Dental Implants in Spokane Valley

COMPONENTS OF A DENTAL IMPLANT

Crown – The crown is a ceramic tooth that is fastened to the abutment and provides the look of a natural tooth.

Abutment – The abutment is attached to the implant. There are two abutments used, a healing abutment that allows the gum tissue to form and the crown abutment that holds the crown in place.

Implant – The implant is a titanium post that is surgically placed in the jawbone and acts as a root for the crown.

Step-by-Step

Dental Implant Appointment Guide

Consultation Appointment
During this appointment, you will have a comprehensive dental exam, take an X-ray of your mouth and then take impressions of your teeth. After this, your dentist will talk with you about the recommended treatment plan, go over the stages of the procedure, the time frame for each stage and what to do during recovery. You may also discuss whether or not you need a bone graft. During this consultation, you’ll schedule the first appointment of the procedure.

1st Appointment

  • Extraction of existing tooth, if needed.
  • After extraction, the dentist will place a bone graft. This will preserve the bone health.
  • A membrane and suture will be placed over the bone graft to hold it in place.
  • Schedule 2nd appointment.

 

2nd Appointment – Pre-op Visit
2-3 months after extraction

  • Cone beam is taken. This is a 3D panoramic x-ray of the mouth.
  • Impression taken to create a surgical guide. This is designed to use for the placement of the dental implant.
  • PerioGuard Rinse is given. This is a take-home rinse that needs to be used at home. This will help reduce the bacteria in your mouth and promote healing.
  • Antibiotic prescription is given. Follow directions for the prescription.

 

3rd Appointment – Implant Placement
1 week after pre-op visit

  • Please note this is not the placement of the crown but to check the healing process.

 

4th Appointment – Post-op Visit
3 weeks after implant placement

  • Remove sutures.

 

5th Appointment – 2nd Stage Surgery
3 months after implant placement

  • Uncover implant and place healing abutment to allow proper contour of tissue.

 

6th Appointment – Impression
3 weeks after 2nd Stage Surgery

  • Impression is taken to create the permanent crown.
  • Impression sent to lab for fabrication.

 

7th and FINAL Appointment

  • Remove healing abutment.
  • Seat permeant crown and abutment.
  • Take pictures and celebrate!

6 things you need to know beforehand.

1. Your jawbone needs to heal.
A dental implant is not a one-step process. There’s a lot of waiting and watching to the procedure. It’s easy to get frustrated if you’re expecting this to be a one-and-done procedure. Everyone heals differently and there’s no way of predicting how fast that will happen to you.

2. You won’t leave the office with a tooth.
Even though you won’t leave the office with a permanent crown, you don’t have to leave with a hole in your smile either. There are options for a temporary tooth, including dental flippers, a retainer or temporary crowns.

3. Stock the fridge with soft foods.
You may be restricted to a soft-food diet for a week or longer. It is extremely important to let the implant settle. Even if you promise you’ll only chew on the other side. It is too easy to inadvertently forget, and before you know it, you’ve crunched down on your implant.

4. You’ll need to stop at the pharmacy.
You’ll probably be prescribed a dose of antibiotics to prevent infection.

5. Don’t book anything for the rest of the day.
You won’t be given an exact time frame for how long the procedure, start-to-finish, will take.

6. No two mouths (or surgeries) are the same.
Just because your sister-in-law needed a bone graft doesn’t mean you will.

Please remember this isn’t a surgery where you go into the operating room with missing teeth and come out with new pearly whites. This surgery requires outpatient care and is performed in several appointments and stages that can last several months.

Do’s and Don’ts After Implant Surgery

 

No matter what type of implant you choose or how many stages your treatment takes to place the implant, you will probably experience swelling, pain, minimal bleeding, and possibly some bruising. If any of these concern you, or seem to be lasting longer than normal, contact the office at 509-922-1360 to schedule a checkup.

DO

 

  1. Make sure to finish all your antibiotic.
  2. Take ibuprofen to help with swelling.
  3. Ice for 20 minutes and 20 minutes off to also help with swelling.
  4. Lightly brush around the area where implant was placed.
  5. Continue to use PerioGuard for 7 days after surgery. It will help keep bacteria down in your mouth and promote healing.

DON’T

 

  1. Place your finger in the implant area is and stretch your cheek out to look at the surgical site. Stretching your cheek could pull the suture out.
  2. Eat spicy foods for 7-10 days.
  3. Play with the suture in your mouth. Playing with the suture may cause it to come out. Also, be aware the suture may irritate your gums until it is removed.
  4. Use mouthwash with alcohol in it.
  5. Consume any type of alcoholic beverage.
  6. Aggresively brush over the site of the implant placement.

Final Implant Care

 

Basically, you should care for your implant the same way you would care for your natural teeth. You should be brushing 2-3 times a day, flossing daily and rinsing with non-alcoholic mouthwash. Also, it’s important to have a regular checkup with your dentist.

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