Explaining the Dental Implant Process: What to Expect

Thinking about getting a dental implant in Lebanon, TN? Dr. Russell Kirk of Tennessee Implant and Oral Surgery can help. We’re always happy to walk you through every step of the dental implant process from beginning to end so that you can understand more about this procedure. The steps of the implant process are as follows:

1. Initial Implant Consultation 

To begin, you’ll need to come into the Tennessee Implant and Oral Surgery office. Dr. Russell Kirk will perform a comprehensive oral exam, complete with x-rays and a scan of your mouth to determine if you are a good candidate for a dental implant. Once your initial consultation has been completed and you’ve been approved, Dr. Russell Kirk will begin developing your implant treatment plan.

2. Bone Grafting (If Necessary)

If Dr. Kirk has found that your jaw bone is too weak to support a dental implant, you will need bone grafting. This procedure involves opening up the gum and jaw around the treatment area and adding bone grafting material. Next, the area is cleaned and sutured shut. Over a period of several months, the graft will heal. Once it has healed completely, you’ll be ready for the next step of the implant process.

3. Implant Placement

The dental implant placement procedure is the next step. You will come into our office, and Dr. Russell Kirk will clean and numb your mouth. You can also be sedated if you wish. Dr. Kirk will create a small opening in your gums and jaw in the area where your missing tooth used to be.

Using your implant treatment plan, he will place your dental implant (a small, screw-shaped piece of titanium) directly into the gum and jaw tissue. Once it is in place, he will clean and disinfect the area, and suture it shut. Then, you will be sent home to heal and recover.

4. Bone Growth/Healing

Next, your mouth will heal and recover from the implant process. The initial healing process takes only 1-2 weeks. However, the process of osseointegration takes about 3-6 months. During this time, the titanium implant bonds with your natural jaw bone tissue, and new tissue grows around it to lock it in place. 

You may need to come in for several follow-up appointments during the healing process. Dr. Kirk will check your progress, and take images and impressions of your mouth to begin crafting your artificial tooth. 

5. Abutment Placement

Once your mouth has healed, you will come in for another appointment. Dr. Kirk will attach an “abutment” to your implant. This small attachment is what will support your artificial tooth. He may take further impressions and images of your mouth to continue the process of crafting your artificial tooth, which will be built by an outside dental lab.

6. Artificial Tooth Placement 

The final step is to have your artificial tooth placed. Once your mouth has fully healed and your abutment has been placed, you will come in for your final appointment. Dr. Kirk will check your artificial tooth to ensure that it will fit into your mouth perfectly. Then, he will bond it onto the implant and abutment permanently with dental cement. This completes the procedure.

Ready to Transform Your Smile? Schedule Your Appointment Today! 

If you’re interested in permanently replacing one or more of your teeth with dental implants, don’t wait. Dr. Russell Kirk is here to help. Schedule your implant consultation at Tennessee Implant and Oral Surgery now by giving us a call at (615) 453-7800, or by stopping by our office at 1409 W Baddour Parkway, Suite F, Lebanon, TN 37087.