What are Dental implants?
A dental implant is a titanium post which is surgically inserted into the jaw bone beneath the gum line which acts as tooth root. After which cap/crown is placed on the implant which acts as clinical crown.
What is the procedure involved in dental implant?
- First your dentist examines your mouth to assess the place where implant will be placed, and advice for a full mouth X-ray (CBCT) to see the bone level.
- Local anesthesia is administered to numb the specific treatment area and incision will be given and flap will be raised.
- Bone will be drilled to specific to dimension to receive the implant, if require will place graft and sutures will be placed.
How much time is required for the completion of treatment?
Treatment time varies from patient to patient, but usually ranges from 3-4 months.
First appointment: Assessment and examination
Second appointment: Implant placement and impression making
Third appointment: immediate crown loading
If delayed loading
Fourth appointment: impression making
Fifth appointment: crown placement
What are the things to do after flap surgery?
- Avoid touching, spitting or rinsing the wound on the day of surgery.
- After implant surgery, it’s normal to have some bleeding or redness in the mouth for 24 hours. To control excessive bleeding, bite on a gauze pad (placed on the bleeding wound) for 30 minutes. If bleeding does not stop, seek further instructions from your dentist.
- Swelling is natural after surgery. To minimize it, apply an ice pack on the cheek in the surgical area. Apply the ice as much as you could for the first 48 hours.
- Drink lots of fluids but avoid consuming hot beverages. Stick to soft diet on the day of surgery. You can get back to the normal diet once the surgical area is healed. Don’t drink anything using a straw.
- Start taking pain medication as soon as you feel the effects of the local anesthetic are going down. However, take the medicines prescribed by the dentist.
- Healing is not possible without good oral hygiene. Use the prescribed oral rinse while the day after surgery, use the prescribed oral rinse twice – after breakfast and before bed. Rinse for at least 30 seconds and then spit it out. Use warm salt rinses at least 4-5 times a day as well. Be gentle initially while brushing the surgical area to not affect the healing.
- Do not use, or consume, tobacco products in any form or any type after implants. It not only hinders healing but may also increase the chances of implant failure.
- Don’t engage in exercise immediately after the surgery or keep it minimal at best. You should know that exercise may cause bleeding or throbbing, and it really happens, stop the activity right away. This may weaken you since you’re not taking normal nourishment.
- Healing abutments will be placed at the time of implant placement. So, do rinse them frequently and keep them clean. Wait for the stitches to dissolve and then clean the abutments through gentle massage.
- Don’t use partial or full dentures or flippers immediately after surgery or for 10 days afterward at least.