A Step by Step Guide to Dental Implants

Although dentures and dental bridges were long considered the best solutions for replacing missing or failing teeth, today there is a better option. Strong and durable dental implants have become the gold standard, as they can easily last a lifetime. Because they replace tooth roots, dental implants can also slow and, potentially, halt jawbone loss that is inevitable after a tooth is lost. One dental implant can support a single replacement tooth, while a handful of implants can support an entire arch of high-quality replacement teeth that are permanently fixed in place. The process of placing dental implants remains the same whether you need one implant or several.

As oral surgeons, we work hand in hand with your prosthodontist or restorative dentist to create your treatment plan. We closely examine your teeth, soft tissues, and bone structure, blending digital scans and x-rays with our clinical expertise. In tandem with your full treatment team, we will design a plan to meet your needs, desires, and budget.

Your mouth must be healthy and clean to accept dental implants. We will refer you to your primary dentist to treat existing issues such as gum disease or tooth decay, and then we will extract your failing teeth. We can work with your restorative dentist or prosthodontist to create a temporary restoration to place at the time of your extractions, so you never have to go without teeth.

Although it is not common, some people lack sufficient jawbone to support dental implants. If this is the case, we can perform a simple bone graft. It will need to heal for several weeks before we move forward with your dental implants.

Dental implant placement is a minor oral surgery. After numbing your mouth, a small flap will be made in your gum tissue and then, using a series of drills, a tiny, precise hole in your jawbone will be opened to receive the small, biocompatible dental implant that will be screwed into the hole. A cover screw or a healing cap will be placed and then the flap, if one was made, will be closed with sutures that will resorb (dissolve) on their own within several days. We can place as many implants as you need during a single procedure. You will wear your temporary denture until the implant is successfully integrated with the jawbone.

After your dental implant fuses with the bone, you will return to your prosthodontist or restorative dentist. He or she will replace the healing cap or cover screw with an attachment known as an abutment, and then carefully fit your final restoration in place.

If your jawbone is strong and healthy, and you need a replacement for all the teeth on your lower or upper arch, Full Arch on 4 Implants may be the right choice for you. Carefully coordinated with your restorative dentist or prosthodontist, this procedure lets us use four immediate loaded implants to attach a fixed arch of teeth at the same appointment. With this solution, you will never need to use a temporary denture.

Costello Oral Surgery Associates has been named a Top Dentist by New Jersey Monthly every year since 2011. If you are ready for personalized, cutting-edge, compassionate care, contact us today at 201-712-5556 (Maywood), 201-848-5015 (Franklin Lakes), or 973-513-8100 (Wayne) to schedule your first appointment.