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How Long Is the Implant Process? It Depends on Your Bone Health
Tooth for implant — Wyoming, MI — Dental South
If you're thinking about getting dental implants, you may be curious about how long it might take. The answer depends on the health of your supporting bone.

Bone is an integral part of implant functionality as bone cells gradually grow and adhere to the newly placed implant to give it its characteristic strength. The implant also requires an adequate amount of bone to accurately position it for the best appearance outcome.

If the bone is sufficient and healthy, we can proceed with the surgical placement of the implant. The most common practice following surgery is to allow a few weeks for the bone integration described previously to take place before finally attaching the crown. With an alternative known as a “tooth in one day” procedure, we install a crown right after surgery, which gives you a full smile when you leave.

There's one caveat to this latter method, though—because the implant still requires bone integration, this immediate crown is temporary. It's designed to receive no pressure from biting or chewing, which could damage the still integrating implant. We'll install the permanent crown after the implant and bone have had time to fully mesh.

So, if your supporting bone is sound, the complete implant process may only take a few weeks. But what if it's not—what if you've lost bone and don't have enough to support an implant? In that case, the length of process time depends on the severity of the bone loss and if we're able to overcome it. In some cases, we can't, which means we'll need to consider a different restoration.

But it's often possible to regenerate lost bone by grafting bone material at the implant site. If the bone loss is moderate, it may take 2 to 4 months of regrowth after grafting before we can perform implant surgery. If it's more significant or there's disease damage to the socket, it may take longer, usually 4 to 6 months. It largely depends on the rate of bone regeneration.

In a nutshell, then, the health of your jaw's supporting bone has a lot to do with whether the implant process will take a few weeks or a few months. Regardless of the time, though, you'll gain the same result—new, functional teeth and a more attractive smile.

If you would like more information on dental implant restorations, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Implant Timelines for Replacing Missing Teeth.”
Van Halen — Wyoming, MI — Dental South
By Dental South 12 Jan, 2021
Wyoming dentist, Dental South is a local, trusted dental practice offering general and cosmetic dentistry, teeth whitening, implants, veneers & other dental care. Call today to make an appointment!
By Dental South 12 Jan, 2021
After a long hiatus, school athletes are gearing up for another sports year. Given the pandemic, they may be modifying some of their usual habits and practices. But one thing probably won't change: These young athletes will be looking for every way possible to improve their sports performance. And a new research study offers one possible, and surprising, avenue—beefing up their oral hygiene practice. That's the conclusion of the study published in BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine , a sister publication of the British Journal of Sports Medicine . Working with a group of about 60 elite athletes, a research group in the U.K. found that improving oral health through better hygiene practices might also boost overall sports performance. Because there's some evidence that over 50% of athletes have some form of tooth decay or gum disease, the study's researchers wanted to know if there was a link between athletes' sports performance and their dental problems caused by neglected oral hygiene. And if so, they wanted to see if better hygiene might improve sports performance as well as oral health. Their first step was to establish an initial baseline for the participants with an oral health screening, finding that only around 1 in 10 of the study's participants regularly brushed with fluoride toothpaste or flossed. They then administered a detailed questionnaire developed by the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center (OSTRC) to gauge the athletes' perception of how their current oral health affected their sports performance. After some basic hygiene training, the athletes were given kits containing a toothbrush, prescription fluoride toothpaste and floss picks. They were then instructed to clean their teeth twice a day. Four months later, researchers found the number of participants who regularly brushed increased to 80%, and flossing more than doubled. What's more, a second OSTRC questionnaire found significant improvement overall in the athletes' perception of their sports performance. As scientific research, these findings still need further testing and validation. But the study does raise the possibility that proper dental care could benefit other areas of your life, including sports participation. Athlete or not, instituting some basic dental care can make a big difference in maintaining a healthy mouth: Brush twice and floss once every day to remove accumulated dental plaque, the main source of dental disease; Get a professional dental cleaning at least twice a year to remove stubborn plaque and tartar; See us if you notice tooth pain or swollen or bleeding gums to stay ahead of developing dental disease. Improving your dental care just might benefit other areas of your life, perhaps even athletic pursuits. We guarantee it will make a healthy difference for your teeth and gums. If you would like more information on how you can improve your dental health, please c ontact us or schedule a consultation. To learn more, read the Dear Doctor magazine article “ Daily Oral Hygiene .”
Sugar free treats — Wyoming, MI — Dental South
By Dental South 23 Dec, 2020
Wyoming dentist, Dental South is a local, trusted dental practice offering general and cosmetic dentistry, teeth whitening, implants, veneers & other dental care. Call today to make an appointment!
Dentist wearing PPE — Wyoming, MI — Dental South
By Dental South 13 Dec, 2020
Wyoming dentist, Dental South is a local, trusted dental practice offering general and cosmetic dentistry, teeth whitening, implants, veneers & other dental care. Call today to make an appointment!
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By Dental South 03 Dec, 2020
Wyoming dentist, Dental South is a local, trusted dental practice offering general and cosmetic dentistry, teeth whitening, implants, veneers & other dental care. Call today to make an appointment!
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By Dental South 23 Nov, 2020
Wyoming dentist, Dental South is a local, trusted dental practice offering general and cosmetic dentistry, teeth whitening, implants, veneers & other dental care. Call today to make an appointment!
Dentist doing dental checkup — Wyoming, MI — Dental South
By Dental South 13 Nov, 2020
Wyoming dentist, Dental South is a local, trusted dental practice offering general and cosmetic dentistry, teeth whitening, implants, veneers & other dental care. Call today to make an appointment!
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By Dental South 03 Nov, 2020
Wyoming dentist, Dental South is a local, trusted dental practice offering general and cosmetic dentistry, teeth whitening, implants, veneers & other dental care. Call today to make an appointment!
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By Dental South 24 Oct, 2020
Wyoming dentist, Dental South is a local, trusted dental practice offering general and cosmetic dentistry, teeth whitening, implants, veneers & other dental care. Call today to make an appointment!
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By Dental South 14 Oct, 2020
Wyoming dentist, Dental South is a local, trusted dental practice offering general and cosmetic dentistry, teeth whitening, implants, veneers & other dental care. Call today to make an appointment!
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