After Implant Placement![]() What Type of Restorations are Provided After Implants Are Placed?We tailor the temporary restorations that are used after implants are placed to the dental patient’s specific needs. If you require a replacement tooth while your implants fuse and heal, we can design temporary and removable teeth or a temporary bridge. If all of the teeth are missing, we can alter your current denture or create a new temporary denture for you to wear. If you would like teeth added during the healing stage, we can place temporary implants next to the permanent implants and insert temporary teeth at the same time. For some patients, we place implants 2 to 3 months after extraction. Therefore, we can add a restoration shortly thereafter or on the same day of the implant surgery. Bone resorption occurs within 3 months after the removal of teeth. Therefore, the implants must be placed quickly. What Potential Problems Can Occur?In some instances, after implants are placed, a patient may develop a post-operative infection and therefore need to receive additional antibiotics. In some rare instances, the adjacent teeth may be injured during implant placement. At other times, the nerve in the lower jaw may cause a tingling sensation in the chin or lower lip. If you are missing a good deal of bone, it may affect a nerve, which can lead to numbness or cause tingling in the tongue, chin, or lip. While these sensations normally subside, they can also become permanent or painful. If you notice any post-operative numbness or pain, you need to contact us immediately. How Long Will My Implants Last?Implants last for many years (around 30 years to be exact). According to long-term research, people with all their teeth missing experience a success rate of about 85% when they receive implants. When patients have fewer missing teeth, their success rate stands at about 95%. If the implants do not heal properly, they may loosen and need to be replaced. How Are Permanent Teeth Attached to Implants?After the jawbone firmly fuses to the implant, we will attach the restorations. This part of the process can be complex, as we will need to make the new teeth before they are attached to the implants. We usually can attach the new teeth without the need for a local anesthesia. First, we will make impressions of your mouth and your implants. We will also refer to bite records so we can see how your upper and lower jaw align. With these details in mind, we can make the support posts for the implants, called abutments. The abutments are needed so we can attach your restorations to the implants. Various abutments are available for use. However, we often use abutments off the shelf. In some instances, we may customize the abutments and use ceramic or gold materials. We normally do not make the abutments until the implants have healed and have fused solidly with the bone. We can answer your questions about after implant placement at our office or over the phone. Give Widner Elite Oral Surgery and Dental Implants a call at (737) 309-4351 with any inquiries. |