Understanding the process of dental implant surgery can drastically reduce your healing time and facilitate a smooth recovery and indeed plays a key role in dental implant success. Harrell Dental Implant Center is Charlotte’s top choice for dental implants. Trust your smile with the team that offers years of experience restoring damaged or missing teeth with implants. Is 2018 the year for your fabulous new smile? Read more to see if you’re a candidate:
Why it’s done
Dental implants are surgically placed in your jawbone, where they serve as the roots of missing teeth. Because the titanium in the implants fuses with your jawbone, the implants won’t slip, make noise or cause bone damage the way fixed bridgework or dentures might. And the materials can’t decay like your own teeth that support regular bridgework can.
In general, dental implants may be right for you if you:
- Have one or more missing teeth
- Don’t have health conditions that will affect bone healing
- Have a jawbone that’s reached full growth
- Are unable or unwilling to wear dentures
- Have adequate bone to secure the implants or are able to have a bone graft
- Have healthy oral tissues
- Want to improve your speech
- Are willing to commit several months to the process
Discover more reasons if dental implant oral surgery is the right choice for you at Colgate
Knowledge Is Power
Dr. Robert Harrell and his experienced dental team rely on state-of-the-art technology to optimize dental implant placement for a seamless procedure. The ability to have concise surgical guides and streamlined equipment ensures optimum patient comfort during all aspects of the procedure. You will receive complete pre and post operative care instructions to understand every aspect of your new smile journey. Learn how to care for your new dental implants below:
Caring for my dental implant(s)
Because dental implants are placed in the jawbone, artificial replacement teeth attached to implants look and act much like natural teeth. Like natural teeth, implants need to be kept clean using a toothbrush and floss. Your dentist will show you the proper cleaning procedure for implants. Regular dental checkups are important so your dentist can make sure that your bite is right and that your implants are not loose.
What else should I know?
- Several visits to your dentist or dental specialist may be needed until the process is done.
- Checkups will be scheduled during the following year so your dentist can be sure your implants are working properly.
- You will need to take very good care of your implants.
- Implants can cost more than other kinds of replacement teeth and might not be covered by your dental plan. But in most cases this is a one-time cost, unlike other kinds of tooth replacement procedures.
- Although rare, possible complications due to dental implants include bleeding, infection, numbness or injury to nearby muscles or the sinus cavity. In some cases, the implant may not be successful because it didn’t bond to the bone. The CDA-ADC is full of excellent considerations to ensure your ultimate healing and wellbeing.
Preparation Is Key For Your Ultimate Dental Implant Success
We look forward to helping you achieve your smile goals. Regardless, if you are seeking a single dental implant, an implant bridge, All-On-Four complete arches or denture stabilization, Harrell Dental Implant Center in Charlotte, NC is who you want to facilitate your oral surgery with. Take these tips from fellow dentists to heart and prepare as much as you can ahead of time to maximize your comfort and convalescence:
Stock Up Your Kitchen
Rather than asking someone to bring you food or settling for hard foods that could potentially slow the healing process, visit the grocery store the night before your procedure. If you are slightly swollen or sore after surgery, having soft foods available to eat will help you avoid complications with the surgical sites. If your procedure requires sedation, you will be unable to drive after your surgery, so you need to plan ahead. Stock up on your favorite soft foods (e.g., applesauce, soups, mashed potatoes, oatmeal, nutritional drinks, etc.). Planning ahead will keep you stress-free, and you won’t have to resort to hard foods or go hungry. Those should not even be options.
Be Mindful of Scheduling
We understand that people have responsibilities, but you also need to give yourself enough time to recover properly so that you don’t extend your recovery time. If you try to resume your normal, everyday activities too soon, you are putting yourself at risk for complications. The majority of our procedures are outpatient and do not require long-term recovery periods, but you still shouldn’t rush your recovery. Consider picking a surgery date around a holiday or a long weekend — figure out the best time for you to relax and recover without stress. We are happy to accommodate your needs, so consider your schedule and find a time that works best.
Have Something to Do While You Recover
After acquiring your favorite soft foods to eat after your procedure, you’ll want to plan some enjoyable, restful activities to do while you recover. Have some interesting books on hand, movies you want to see, puzzles you never finished, and games to play to keep you occupied and entertained! Do your best to keep yourself busy and avoid putting stress on your body. Planning restful activities will help your recovery time seem shorter and deter any temptation to do activities that may slow down your healing process. These are great tips from Billings Oral Surgery that we full heartedly agree with!
Regardless of how many teeth you need to fix or replace, nothing beats the durability and function that dental implants can provide. Book a free consultation at Harrell Dental Implant Center and discover which implant options will best address your needs. Call 704-206-1330 or use the contact form on this page to make your appointment. We look forward to hearing from you.
