The science behind dental implants is fascinating. After one of our dentists places the metal implant post in the jawbone, new bone cells grow and attach to it. This attachment process, called osseointegration, differs from the way that your jawbone naturally connects with the roots of your teeth. Natural teeth are connected to the bone by ligaments. Implants create a hard connection directly to the bone.
In this post, we will explain how dental implants work, how long they take to fuse, and what osseointegration means. Let’s dive in!
How Do Dental Implants Work?
Dental implants are small titanium posts that are surgically placed in the jawbone. They’re the strongest, longest-lasting option for replacing natural teeth that have been lost or pulled. They’re also a more natural tooth replacement option than dentures or bridges because of the way the implant post stimulates the jawbone and prevents bone loss.
However, you need to be in good oral health and have a healthy jawbone with enough bone density to get dental implants. One of our three experienced dentists will examine your jaw and let you know if you are a good candidate for them.
What Does Osseointegration Mean?
In simple terms, osseointegration means “combining with the bone.” The osseointegration of dental implants refers to the biological connection between your jawbone and the implant post. During osseointegration, your jawbone strengthens and grows around the implant to hold it firmly in place. After the healing process is over, the implant will act just like a natural tooth root.
How Long Does It Take Dental Implants to Fuse?
It takes anywhere from three to six months for your jawbone and the implant to fuse. This depends on several factors.
Factors that Affect Osseointegration
Several factors can affect your healing time from dental implant surgery. Let’s examine a few.
Age
Younger people tend to heal faster than older people. Plus, older people often have underlying health conditions that slow the healing process down a bit. We will do our best to help you heal as quickly as possible.
Overall Health
If you have a weak immune system or a chronic health condition, it will slow healing time. Smoking and the use of tobacco products also slow healing time and can cause complications. If you do smoke, our dentist will strongly urge you to quit before your implant surgery. Diabetes and uncontrolled blood sugars can also greatly affect proper healing.
Oral Health
Periodontitis and gum disease can affect the healing time of implants or cause implant failure. If you want to get dental implants, you must have good oral hygiene habits and visit our office regularly.
Lifestyle Habits
Your diet plays a critical role in the healing process. If you do not eat well, your implants will heal slowly. Rest also affects how your implants heal. Make sure to get enough sleep each night to help promote healing. High-impact sports can also prevent dental implants from healing quickly.
Additional procedures
If advanced bone grafting was necessary at the time of implant placement we will often give more time for the new bone to fully form around the implant.
The Dental Implant Procedure
The dental implant procedure is an outpatient surgery that takes several steps to complete. The entire procedure can take up to nine months from start to finish. Much of that time is spent healing and waiting for the jawbone and implant to fuse together. At regularly scheduled visits, our dentists will advise you on the healing process and how you are doing. Some of the steps below can be combined or eliminated, depending on your oral and physical health.
Step 1: Removing the damaged tooth, if necessary
Step 2: Bone grafting, if required
Step 3: Dental implant placement
Step 4: Bone growth and healing (osseointegration)
Step 5: Abutment placement
Step 6: Artificial tooth placement (permanent crown)
Four Tips for a Faster Recovery
If you want to recover quickly from your dental implant surgery, use the following tips as a guide.
- Practice Good Oral Hygiene
Brush your teeth twice a day and floss before bedtime.
- Develop Healthy Lifestyle Habits
Eat a healthy diet, drink plenty of water, and avoid smoking. Get plenty of rest and avoid high-impact sports.
- Follow All Post-op Instructions
Our dentists will give you a list of instructions to promote better healing and prevent implant failure. They will probably tell you to use ice packs to reduce swelling and pain or to avoid using straws, rinsing your mouth, or spitting for at least 24 hours to avoid dislodging naturally occurring blood clots that help the site heal.
- Ask About PRF Therapy
Our specialized process of platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) therapy involves taking a small amount of the patient’s blood, centrifuging it to separate it, and applying the platelet-rich liquid to a mesh placed over the tooth extraction site. This technique uses the body’s growth factors to promote healing and lowers the chances of implant rejection or allergic reaction.
Choose Copper Creek Dental for Your Dental Implants
We did our best to include everything you need to know about how dental implants work in this guide, but we’d be happy to answer all of your questions in person. We also offer treatments like PRF therapy that will speed up your recovery time. To find out if you are a good candidate for dental implants, contact Copper Creek Dental in South Jordan, Utah, to schedule a consultation today.
Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (7/30/2024) Image by володимир волощак from Pixabay