What to Expect During the Dental Implant Process

When you lose a tooth, it’s easy to gravitate toward the easiest and fastest tooth replacement option you can find. Or worse yet, not replace it at all. But if you’re looking for a solution that lasts, looks, feels, and functions like a real tooth, it’s time to consider dental implants.

Dental implants require a bit more time and healing on the front end because they rely on a titanium rod implanted in your jaw. This surgical post acts like a synthetic tooth root and anchors a new artificial tooth or denture in place.

Dr. Daniil Payziyev and our Dentistry on Park team on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York love the results dental implants can offer people with missing teeth. 

Do you have missing, damaged, or decayed teeth? Here’s what you can expect when getting dental implants.

Initial consultation

Like most things in life, the first step in the dental implant process involves a consultation. 

During this visit, we evaluate your oral health, including your jawbone. After all, you need a healthy foundation for a dental implant to successfully fuse to your jaw, which means you need enough jawbone for support and gums free from disease. 

We also use this visit to review your medical history, including existing conditions and medications or supplements you take. 

Based on your initial consultation, we can outline the best steps moving forward, such as whether you need treatment for gum disease, bone grafts to build up your jawbone, or antibiotics before surgery to reduce your risk of infection. 

Placing your implant

After outlining your treatment strategy, it’s time to place your implant.

Assuming your mouth is healthy and free of infection, we can move forward with implanting your titanium rod — even if you need the existing tooth extracted first. However, if you have an active infection or other dental treatment, that will occur before receiving your implant.

We perform implant procedures in our office as an outpatient procedure while you receive anesthesia to keep you comfortable. To place your implant, we make a small incision in your gum, which exposes the jawbone. Then, we drill a hole in the area to place the implant post.

Finally, we can attach a temporary artificial tooth to restore your smile while we wait for the implant to fuse in place.

Crown placement

After placing your implant, it can take 2 to 6 months for new bone to grow around the titanium rod. This process, known as osseointegration, gives the implant the secure fit and function that sets it apart from other tooth replacement options.

Once your implant heals in place, we are ready to place your permanent crown. At Dentistry on Park, we customize each of our implants to match the shape, size, and color of your natural teeth using the iTero® digital scanner. This advanced technology allows us to design your crown with superior precision.

When your new crown is in place, it should look and feel natural — just like one of your real teeth. And you don’t need special tools or supplies to take care of them. Instead, treat them like natural teeth by brushing and flossing daily and scheduling regular dental visits. By following these steps, your implants can last indefinitely.

Do you have missing, damaged, or decayed teeth? Contact Dentistry on Park on the upper Eastside of Manhattan, New York, to schedule a consultation to learn about your treatment options today.