If you have damaged or missing teeth, dental implants are a great way to replace them. It's common to have questions about the procedure, as you want to know what to expect. By understanding the three step process, you will know exactly what you are getting into by opting to get dental implants to fix your teeth.

Step 1: Removing The Damaged Teeth

If you have teeth that are missing, you won't have to deal with this extra step in the process. Any decayed or damaged teeth that will be replaced with an implant will be removed. All the damaged teeth can be pulled at the same time to speed up the process, even though it might be painful.

Your dentist may require that you wait several months for your gums to heal after having a tooth extracted. They could also decide that your gums are healthy enough to immediately move onto the next step. Speak with your dentist about how long they recommend waiting after removing your damaged teeth.

Step 2: Installing The Posts

You will need posts installed in your jaw after any damaged teeth are removed. The procedure takes several hours, and is an outpatient procedure. You'll be able to go home the same day without needing to stay overnight to be monitored.

The surgery involves drilling small holes into your jawbone. This gives the posts the necessary support so they have strength similar to natural teeth. The posts need time to bond to the jawbone, which involves another recovery period between steps. Recovery times vary depending on each person, but it could take months for your jawbone to be ready.

Step 3: Installing The Extension Post & The Crown

Your final visit will happen after your jawbone completely heals. The dentist will need to make an incision to access the post beneath your gums, and install a metal extension post onto it. The extension post is what is above your gum line, and is what the crown attaches to.

The dental crown is secured using a special dental cement. It needs to fully dry before you can use your implant, which will require not eating or drinking anything for several hours afterwards. Once the cement has dried, your implant will act and feel like a natural tooth.

Now that you are aware of the process of getting dental implants, you can decide if it is something that you want to do to fix your damaged or missing teeth.