Dental Implant Crown Placement Procedure

An implant crown replaces the visible part of a missing tooth, while an implant replaces lost teeth roots. The implant serves as an artificial teeth root, securing the crown in place and helping to keep bone tissues in the jaw healthy. Implants are the only dental prosthetics that prevent the bone tissue deterioration that takes place when a tooth falls out.

The process of getting an implant crown can take up to six months because the implant needs to fuse with jawbone tissues around it. The process is termed osseointegration, and it leads to the implant becoming part of the patient’s jawbone, helping to keep tissues around them stimulated.

Getting an implant crown

Replacing a missing tooth with an implant starts with a consultation with a dentist. Implants have to be inserted into the patient’s jawbone, which requires minor oral surgery. Some people are not healthy enough for the procedure due to issues like diabetes and immune system disorders.

Patients are evaluated individually to determine if it is safe for them to go through oral surgery. The dentist will also talk to patients about habits like smoking during their evaluation because these can also slow down the healing process.

Finally, the dentist will assess the thickness of the patient’s jawbone to determine if it is enough to hold implants in place. Tests like X-rays might be used to help with their assessment. If the dentist determines that the patient’s jaw is not thick enough for implants, it will have to be thickened with bone grafts before the dentist can place the implants.

The procedure

Once a patient has been cleared for implants, a date is set for their surgical placement. During that procedure, the patient is injected with a local anesthetic to prevent them from feeling pain as the dentist goes to work. Here is what happens next:

• The dentist cuts into the patient’s gum tissues to access their jawbone
• A drill is used to make a hole that is just big enough to hold the implant in the patient’s jaw
• The implant is then inserted into the hole until the sides of the opening hold it in place, the same way that wood holds a hammered nail in place
• A temporary crown, abutment, or healing cap might be placed on the implant at this point

The patient then waits up to six months as their implant fuses with bone tissues via osseointegration. The implant becomes part of the person’s jaw as it fuses with the bone tissues around it. A permanent implant crown can then be placed on the restoration at that point.

The patient’s missing tooth should be fully restored at that point. The patient should be able to bite down on foods with it, and it should look just like a real tooth.

Replace your missing tooth with an implant

Are you ready to get rid of the hole in your smile? Call us or stop by our Boca Raton clinic to learn more about implants and other missing teeth replacement options.

Request an appointment here: https://www.ismileboca.com or call iSmile Dental - Dr. James Helmy at (561) 225-2054 for an appointment in our Boca Raton office.