Procedures - Dental Implants

Dental implants are designed to replace missing teeth and to aid in the fixation of a removable denture. Dental implants are titanium posts that vary in length and width, which allow the oral and maxillofacial surgeon to place them into areas of missing teeth. Dental implants replace the the natural tooth's root by fusing to the bone, which is called "osteointegration". Once the implant fuses with the bone, a post (healing collar) is placed on top of the implant that shapes the gum tissue for the future crown. When the gum tissue has completely healed, an impression is then performed. This is usually done by your general dentist. Then the healing collar is removed and an abutment is placed on top of the implant. A crown is then cemented on top of the abutment, which results in a permanent replacement of the missing tooth. If the implant was placed to aid in the retention of a removable denture, many different options are available to fixate the denture to the implants. These options can be discussed with the oral and maxillofacial surgeon or your general dentist.

For most patients, the placement of dental implants involves two surgical procedures. The first procedure involves placing the implant into the jawbone. This can be done according to the comfort level of the patient. The patient can be awake, use nitrous oxide, or be asleep. The implant will be placed underneath the gum tissue and will bond to the bone for approximately 3-6 months depending on where the implant was placed and if a bone graft was necessary. Once the implant has fused to the bone, the second surgical procedure can be performed. Local anesthesia is placed above the implant and a healing collar is fastened on top of the implant and protrudes through the gum tissue. Once the gum tissue is healed, which takes 1-2 weeks, the patient is now ready for the impression and placement of the permanent teeth.

In certain situations, patients may be able to have a tooth extracted and have an implant placed at the same time. This is referred to as an immediate implant placement. This surgical technique significantly decreases the time associated with implant placement. Also, due to the extensive education and training of oral and maxillofacial surgeons, they have the capability of using the latest technology and bone grafting techniques available to place implants in patients that have previously been informed that they are not candidates for implant placement. The surgeons at Utah Surgical Arts guarantee our implants if the implants fail, contact the office for details. Please make an appointment with the surgeons at Utah Surgical Arts to discuss if you are a candidate for dental implants and which treatment options are best for you.