If you’re considering dental implants to replace one or more of your teeth, you probably have questions about the process. Read the information below so you’ll know what to expect from your Dental Implants Wichita KS area dentist before, during and after the procedure.
Before
Since getting dental implants is a surgical procedure, you’ll have pre-surgical instructions from your dentist. If you’re going to have intravenous sedation, you won’t be able to eat anything after twelve o’clock on the night before your surgery. If you choose to have a local anesthesia, in which you’ll be awake during the procedure but you won’t feel any pain, you can eat and drink the morning of your surgery. Have a family member or friend to come with you on the day of your surgery to drive you home after the procedure.
During
After you’re sedated, your dentist will begin the surgical procedure by cutting along your gums to expose the bone. Next, your dentist will use a special tool to drill an opening into your jawbone for the placement of the implant. Your dentist will secure the implant into the opening and then stitch your gums back into place over the implant.
After
When the procedure is finished, you’ll be allowed to go home and rest. If you have any bleeding, gently bite down on a piece of folded up gauze. For swelling, place an ice pack against your jaw. Your dentist will prescribe pain medication for you to take if needed. For the first few days after your surgery, don’t do any laborious activities or heavy lifting.
After the implant adheres to your jawbone, which can take up to four months, your dentist will attach a crown to each implant. When the entire procedure is finished, you should take care of your implants exactly the same way that you take care of your natural teeth by daily brushing and flossing.
Wakim Dentistry offers preventative dental care for the entire family. Other services include cosmetic procedures including teeth whitening, bonding, veneers, crowns and dental implants.
