Attaching the Dental Implant Restoration

Dental implants are an outstanding restorative option for patients who have missing teeth or require tooth extraction because of advanced disease or decay. A dental implant is a threaded titanium post that is surgically inserted into the jawbone to replace lost tooth roots. Following surgery, you will receive a dental implant restoration. The doctors at our office in Jackson can place your dental implants and refer you to a prosthodontist to place your crown, bridge or denture. To learn more about dental implants and how they can benefit you, please contact our office and schedule a consultation with Dr. Roger Parkes or Dr. R. Clarke Stewart.

Dental Implant Restoration Options

Patients have a number of choices when it comes to dental restoration types and materials. Patients who require replacement of a single tooth will generally choose a dental crown. Patients with multiple missing teeth are better suited for a bridge or denture.

Porcelain and zirconia are durable, natural-looking materials used to make crowns, bridges, and dentures. Both of these materials are appropriate for use in the anterior and posterior regions of the jaw. Your prosthodontist will carefully choose the color of these restorations to complement your smile. Both materials have a highly realistic translucency.

The Dental Implant Procedure

The traditional dental implant procedure requires two surgeries. During your initial consultation, diagnostic imaging will help us develop an effective treatment plan. If significant bone loss has occurred, a bone graft can restore bone tissue necessary to create a stable base for your implant.

To ensure your comfort, you will receive anesthesia before the surgical process begins. Surgery involves making an incision in the gums and creating a pilot hole in the jaw. Next, your doctor will insert the implant, and stitch the gums closed over the implant.

It takes three to six months for the bone to fuse to the implant. After this process (called osseointegration) is complete, you will come back to our office for a second surgery. Your doctor will create another incision in the gums to expose the implant, attach an abutment to your dental implant, and stitch the gums closed in a way that leaves the abutment exposed above the gum line. The abutment is the point of connection between the implant and your restoration. Patients will need about two weeks to heal from this surgery.

The final stage of treatment is the placement of your dental restoration.

Immediate Load Dental Implants

With Teeth-in-a-Day, or immediate load dental implants, the bridge or denture is attached to the implant abutment the same day that the implant is placed in the jaw. This involves using implants that are smaller in diameter than traditional implants. We also offer All-On-4®, a special solution for patients who have experienced some degree of bone atrophy. It involves placing four implant to support a full-arch denture. This treatment can involve restoring implants immediately following placement.