Yes, it is essential to visit your dental team 2 to 3 weeks after dental implant surgery. This appointment allows them to examine the implant sites and ensure that everything is healing properly. After receiving dental implants, it is very important that you visit your dentist regularly to diagnose any developing problems as soon as possible. Your dental care team will tell you what to eat and drink before surgery, depending on the type of anesthesia you are given.
Once healing is complete, follow the schedule recommended by your dentist. The dental implant procedure generally involves two visits to the dentist, but some implants only require one visit. Dental implant surgery often involves local anesthesia or dental sedation. Because the effects of dental sedation usually take some time to completely wear off, it's not safe to get behind the wheel right after your appointment.
Instead, arrange for a friend or family member to drive you home. Plan to wait approximately 24 hours after implant placement surgery before driving on your own or operating heavy machinery. To control pain, anesthesia options during surgery include local anesthesia, sedation, or general anesthesia. Talk to your dental specialist about which option is best for you. The oral surgeon may need to transplant a small portion of bone, usually from another site in the upper or lower jaw, to give the dental implant a solid base.
Because the titanium in the implants fuses with the jaw, the implants won't slip, make noise, or damage bones like fixed bridges or dentures would. If you take good care of your new implants, you can greatly increase the chances of a successful cure. How dental implant surgery is performed depends on the type of implant and the condition of the jaw. Dental implant surgery is a procedure that replaces the roots of the teeth with metal posts in the form of screws and replaces damaged or missing teeth with artificial teeth that look and function much like the real ones. If necessary, a bone graft and membrane will be added to increase any areas of deficient bone and maximize the success of the implant. The main benefit of implants is a solid support for the new teeth, a process that requires the bone to heal firmly around the implant. The dental implant planning process can include a variety of specialists, including a doctor who specializes in conditions of the mouth, jaw and face (oral and maxillofacial surgeon), a dentist who specializes in treating structures that support teeth, such as gums and bones (periodontist), a dentist who designs and places artificial teeth (prosthodontist), or sometimes an ear, nose and throat specialist (otolaryngologist).Dental implants are surgically placed in the jawbone, where they serve as the roots of missing teeth.
Bone grafting procedures, such as sinus lift and ridge augmentation, must sometimes be performed before implant placement, so that there is a solid bone base for the implant. This time, the cut is made to expose the implant, so that the dentist can remove the protective screw from the implant and replace it with a healing cap made of metal. Right after the implant procedure, you'll likely need several follow-up appointments as your implants heal. If your dental implant doesn't fuse with the surrounding jaw, it won't be strong enough to support a new artificial tooth.
