At American Dental, we are particularly proud of our Chicago restorative dentistry practice. Through our work in this area, we have been able to help so many patients improve their confidence and self-esteem with a range of restorative dentistry procedures. One such procedure is known as dental implant surgery and it is a great way to restore missing teeth, whether a patient is missing one tooth or multiple teeth. If you are considering dental implant surgery, you may be wondering how long it will take to recover. Read on to find out more about dental implant surgery and what you can expect in terms of recovery time.
What is Dental Implant Surgery?
During this procedure, a titanium implant resembling a small screw is anchored into your jaw bone. If you do not have enough healthy bone tissue to support a screw-type implant, another type of implant can be inserted under your gum tissue. Once the implant site is healed, an artificial tooth made from strong dental resins can be attached. These artificial teeth look just like your original teeth, are nearly as strong, and will perform just like the teeth you were born with. If you do experience any issues with your new teeth, replacing them is a relatively simple matter.
When compared to dentures, crowns, bridges, and other semi-permanent cosmetic dentistry methods, dental implants come out ahead in every area. They don’t need to be removed for cleaning, they don’t need to be attached using adhesives, and they perform just like natural teeth in every way.
Healing Time for Dental Implant Surgery
Every dental implant procedure has two phases, the surgical phase, and the phase where your prosthetic is created and affixed to the implant. Our patients actually experience very little downtime from the surgical component of the procedure, and pain is usually minimal. After your implant is affixed, you will most likely be able to return to work the next day, and in some cases, you will be able to go back to work the same day. Any pain you experience can easily be managed using over the counter medications, but if your pain becomes too intense, it’s a good idea to speak to your dentist and make sure there are no complications. These situations are exceedingly rare, and most of our patients are back to their normal routines in a day or two.
Before your new tooth can be affixed to the implant, you will need to wait about 4-6 months for it to heal completely. During that time, your dental team will be hard at work creating your brand-new tooth or teeth. Once your implant site is completely healed, the new teeth will be affixed, and your missing tooth or missing teeth will be nothing more than a distant memory.
Dental Implant Surgery in the Chicago Area
If you are missing one or more of your teeth, dental implant surgery may be the best option for you. Residents of Chicagoland should get in touch with American Dental right away for dental implants and a range of other dental procedures including checkups. You can book an appointment online at any one of our seven locations today by clicking the “Make an Appointment” button or by calling (773) 897-3218. Your new smile could be just 4-6 months away; contact American Dental today to get the process started.