that same day. If the abutment is left to heal under the gum, you will visit the specialist in 3-6 months for them to uncover the implant and place a healing collar that protrudes through your gum. Depending on your case, we may fabricate a temporary restoration to mask the missing teeth during the healing process. Together, we will determine if this temporary restoration is appropriate for you.
- Impression taking – Two to three weeks following the uncovering, you will be ready for the impression appointment, during which we will make a replica of your jaw so our lab can fabricate a custom abutment and a restoration for you.
- Crown placement – Your final appointment, approximately 2 weeks after the impression is taken, is the delivery of the abutment and the restoration.
The entire dental implant process does not interfere with your daily routine in any way.