After Implant Placement
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I use for teeth while the implants heal?
What are the potential problems after dental implant surgery?
When are the replacement teeth attached to the implant?
The dental work required to complete your treatment is complex. Most of the work involves actually making the new teeth before they are placed. Your appointments are considered more comfortable and more pleasant than previous methods of tooth replacement. Frequently, this process can be performed without local anesthesia.
Your restorative treatment begins with specialized impressions that allow your restorative dentist to produce a replica of your mouth and implants. Your restorative dentist will also make “bite” records so that they see the relationship between your upper and lower jaws. With this information, they will make the abutments (support posts) that attach your replacement teeth to your implants.
The number of appointments and the amount of time required for each appointment is different for each patient. No two cases are exactly the same and regardless of the number of teeth replaced, the work must be completed with great precision and attention to detail. If you are having only a few teeth replaced, as few as 2-3 short appointments may be required. Between appointments, your restorative dentist will need time to complete the necessary lab work to make your replacement teeth. It is most beneficial that you keep all of your scheduled appointments.
If your final restoration is a removable denture, you will need to see your restorative dentist for as many as five office appointments (although it may be fewer) over the following several months. During these appointments, they will perform a series of impressions, bites and adjustments in order to make your new teeth, as well as the custom support bars, snaps, magnets, or clips that will secure your teeth to the dental implants. During this period, every effort will be made to ensure you have comfortable, temporary replacement teeth.
In general, once your implants are placed, you can expect your tooth replacement treatment to be completed anywhere from 1 to 12 months. For these reasons, it is difficult for us to tell you exactly how much the restorative phase of your treatment will cost, although you should receive a reasonable estimate from the restorative dentist’s office. It also is difficult to give you a specific timeframe for completion of your treatment until after the implants are ready for restoration.
How do I clean my new teeth?
Will one doctor do everything?
How much does dental implant treatment cost?
When different doctors are involved in your treatment, you will be charged separately for their services. We will try to assist you in estimating what your actual payments will be after we evaluate your insurance coverage or other third party payments.
Each patient is unique, and it is not possible for us to discuss every option and every contingency for treatment outcome. This website is intended to help you understand the general treatment options available to you. If your specific treatment options are not clear, please contact us. We will be happy to answer any questions you have about your dental care.