Often times, patients hear “dental implant” and will immediately think two things: pain and expense. Although these are legitimate concerns, the good news is that given the advancement of the procedure, neither of these are something to worry about.

The implant procedure is designed for patients who are missing one or several teeth in their mouth. Missing teeth may be result of a few factors, such as a root canal that went bad or a severely compromised tooth that may be deemed as non-restorable. Unlike a removable appliance, such as a partial denture, dental implants are permanently placed and fill the void where a tooth may have been lost. The initial placement of the implant is completed by one of the very talented oral surgeons or periodontists that the MG Dentistry team collaborates with on a routine basis. The surgical component, completed by the specialist, involves a titanium screw that is strategically placed into a dense and strong area of your jaw. Once it has been properly positioned, the surgeon will close the implant site and closely monitor the implant until it has “matured” in the bone. The healing or maturation process can range from three to six months.

Once the required time frame has passed and the implant has healed, the proceeding series of appointments will involve your doctor at MG Dentistry. At these appointments, the MG Dentistry team will take a series of impressions to be sent to the dental laboratory where your implant crown will be designed and fabricated to uniquely match your smile.

Overall, this is a very conservative treatment approach if a “permanent” solution is necessary as adjacent teeth are not compromised or needed to secure the missing tooth.