Discover How You Can Achieve a New Smile with Dental Implants

When choosing how to replace your missing teeth, you can opt for a solution that is less invasive and requires more frequent replacements such as dentures or a fixed bridge, or you can invest in a longer-lasting, durable, and fully functional option like dental implants in Lancaster. Patients who choose the latter experience great success, and so can you, but first, you might want to know more about what you can expect from this surgical procedure. To find out, read on to learn about each phase and how you’ll achieve your new and improved smile.

Inserting the Implant: Surgery

After your initial consultation with your implant dentist in Lancaster, you’ll schedule your dental implant placement surgery. When you arrive, you can expect your dentist to administer local anesthesia to make you as comfortable as possible throughout the procedure. Once she is satisfied that you are in a relaxed state, she will begin by making one or more small incisions in your gums. This will be dependent upon how many implants you’ll be having placed in your mouth.

Exposing the bone, she will carefully place and position each implant to ensure it is in the right location for osseointegration to occur. After closing up your gums, you will be sent home to heal for an estimated 3-6 months. During this time, your implants will fuse to the bone and surrounding tissues to create a strong and stable foundation for your restoration which will live on top of your implant.

Once fully healed, you’ll return to the dentist’s office to have your custom-made dental restoration put into place. Whether it is a dental crown, implant bridge, or implant-retained denture, you can rest assured that your prosthetic will match seamlessly with the rest of your smile.

Healing at Home: Recovery

While at home healing from your surgery and before you receive your dental restoration, there are some tips you should follow to ensure everything heals correctly and you have an easier recovery period. Some of these include:

• Taking any necessary pain medication as instructed to alleviate discomfort.
• Avoid blowing your nose or sipping through a straw, as it can dislodge your blood clots and cause added pressure to your surgically placed implants.
• Use a cold compress to reduce swelling and unnecessary pressure.
• Avoid smoking or using tobacco, as it can make healing much more difficult, if not impossible, and it could lead to possible implant failure.
• Avoid hot, crunchy foods in the beginning, but slowly begin to add in other foods to your diet. You’ll need to make sure your foods are soft enough they can be cut with a fork.

The average recovery time is one month; however, each patient is different, so it’s best to follow the orders of your dentist. If you required pre-implant dental work (i.e. bone graft or sinus lift), this could also add to the amount of time you’ll need to successfully recover before receiving your dental prosthetic.

By having all the information you need about your upcoming dental implant procedure, you can feel more confident and comfortable about the process and what to expect. If you have any questions throughout the process of receiving your new smile, don’t hesitate to contact your dentist or dental team.

About the Author
Dr. Mahima Gupta earned her B.D.S. and completed her residency while living in India. Moving to the United States, she attended New York University and achieved her DDS degree after gaining valuable work experience. Trained in placing and restoring dental implants, Dr. Gupta will walk you through the entire process from consultation to placement to recovery. You’ll never have to worry about receiving a referral, and you’ll enjoy the comfort and convenience of a familiar face helping you achieve a fully restored smile. For new patients, Dr. Gupta is currently offering a $999 or $199/month implant special! This includes free nitrous gas and sedation with the procedure after an initial consultation with your dentist. To learn how you can get started on the path to a complete smile, visit our website or call (469) 729-7707.