What's Involved in the Dental Implants Procedure?
Let's talk about the dental implants procedure.
If you’ve been considering an All-on-4 dental implants procedure, you’ve probably done a lot of reading. You’ve read about the differences between implants and dentures. You understand the long-term benefits of permanent implants. And, most likely, you’ve researched a few of the top local providers.
But, what does the implant procedure entail? What should you expect during your first visit? What pre-operative actions may be necessary? In today’s post, we’re going to take a closer look at the procedure and, hopefully, provide some clarity to make your decision easier.
First, we schedule an initial consultation
Before any actions are taken, you’ll need an initial consultation. During this meeting, we’ll look at your overall oral health by performing an examination. During this exam, we’re likely to perform X-rays, discuss your medical history, and ensure you’re a good candidate for dental implants.
After your consultation, we’ll schedule your dental implants procedure. Presenting a full plan, we’ll walk you through the process, discuss your concerns, and outline any actions that need to be taken before the surgery can occur.
Second, we perform your dental implants procedure
On your next visit, we’ll perform the implant procedure. While we’ve discussed the implant process before, it’s important to reiterate that All-on-4 implants are a permanent, full-mouth prosthesis that anchor to your jawbone with four titanium screws. When we fit your dental implants, we angle the anchors into areas of your jaw that have the highest bone density.
With many patients expressing concern over dental surgery, we understand that it can be an intimidating factor. Because of this, we have dental sedation options to ease you through any part of the procedure, from your initial examination to the surgery itself.
Finally, a three- to six-month recovery period
During your healing period, it’s important to follow your dentist’s recommendations. Prior to and after your procedure, you’ll be provided with antibiotics and pain medication to assist in a speedy recovery. But, some pain is normal, especially your gums.
After three to six months, your implants will fully fuse with your bone, resulting in a solid fit and seamless appearance. However, you will likely be able to resume most normal activities after a few days. Since every patient is different, though, it’s critical that you listen to your dentist and follow the plan that they create for you.
Ready to schedule your dental implants procedure?
When you’re ready to schedule your procedure, don’t hesitate to reach out to the team at West Wind Dental. With years of experience and cutting-edge technology at our disposal, we’re Kalamazoo’s go-to provider of All-on-4 dental implants. So, if you’d like to get the ball rolling on your new teeth, reach out to us today to learn more.
Dr. Andrew Hamilton, DDS, FAGD
Dr. Hamilton is an active member of several professional organizations including the American Dental Association (ADA), the Michigan Dental Association (MDA), the Kalamazoo Valley District Dental Society (KVDDS), the American Academy of Implant dentistry (AAID), the International Academy of Facial Aesthetics (IAFA) and also attends courses with the Pikos Institute in Northwest Florida. He is a member of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists (ICIO), has achieved fellowship status in the International Dental Implant Association (IDIA) and in the Academy of General Dentistry (FAGD), has graduated from and is an alumnus of the Kois Center program in Seattle, and is on the faculty of the Global Dental Implant Academy (GDIA).
The little spare time left over is spent Steelhead and Salmon fishing and the occasional round of golf.