Many people in Butler, PA, choose to get dental implants when they need to replace a missing tooth or teeth. Dental implants are the best tooth replacement option because they replace the tooth root that anchors in your jawbone. The dental implant process is easy and comfortable for Advanced Dentistry of Butler patients.
Common Questions about Dental Implants
Before we get into the process, let’s answer a few common questions.
“What Is A Dental Implant?”
You can think of a dental implant as an artificial tooth root. It’s a titanium post that your cosmetic dentist, Dr. Bob Fornalczyk, surgically places in your jawbone. After the post heals, it’s as sturdy and strong as a natural tooth root. We’ll put a crown on top of your dental implant to replace the visible part of your tooth. Once your dental implant surgery and healing are complete, you’ll have a brand new tooth that is secure enough to eat all your favorite foods and as attractive as a natural tooth.
“Does It Hurt To Get Dental Implants?”
We are happy to say that when you choose to get your dental implants at our Butler dental office, you’ll experience minimal discomfort. We’ll sedate you during the procedure so you don’t feel a thing. We will recommend over-the-counter painkillers for healing. You’ll feel little discomfort if you keep up with your aftercare.
“How Much Are Dental Implants?”
This question is harder to answer because each person has different needs before dental implant surgery that can change the cost. For example, if you come to us with gum disease, we’ll need to treat it before surgery. Other times, patients may need a bone graft before dental implant surgery to ensure their dental implant can last the next 30 years or more. The uniqueness of each situation makes quoting price without consultation and exam almost impossible. If you’re interested in getting a dental implant, please schedule an appointment online or call (724) 282-4436. Check with your insurance provider to see how much of the dental implant surgery they’ll cover. If you need financial assistance after that, we offer financing because we believe everyone is entitled to a beautiful, functioning smile.
Outlining the Dental Implant Process
The entire dental implant process can take anywhere from three months to a year, depending on the pre-treatments you need, but the surgery itself only takes about an hour or two. Since you’ll be sedated, you’ll need to have someone drive you to and from our office on the day of your procedure.
Dental Implant Consultation and Exam
The first step is to schedule an appointment with Butler cosmetic dentist, Dr. Bob, online or by calling (724) 282-4436. We’ll get you set up for a consultation and exam.
Dr. Bob will carefully inspect your mouth, teeth, and gums during your exam. We’ll also review your health history to determine if you are healthy enough for surgery. If Dr. Bob finds any signs of gum disease, we’ll recommend treatment. If your gum disease is in the early stages, you’ll be ready for dental implant surgery within two or three weeks. It may take longer if you have more advanced gum disease.
Dr. Bob will also examine your jaw to determine if you have adequate jawbone density to hold a dental implant. Most of the time, we find that people have enough jawbone. However, if you have low jawbone density, we’ll recommend a bone graft, or we can explore other forms of tooth replacement. Recovery times on a bone graft vary, but patients usually need a few months of healing.
If the tooth or teeth needing replacement are still around, we’ll need to extract them.
Tooth Extraction
Tooth extraction is considered oral surgery but don’t worry! Tooth extraction is very safe, and you won’t feel any pain. In limited cases, we can do the extraction and dental implant surgery in one day, but most of the time, you’ll need to allow the extraction site time to heal before the dental implant surgery. Healing can take up to 10 weeks. During that time, we’ll fit you with temporary crowns so you can have a beautiful smile while you heal.
Dental Implant Surgery
On the day of your dental implant surgery, you’ll only need to spend about 1 or 2 hours in our office, but it’s best to take the day off to rest after your surgery. We’ll carefully make room for your dental implant during surgery and place it in your jawbone. The titanium post will act as your tooth root as soon as it’s healed. Healing can take 3 – 6 months.
There are cases where we can place your permanent crown on the day of your dental implant surgery, but other times, we’ll set a temporary crown while you heal.
Final Crown Placement
If you couldn’t get your final crown on the day of your dental implant surgery, we’ll place it after the surgery site is healed. This appointment is short, and before you know it, you’ll have a beautiful smile that you can’t help but show off!
Get a Brand New Smile with Dental Implants in Butler, PA
Dental implants offer many benefits over other tooth replacement options; you can read more about those benefits here. If you are missing a tooth or teeth, call your cosmetic dentist in Butler, Dr. Bob, at (724) 282-4436 or schedule an appointment online.
