What is the Procedure for a Single Tooth Implant?

Planning

Prior to treatment dental x-rays and in some cases a CT scan is done to determine the quality and quantity of the bone in the area and the best location for your dental implant. Bone grafting or adding bone to the area where the tooth has been lost is sometimes required to increase the long-term prognosis for the implant. Where single implants are being used side-by-side, it is important to make sure there is adequate room in between them so the implant crowns can be fabricated correctly.

Treatment

The actual surgery is carried out under local anesthetic (ask about the option for pre-medication for relaxation) and requires a small incision to be made in your gums, exposing the underlying bone. After carefully inserting the implant into its preplanned location, sutures are used to close the site leaving the implant under the bone and gum to integrate into the existing bone for a time-period decided by the doctor at the time of placement.

Healing abutment: After the Osseo-integration phase, the implant is uncovered surgically and a temporary healing abutment is attached to the dental implant before stitching up the gum. This second stage helps to shape the gum tissue. Shaping or managing the gum tissue provides the best aesthetic results so that when your implant tooth is placed, it will be surrounded with the gum tissue creating a barrier for bacteria and a pleasing effect that will be easy to keep clean.

Recovery

A single dental implant can typically be inserted in an appointment of just an hour and recovery time is pretty quick. Most people will feel perfectly well enough to return to work or normal activities the very next day. It’s not uncommon to feel zero discomfort after this procedure. Any discomfort should be easily controlled with over-the-counter painkillers.

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