Step One: Your Implant Consultation
Beginning your journey to dental implants can be exciting and overwhelming at the same time. Your consultation with Dr. Terence Lau or Dr. Casey Lau can help you to understand what your dental implant journey will look like.
Your dentist will perform an examination of your oral health and take scans of your mouth — all of this is to ensure that dental implants are the best treatment method for you. We’ll go over your options and treatment timeline with you.
Supplemental Procedures
If you’ve been missing teeth for a while, you may have begun to experience jaw deterioration. Your natural teeth keep your jaw strong on a daily basis by stretching and providing stimulation. Without these signals, your jawbone can weaken and threaten your other teeth’s strength.
Supplemental procedures such as bone grafting and sinus lifts can help you regain jawbone density. This density is important to keep your dental implants in place — once you have a dental implant, it’ll keep your jawbone strong so you won’t have to worry.
Step Two: Placing the Fixture
When your jaw is sufficiently strong, your dentist can place the first part of your dental implant. This piece is called the fixture, and it’s often made from biocompatible titanium so it’ll create a strong bond with living bone in a process called osseointegration.
Placing the fixture doesn’t take very long — most of the dental implant timeline is dedicated to letting the surgical site heal and making sure your bone tissue bonds with the fixture. This healing stage can take a couple of months, but it’s very important.
Step Three: Your Complete Restoration
Once your fixture is securely in place, you’ll be able to come back to our office to receive the rest of your implant. Then, you’ll be able to smile knowing that you have a beautiful and permanent new smile.
FAQs About the Implant Process
How many surgeries are involved with dental implants?
Getting dental implants only requires one minor outpatient surgery. However, depending on the state of your mouth, our dentist will determine whether one or more preliminary procedures are necessary to prepare the implant site before your implants are placed. These procedures, which are performed in our office, include bone grafting, sinus augmentation, gum grafting, and ridge modification.
Does is hurt to get dental implants?
With sedation options available for your treatment, you’ll be comfortable and relaxed throughout your entire procedure. Following the placement of your implant(s), you may feel slight discomfort, but if you apply ice to the area and take medication, you can help ease your pain.
How long does the dental implant process take?
It typically requires between 3 and 6 months to restore your smile with dental implants. This timeline could be extended if our dentist recommends supplementary procedures to prepare the surgical site for dental implants.
What happens after my dental implant procedure?
Right after your dental implant procedure, we’ll suggest you have someone drive you home in case the anesthesia doesn’t wear off.
Within the first few days of healing, we also recommend you avoid smoking, drinking, using a straw, or spitting. Also, rinse your mouth out occassionally with warm salt water and follow a liquid or soft food diet to help with recovery.
Your Journey to a New Smile
At Mid-Valley Dental Implants, we provide beautiful dental implants so you can be proud of your smile’s appearance. To learn more about implants, contact our office by calling 818-239-4956 or by filling out the online contact form available on this page.