Interested in dental implants at Skutak Dental? Wondering what to expect from the process? Our team is always happy to go over the basics about treatment and walk you through what to expect throughout the treatment process.
The first step is to consult with Dr. Skutak to determine if you’re a good candidate for dental implants. She will conduct a comprehensive oral exam and take x-rays of your mouth to see if an implant is right for you. If you’re approved, Dr. Skutak will begin planning your implant surgery right away.
If your jaw bone is weak, you may need a bone graft before you get an implant. In some cases, you may also need one or more teeth to be extracted, or require alveoloplasty (jaw bone smoothing) to prepare for implants. Depending on the procedure, it may take anywhere from 3-12 months to recover from these surgeries and begin the implant placement process.
At your next appointment, Dr. Skutak will clean and numb your mouth. Then, using your treatment plan as a guide, she will place your dental implant precisely into the area of your mouth where your missing tooth used to be. Then, the area will be cleaned, disinfected and sutured shut to promote healing.
It will take about 2 weeks for you to heal from the initial placement of your implant. Dr. Skutak will provide you with recovery instructions to follow. Once initial healing is complete, the titanium implant will begin to permanently integrate with your jaw bone. This process, known as osseointegration, takes 3-6 months and must be completed before your implant restoration can be placed.
During the 3-6 month recovery process, you’ll come in for a few appointments to have your progress checked. Dr. Skutak will also take impressions and images of your teeth, and begin designing your implant restoration. Your restoration will be built at an outside dental lab, then sent to our office. Once your mouth is fully healed, it can be attached.
A few weeks before your final appointment, you’ll need to come in to have an abutment placed on your implant. This abutment screws onto the implant and is used to attach your implant-supported restoration, such as a dental crown.
Once your mouth has healed and your abutment is attached, you’ll come in for your final appointment. Dr. Skutak will check your implant-supported restoration to make sure it fits properly. Then, your implant will be bonded into place, restoring your tooth and completing the procedure.
The average treatment time for a dental implant is about 6-12 months, but can be shorter or longer depending on your oral health, required pre-treatment surgeries, how many implants you’re getting, and a few other factors.
We are proud to provide expert, straightforward dentistry for our patients located in Rothschild, Schofield, Wausau, and surrounding areas. To see if dental implants are right for you, contact Skutak Dental at (715) 355-4433, or stop by our office at 700 Eagle Nest Boulevard, Suite E, Rothschild, WI 54474.
