The dental implant is an artificial root made of titanium metal. It is inserted into the jawbone to replace the root of the natural tooth. An artificial replacement tooth is attached to the implant. The implant acts as an anchor to hold the replacement tooth in place. Dental implants offer a welcome alternative to dentures or bridgework that doesn’t fit well and can offer an option when a lack of natural teeth roots do not allow building denture or bridgework that can damage natural teeth.
The Advantages of Dental Implants
Improved appearance. Dental implants look and feel like your own teeth. Since they are designed to fuse with the bone, they become permanent.
Improved speech. With poor-fitting dentures, the teeth can slip within the mouth causing mumbling or slurring of words. This is eliminated with dental implants supported teeth.
Improved comfort. Dental implants are part of your mouth which eliminates the discomfort associated with moving dentures.
Easier eating. Sliding dentures can make chewing difficult. Dental implants function like your own teeth, allowing you to eat your favorite foods with confidence and without pain.
Improved self-esteem. Dental implants can give you back your smile and help you feel better about yourself.
Improved oral health. Unlike a tooth supported bridge, Dental implants don’t require reducing cutting/preparing other teeth. Nearby teeth are not altered to support the implant, more of your own teeth are left intact, improving long-term oral health. Individual implants also allow easier access between teeth, improving oral hygiene.
Durability. Implants are very durable and long lasting. With good care, many implants last a lifetime.
Convenience. Dental implants eliminate the embarrassing inconvenience of removing dentures, as well as the need for messy adhesives to keep them in place.
The OMG Perio Difference
Use of Digital Technology
At OMG Perio in Hamilton, ON, we use the latest digital technologies to plan and place the implants, including on-site Cone Beam CT scanning, iTero® intraoral digital scanning, and the latest software so we can make precise surgical guides when needed.
We also digitally scan the implant after it is placed to allow for rapid crown fabrication by the dental lab. This approach is more accurate than the standard dental impression techniques, which are often messy and uncomfortable especially for those with a sensitive gag reflex.
Finest Materials
OMG Perio only uses the premier dental implant systems with lifetime warranties on the materials. This allows for very rapid healing of the implant, which allows for completion of many straightforward cases within six weeks of initiating therapy. Our All-on-4® technique allows us to place implants at the time of tooth extraction with immediate placement of the restorations.
A Wealth of Experience
Dr. Glogauer has placed over 15,000 implants and has more than 25 years of experience in implant dentistry. He is also an expert in bone grafting that allows him to complete implants in almost all situations.
For the most challenging patients, including those who have been previously treated for cancer, he works with the foremost dental specialists for implant restoration procedures.
General Post-Operative Instructions
FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY:
- Do not spit. Use a tissue to wipe your mouth as needed or swallow your saliva.
- Do not use a drinking straw. Drink straight from the cup.
- Do not smoke.
- Keep fingers and tongue away from the surgical area.
Spitting, the use of a straw, smoking, and poking the surgical area can dislodge the blood clot that is forming and will cause bleeding from the area. Also, smoking can increase the chances of an infection.
BLEEDING:
Some minor bleeding is expected after dental implant surgery. It will usually subside quickly and stop within an hour or two after surgery. A little oozing is normal and may persist for several hours. Keep gauze on the surgical area with some biting pressure for 30–45 minutes.
If all else fails, call our office.
SWELLING:
Most patients will experience some swelling after surgery in the mouth. It may be mild or severe and is different for every patient. The swelling may increase for the first 24–72 hours before it starts to go away. It may last for several days. Some bruising may also develop on the face.
DIET:
You may start with non-abrasive foods such as mashed potatoes, pasta, cottage cheese, soup, or scrambled eggs as soon as the local anesthetic wears off.
You may resume a regular diet as soon as you feel up to it; however, please try not to chew directly on the surgical sites.
ORAL HYGIENE:
You may start rinsing the day after surgery, very gently, with some warm salt water (1 tsp of salt in 8 ounces of warm water). You may brush your teeth per usual, though be very careful near the surgical sites.
SUTURES:
Unless told otherwise, the sutures used during your procedure are dissolvable and will fall out on their own. This generally occurs in the first week after surgery, but timing varies from four to ten days.
BONE GRAFT MATERIAL:
If your surgeon placed bone graft material at the time the dental implant was placed, you might notice some gritty material in your mouth. This is nothing to worry about and should subside within a day or two.
MEDICATIONS:
You were probably given one or more prescriptions for medications. Take all as directed on the bottle. Call us if you experience severe nausea or diarrhea or cannot swallow your pills.
Antibiotics: Continue until the bottle is empty. Do not quit halfway.
Pain Medicine: Usually it is necessary to take pain medication in a scheduled fashion (every four to six hours) for the first 24 hours and as needed thereafter.
You may wean yourself off the medication and substitute 500 mg of acetaminophen (Tylenol®).
If directed to do so, you may use ibuprofen, 600 mg, every six hours while awake for the first four or five days.
ACTIVITY:
You may resume your normal activities as you feel up to it. Go easy at first with exercise and recreation and increase your activity slowly over several days back to your normal routine.
Please follow these instructions as closely as possible. They are designed to help you heal quickly and comfortably.
FAQs
Will I be able to see the implant?
Depending on the location and stability of the implant being placed, your surgeon may opt to bury the implant under the gum tissue. In time, you will return and have the implant uncovered so the implant can be restored.
If stability is optimal, the second stage procedure can be bypassed, and an attachment is placed that protrudes through the gum tissue, which will be visible. Once the bone has healed, the restoring dentist will be able to access the implant without the need for further surgery.
When can the crown be placed?
A dental crown can be attached to a dental implant once the implant has fused to the bone. This is a process called osseointegration.
The length of time the bone must heal varies from case to case and will be discussed with your surgeon. The length of time needed for osseointegration is a function of the bone quality, quantity, and implant stability at the time of placement.
MORE QUESTIONS?
We are here for you! If you have a question about your procedure or treatment plan, please call our Hamilton periodontal office at 905-526-6078.