Dental Implants Surgery

During a dental implants procedure at our Missoula, MT, office, Dr. Eugene F. Morris or Armando A. Gama will surgically embed small titanium posts in your jaw to replace lost tooth roots. Once healed, the implants can provide incredible benefits, like unmatched stability for dental restorations, and help you maintain oral health. To learn more about what to expect during the planning stages, surgery, and recovery, schedule your personal consultation at Oral Surgical Associates today.

Consultation

When you visit our office for a personal consultation, your surgeon will review your candidacy for dental implants surgery. Implants patients should be in good overall health and free of dental decay or gum disease. The surgeon will also evaluate the strength of your jawbone. After tooth loss, the surrounding area of the jaw will deteriorate over time. As a result, many patients with weakened jawbones are precluded from receiving dental implants. However, we may be able to perform a bone grafting procedure, such as ridge augmentation or a sinus lift, to improve your candidacy. Using the advanced i-CAT® three-dimensional cone-beam system, we can evaluate the strength of your jaw, and determine the ideal location to place your implants.

Implants Surgery

When you arrive for the first of two surgeries, your surgeon will numb the treatment area to ensure your comfort. Next, he will make a small incision in the gums to access your jaw bone. He will create pilot holes in the bone tissue, and insert the threaded posts . He will then close the incisions, covering the implants. Over the course of four to six months, the implants will fuse with the bone tissue through a process called osseointegration. By integrating with your natural bone, implants become the ultimate anchor for restorations. Perhaps even more importantly, they halt the bone loss that occurs following tooth loss. Dental implants are the only restorative treatment that offers this benefit. You may wear a temporary restoration during the osseointegration process. After the implants have fused in place, you will undergo a second procedure to have an abutment placed. An abutment connects your implants to your restorations. Your surgeon will create an incision in the gums, connect the abutment, and suture the gums closed in a way that leaves the abutments exposed above the gum line.

Placing Your Restoration

Once the gums have fully healed, you will return to our office to begin the process of creating your permanent restoration. Your surgeon will take an impression of your abutments and any surrounding teeth. These will be sent to an offsite lab to guide technicians in creating your crown, bridge, or denture. In about two weeks, your restoration will be complete, and your surgeon can permanently restore your implants. The combination of support from the implant and abutment will secure your restoration with unmatched stability. Finally, you can enjoy a smile with fully renewed function and aesthetic appeal. Patients can care for their restorations just like natural teeth.