IMPLANT SURGERY

THE FIRST SURGERY

PREPARING FOR SURGERY

MOST DENTAL IMPLANT SURGERIES ARE PERFORMED IN THE DENTAL OFFICE, DEPENDING ON THE COMPLEXITY OF THE SURGERY AND THE ANESTHESIA TO BE USED. YOU MUST FOLLOW ALL THE INSTRUCTIONS THAT YOU ARE GIVEN TO DO BEFORE THE SURGERY.

DURING SURGERY

YOU MAY BE GIVEN MEDICATION TO HELP YOU RELAX OR MAKE YOU SLEEPY. THEN, YOU WILL BE GIVEN AN ANESTHETIC TO NUMB THE AREA THAT THE IMPLANTOLOGIST WILL BE WORKING. THE ENTIRE PROCEDURE MAY TAKE TWO TO THREE HOURS.

DURING THE FIRST SURGERY THE IMPLANTOLOGIST PLACES THE IMPLANTS (SCREWS, CYLINDERS OR BLADES) INTO YOUR JAWBONE.

FIRST, THE INCISION IS MADE

AN INCISION EXPOSES THE BONE OVER THE SITE OF THE IMPLANT.

SECOND, THE BONE IS PREPARED

A SPECIAL DRILL, WHICH PASSES WATER THROUGH ITS CENTER, PREPARES THE BONE SITE.

THIRD, THE IMPLANT IS TWISTED INTO PLACE

THE IMPLANT IS SCREWED INTO PLACE.

FOURTH, THE INCISION IS CLOSED

THE IMPLANT IS COVERED FOR 3-6 MONTHS TO ALLOW UNDISTURBED HEALING.

AFTER SURGERY, THE ASSISTANT WILL GIVE YOU INSTRUCTIONS ON ORAL HYGIENE, PRESCRIPTIONS FOR PAIN MEDICATION AND ANTIBIOTICS AND FOLLOW-UP APPOINTMENTS TO CHECK ON THE HEALING PROCESS.

THE SUCCESS OF THE IMPLANTS DEPENDS ON HOW YOUR JAWBONE GROWS AROUND YOUR IMPLANTS (OSSEOINTEGRATION).

YOU CAN HELP THE IMPLANTS "TAKE HOLD" BY AVOIDING UNNECESSARY PRESSURE ON YOUR JAWBONE AND KEEPING YOUR GUMS AND REMAINING TEETH CLEAN AND BY EATING SOFT FOODS.

THE SECOND SURGERY

WHEN THE IMPLANTOLOGIST DETERMINES THAT THE OSSEOINTEGRATION IS COMPLETE AND THE IMPLANTS ARE HELD IN FIRMLY, THE ABUTMENTS (SMALL METAL CONNECTORS USUALLY MADE OF TITANIUM) WILL BE ATTACHED.

FIRST, A SMALL INCISION EXPOSES THE IMPLANT

AFTER 3-6 MONTHS, THE TOP OF THE IMPLANT IS EXPOSED AND A POST ATTACHED.

SECOND, THE ABUTMENT IS TWISTED INTO THE IMPLANT

THE BRIDGE, IN THIS CASE, IS SUPPORTED BY THE IMPLANT AND A NATURAL TOOTH.

SURGERY PREPARATION WILL BE THE SAME AS THE FIRST SURGERY. HOWEVER, THE SURGERY WILL LAST PROBABLY LESS THAN AN HOUR. AND ALL OTHER INSTRUCTIONS WILL BE ABOUT THE SAME. EXCEPT THE ABUTMENTS MUST BE CLEANED WITH A VERY SOFT TOOTHBRUSH.

THE THIRD PART OF THE PROCEDURE IS CREATING YOUR NEW TEETH. AFTER YOUR RESTORATIVE DENTIST MAKES YOUR PROTHESIS AND CHECKS ITS FIT, IT IS THEN ATTACHED TO YOUR ABUTMENTS. YOUR PROSTHESIS MAY BE REMOVABLE, WHICH YOU CAN TAKE OUT, OR FIXED, WHICH ONLY YOUR DENTIST CAN REMOVE IF NECESSARY.

[IMPLANT OVERVIEW] [TYPES OF IMPLANTS] [IMPLANT EVALUATION] [THE COST]
[THE SURGERY] [IMPLANT MAINTENANCE] [Q AND A] [ADDITIONAL INFORMATION]

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Stuart A. Greene, DDS-FAGD

2009 Birdcreek Terrace Temple, TX 76502 254.773.9007 | Fax 254.773.8051