What is the procedure to get a dental implant?
In order to place a dental implant, the surgeon must first expose the bone. Then a small hole is drilled in the area that the dental implant is going to be placed, and then successively larger drill bits are used until we get to about the size of the implant. Once the hole is prepared, the dental implant is screwed down into the area and then covered with the gum and left to heal for three to four months, depending upon whether it is in the lower jaw taking three months, or the upper jaw taking four months . If bone needs to be added, it sometimes will take a little longer. After the dental implant has integrated to the bone, and what we mean by that is the bone has grown up around the dental implant and sometimes gone into little crevices in the dental implant so that it is vey solidly in the bone, the dental implant is uncovered. Then an abutment is screwed in there, and the abutment will vary again depending upon what is going to be placed there. The abutment can be titanium or it can also be zirconium, which is white if we're going to be in an aesthetic area.
