What to expect when getting a dental implant ?

In getting a dental implant placed, a simple surgery is done under local anaesthesia alone or with sedation, or general anaesthesia. Prior to this, an examination is carried out to design a customised treatment plan to cater to your dental condition. In some practices you will be cared for by a team comprising of dental specialists who are trained in dental implant surgery and restorative dentistry. Implant surgery typically involves the insertion of dental implants by lifting the gum away from bone, creating a space in the bone for the implant and inserting the implant into that space. The gums are then replaced and held with stitches.  After the dental implant surgery, you may receive a temporary prosthesis (crown, denture or bridge) on the same day especially if the implant is replacing a visible tooth like your front teeth.

If you do not have enough jaw bone to support a dental implant you may need to have an additional bone grafting procedure. Your dental professional will examine your teeth, gums and jaw including bone quantity and quality to assess whether you have sufficient bone to support dental implants. Radiographic examinations or dental computed tomography may be needed for comprehensive evaluation.

After placement of a dental implant, it generally takes about two to six months for it to integrate with your jaw bone. As dental implant surgery is a minor oral surgical procedure, any discomfort that you may feel should be minimal. Slight swelling of your gums or face at the implant sites may occur, but this is usually manageable and most patients are back on their feet in a day or two. When the dental implant stabilizes and becomes rigidly fixed in the jaw bone, the temporary prosthesis will be replaced with a permanent crown or bridge which will look and function like your natural teeth.

Written by: Dr Debbie Hong