Dental Implants: How long is the treatment process?

After suffering from tooth loss, patients want to obtain a replacement tooth or teeth as quickly as possible to minimize the time they must spend concealing their smiles.

An increasing number of patients are turning to dental implants following tooth loss because the devices provide a durable, reliable long-term solution for tooth loss. They also come with a relatively speedy treatment timeline for patients who are suitable for implant placement. [pullquote]An increasing number of patients are turning to dental implants following tooth loss because the devices provide a durable, reliable long-term solution for tooth loss.[/pullquote]

In fact, patients can actually get same day smiles in which the dental implants are placed and the patient is fitted with the prosthetic on the same day.

However, the phrase same day smiles is a bit of a misnomer, as the process does involve a planning period before the dental implants are placed.

The dentist must collect adequate information to determine the best implant site and will take dental impressions in order to do so. The bite must be symmetrical. Three-dimensional imaging obtained from a cone-beam computed tomography scanner helps to streamline the treatment planning and allows the dentist to get a more lifelike perspective of the patient’s bone structure.

The dentist must also plan for the shade and the shape of the teeth according to the patient’s desires. Patients can and should have significant input into this portion of the planning process.

As for the surgery itself, it is completed in just a few hours in the dentist’s office. There’s no need to go to the hospital, and patients return home later that day – with a completely restored smile. After the surgery is complete, the patient is fitted with the prosthetic appliance.

Patients must have adequate bone tissue available to support the osseointegration of the dental implants, but in patients who have suffered bone loss, options are available to help overcome this potential hurdle.

Contact our experienced and dedicated team at North Shore Restorative and Implant Dentistry and ask about same day smiles if you have experienced tooth loss. You may find that you can take advantage of this efficient treatment option.