Perhaps your teeth are suffering from extreme decay? Perhaps you were involved in an accident that resulted in the loss of many of your teeth. Whatever the case may be, you’re looking to get full mouth dental implants.
What you’re wondering, though, is what to expect. What’s involved in getting dental implants for your entire mouth? We’re going to answer that question below, showing you exactly how dental implants contribute to positive dental health.
Preparation for Full Mouth Dental Implants
First, let’s discuss the preparation for full-mouth dental implants. This is dependent on the patient’s needs and could include any of the following:
Tooth Extraction
In many cases, teeth need to be extracted before dental implants can be inserted in their place. This is particularly common in cases where severe tooth decay has occurred, as the teeth are likely still in the mouth.
Note, though, that this could also be the case in situations where several teeth have been knocked out. The patient and the dentist might decide that it’s more beneficial to extract the remaining teeth and then replace them with implants. Your dentist will help you make this choice.
If you do have teeth extracted prior to the implant procedure, you need to be sure to provide proper oral care for your gums in the weeks after. If you’re not diligent in caring for them, you could end up with an infection or dry socket.
Bone Grafts
In cases involving more severe tooth and gum decay, portions of jaw bone could be missing from the mouth. If this is so, the dentist might not be able to successfully set an implant within the jaw bone.
As such, before starting the implant procedure, the patient will need to receive bone grafts. Bone grafting is an intensive procedure, one that requires a good 6 to 8 weeks of recovery. As such, it could substantially set back your implant date.
Consulting With Your Dentist
The last part of the preparation for full dental implants is consulting with your dentist. You’ll meet with your dentist a few times leading up to the implant itself. During these meetings, your dentist will check your teeth to determine how to approach the implant process.
Your dentist will also provide you with advice on how to approach the procedure. This is likely to include things like having soft meals available so that you can eat them after the procedure is over. They’ll also discuss recovery specifics so that you can plan ahead and not have to scramble around after the procedure has ended.
The Full Mouth Dental Implant Procedure
Now that we’ve discussed preparation for the procedure, let’s discuss the procedure itself. It typically involves the following:
Drilling a Hole in the Jawbone
First, the dentist makes incisions in the jawbone. Then, once the jawbone has been accessed, the dentist drills holes in it; this is done so that the titanium portions of the implants can be set. Again, no pain will be felt during this part of the procedure.
Setting the Titanium Rod
Dental implants act in the same way as real teeth. However, whereas real teeth are anchored by roots, dental implants are anchored by strong titanium rods. These rods are set in the jawbone, after which, additional bone grows around them, locking them in place.
Placing the Abutments
Next up is the placing of abutments. These are essentially bases for synthetic teeth. They fit on top of the aforementioned titanium rods and can be removed if need be.
In essence, the abutments serve as bridges between the implants and the prosthesis. Their insertion involves little to no pain and can be completed in the span of a single appointment.
Inserting the Crowns
The procedure ends with the insertion of the crowns. These are the synthetic teeth portions of the implants. They look and behave like real teeth and will be specially designed to accommodate your mouth.
Crowns can be removed if need be. In fact, most crowns need to be replaced after 7 to 15 years of use.
In any case, once the crowns have been inserted, the procedure will be over. Your implants will be fully established and ready for use.
Recovering from Full Mouth Dental Implants
You’re undoubtedly going to experience some pain and discomfort after your procedure. As such, you’ll want to take some recovery measures in order to lessen the severity.
First and foremost, be sure to eat only soft foods. In addition, be sure to ice your mouth a few times a day for 10 to 15 minutes at a time. This will keep the swelling down and will also help stave off some of the inflammation.
You’ll also want to use pain relievers of some kind. This might be something as simple as Tylenol. Note, however, that your dentist could also prescribe you a more powerful medication.
Finally, you’ll just want to take it easy for a few days. Avoid strenuous physical activity and expect to feel less than perfect. You can still go to work and tend to regular responsibilities; just temper your expectations about what you’ll be able to do.
Need Full Mouth Dental Implants in Vancouver WA?
Now that you know what the dental implant process entails, maybe you’re looking to get full mouth dental implants in Vancouver WA. If so, look no further than Vista Dental.
We’ve provided full mouth dental implants to many patients, helping them return their oral health to a positive state. Regardless of your oral care needs, our friendly and experienced team can help you.
Contact us today to schedule an appointment!