After Implant Placement

What Can I Use For Teeth While The Implants Heal?

Patients often ask us what they should wear during their implant surgery. While we don’t provide false teeth, we do provide patients with temporary teeth to wear. Here are the options:

• Dentures

Acrylic dentures are prescribed to patients who need to wear their implant surgery dentures for a longer amount of time. They are lighter and more comfortable than metal dentures, but they tend to break more easily.

• Temporary Partial Dentures

Dental implants are very strong and will last many years, but the bone around the implants needs to heal. It will take several months for this process to be completed. In the meantime, you can wear a removable partial denture to fill the gap in your smile.

• A Dental Bridge

Your dentist may recommend a temporary dental bridge while your implants heal. A dental bridge is a device that has a few false teeth that fill in the gap where teeth are missing. The bridge is secured to surrounding teeth.

Follow-up care

After your implant(s) have been placed, we will schedule you for a follow-up appointment. At this appointment, we will make sure that everything looks as it should. We will also schedule you for any additional appointments needed to start the implant process, such as bone graft or sinus lift surgery.

Risks and complications

The most common complication is implant failure. When an implant fails, it means that the implant’s connection (osseointegration) to the jaw bone has been compromised. This may mean that the implant is unable to support a crown or bridge. Another complication may occur if the patient has poor oral hygiene. Bacteria can form around the implants, causing peri-implantitis.

The long-term success of dental implants

Dental implants are designed to provide a permanent solution to tooth loss. Once the implant has fused to the jawbone, it’s designed to last a lifetime with proper care and maintenance.

During your dental implant procedure, a restoration will be placed, like a dental crown, over top of the implant. Together, the restoration and implant provide a strong, durable, and natural-looking replacement for missing teeth.