The Dental Implant Procedure – Step By Step

By Author: Mark Jubbs
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The dental implant procedure can be explained as a step by step process carried out by cosmetic dental surgeons to restore missing teeth. The Term 'Dental Implant Procedure' is used to describe the complete process of receiving dental implants from first visit to the cosmetic dentistry clinic until the patient leaves the clinic with a beautiful new smile.

Step 1 - Find a Suitable Dentist
In The UK the only qualification which is mandatory for carrying out implants is for the fully qualified dentist to be registered with the British Dental Society. It is advisable to find a dentist with suitable postgraduate training in the field of implant dentistry. look for a dentist which has the letters 'Dip Imp Dent RCS' after their name, which shows that they have a Diploma in Implant Dentistry from the Royal College of Surgeons. Alternatively, a dentist who has a Msc in Implant Dentistry would also be suitably qualified.

One further factor to take into account would be to find out the number of Implants which the dentist has placed in their career. This is because the more experience a dentist has in such procedures ...
... helps reduce the chance of implant failure.

Step 2 – Dental Assessment
After you have found a suitable dentist, he or she will carry out a complete assessment of the area where the implant will be placed; this includes the surrounding teeth, gums and the area of the jaw bone. This is done to look for any signs of gum disease or tooth decay in order for any general dental problems to be resolved before the dental implant procedure takes place.

When making the assessment the dentist will perform a CT-Scan or alternatively take a number of x-rays to determine the quality bone tissue looking for any kind of abnormalities before carrying out the dental procedure.

Step 3 – Bone Graft
For some patients there may be inadequate bone tissue to support the dental implant. If this is the case it will be determined from the CT-scan or x-rays which were carried out during the initial assessment. In such instances a bone-graft procedure would be required.

With a bone graft a small piece of Bone is often taken the back of the lower jaw, chin, tibia or hip. This piece of bone is grafted in the area where the implant is to be placed and over a period of 6 months the grafted bone fuses to the pre-existing bone building a suitable platform for the implant to be located.

Step 4 – Placing the Implant
After the earlier treatments are completed, implant can be placed. An incision is made in the gum tissue revealing the bone and a hole made in the jawbone at the precise location of the intended implant. The procedure is normally carried out under local anaesthetic, but if the patient is suffering from nervousness or anxiety due to the procedure they can be sedated while the surgery takes place.

Step 5 – Fitting the Abutment
The abutment - which has a screw like thread - can now be placed by screwing it into the hole which was previously drilled. Once the implant is correctly in place the gum can be stitched back covering the implant. The stitches can then be removed after 1 to 2 weeks.

Over the following 6 months the implant will integrate with the bone tissue which surrounds it. The medical term for this process is osseointegration.

Step 6 – Fitting a Temporary Crown
Following the period of healing, an incision is made in the gum once again and the dental abutment is screwed down into the implant. A temporary crown can then be fixed to the abutment.

Step 7 – Fitting a Permanent Crown
Between Four and six weeks after the placing of the temporary crown - following the final healing of gum - a final permanent crown can be fitted.

If you are considering dental implants to replace missing teeth it is worth considering The Dentalcare Plus Group as many of their highly qualified cosmetic dentists are extremely experienced having carried out over 1000 implant procedures.