Dental Implant
Dentist McHenry, IL
 Dental implants provide a way to replace a tooth’s root when the tooth needs to be extracted. Implants give structure for dental restorations such as crowns, bridges, and dentures. At McHenry Smile Center, we will determine your candidacy for the procedure and explain the entire process to you. There are two different types of dental implants as well as preparatory procedures if your jaw is not quite ready for the surgery.
Candidacy
You must have good overall and dental health in order to receive dental implants. Any surgery poses a risk of infection, so your immune system must be able to fight off bacteria. With good overall health, this surgery has little to no risk of complications. Additionally, one type of dental implant, endosteal, is inserted into the jawbone. For this, your bone structure must be strong enough to support the implant. On the other hand, we can offer subperiosteal implants. These are not as sturdy, but they also do not need to penetrate the bone.
Dental implants can technically be provided at any age, but we generally recommend that younger patients do not receive them. When the jaw is still developing, implants could cause changes in structure and developmental issues later.
Preparation
We will first meet with you to explain the steps of the procedure and review some medical information. This includes a detailed look at your dental and health records. Our dentist will also need to examine a dental x-ray to ensure that your jaw is ready for implants.
If you are not currently able to support implants, but you still want endosteal implants, there are a few procedures we can do to prepare your jaw. Two main procedures include sinus augmentation and ridge modification. Sinus augmentation raises the sinus floor in order to provide more bone structure for the implant. Ridge modification involves lifting the gum back and exposing the bone. We use this procedure to correct any defects in the upper or lower jawbone. Simple grafting can also be done to enhance the jawbone.
Procedure
Both local and general anesthesia are used for dental implant procedures. First, our dentist will make the incision into the gum and drill into the bone as well. The implant is placed in this hole and the incision is sutured. We must wait several months for the bone and implant to fuse together before the permanent restoration is placed. In the meantime, we will provide a temporary restoration, such as a removable partial denture.
Once the area has completely healed, you will be scheduled for the second surgery. Typically, only local anesthetic is needed for this procedure. Our dentist will reopen the gum to expose the implant. The abutment is then cemented to the implant. Once the cement has been cured (hardened) by a special light, we will close the incision. After about two weeks of additional healing, you can have the crown (false tooth) placed on the abutment. We use dental molds, taken prior to surgery, to customize a crown. We have both removable and fixed crowns available. Fixed crowns are cemented onto the abutment. For additional information on dental implants, call (815) 578-1000 today. |
