How Many Visits Does It Take for a Dental Implant Procedure?

Dental implant surgery cannot finish in just a single dental visit. Although you have already done your homework, you are still uncertain. You still cannot finalize the number of dental appointments that you have to keep. If you want to know the number of visits you need to get dental implants, let us evaluate the timeline.

Consultation

During this first visit, the dentist will check the patient’s medical history. It is also time for the dentist to check the patient’s oral condition through visual assessment and dental X-rays. Once the dentist sees that the patient is a good candidate for implant surgery, the dentist will discuss the goals and steps of the dental implant surgery. The dentist will also address any of the patient’s concerns and help schedule the surgery.

Treatments before the implant surgery

There are cases when the patient’s oral health needs some correction first before the placement of implants. Preparatory treatments for the dental implant surgery may take about 12 months, including healing time. Examples of these pre-surgery treatments are treatments for periodontitis and dental extraction. The number of appointments at this stage depends on the number of treatments that the dentist recommends.

The first surgery

This is an appointment that the dentist and the patient agreed upon during the consultation. The visit takes place about one to two weeks after the patient’s consultation. In this dental appointment, the dentist will make small incisions in the patient’s gums. These incisions will allow the placement of titanium rods.

The recovery

After the dental implant surgery, the first part of the healing takes one to two weeks. Then, there will be a long wait for the titanium implant to integrate with the jawbone. This long process usually takes three to six months or even longer. It depends on the patient’s rate of recovery.

The second surgery

During this appointment, the dentist will place the abutments of the implants. The abutment is the shock absorber and connector of the porcelain dental crowns. It must attach to the titanium rod. For this to happen, the dentist needs to incise the patient’s gums to expose the titanium rods.

The healing period

Healing for the second surgery usually takes about three weeks. This recovery period depends on how well the patient heals. The patient should follow the dentist’s aftercare orders. These include eating soft foods while recovering.

The third appointment

This is the final dental appointment for the dental implant surgery. By this time, the dentist will place the porcelain dental crowns on the abutment or connector. When the patient leaves the dental clinic, the patient will have a brand-new smile. The procedure just takes one appointment.

The final appointment

A few weeks after the placement of the crowns, the patient needs to see the dentist again. The dentist will check to see if the implants are healing well. During this last visit, the dentist will examine the patient’s implant area. Dental X-rays will help confirm that the implants are secure.

You can look forward to a tailor-fit number of appointments for your dental implant surgery

The exact number of appointments for your dental implant surgery depends on your case. If you have several dental issues to correct, the number of appointments may increase. Even if you visit your dentist more than the number of times you expected, each visit will be worth it. You can be sure to have a stunning smile by the end of your last dental implant appointment.

Are you considering a dental implant in the McLean area? Get more information at https://www.oaktreefamilydental.com.

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