The thought of a major dental procedure makes some patients a little nervous. Rest assured, you are in good hands with our experienced doctors and staff. We perform more than 100 dental implant procedures every month.
Dental implant therapy is a multi-stage process. Here is a breakdown of what to expect.
STEP 1: Implant consultation
At your consultation appointment, we will evaluate your dental concerns and review your general medical and dental history. If you are a good candidate for dental implants, we will examine the problem area and take x-rays. We also have a 3D Cone-Beam CT onsite. The 3D Cone-Beam CT is a high-tech tool that allows us to assess the health of your jawbone by viewing it in 3D. After the examination, we will customize your treatment options and answer any questions you may have.
STEP 2: Preparing for surgery
A good night’s sleep will help prepare your body for the surgery. You can rest well knowing you are in good hands with our highly experienced dental implant surgeons and staff. At Central Dental Group, we perform more than 100 dental implant surgeries every month.
If you are taking blood thinner medications, i.e. aspirin or Coumadin (Warfarin), consult with your physician and make sure you are able to stop taking your medications at least three days before and after the surgery. This will reduce the risk of excessive bleeding during and after surgery, and help your gum to heal.
STEP 3: Surgery day
Arrive early to your appointment so you have ample time to settle down. Irregular vital signs like high blood pressure will force us to postpone your surgery unnecessarily. If you take medication for high blood pressure, make sure to take it as your doctor prescribed the morning of your appointment. If you have had any joint replacement, check with your physician, as you may need to pre-medicate with antibiotics before the procedure.
Implant surgery is a very minor surgery. For our doctors, the average time it takes for the actual implant placement is about 3-5 minutes. The rest of the hour is used to get you ready (i.e., taking x-rays, taking blood pressure). Local anesthesia is more than enough to keep you comfortable during the procedure.
Since you will not be placed under general sedation, you do not have to fast. In fact, a good balanced meal prior to the surgery is highly recommended.
Once the local anesthesia has numbed the area, the surgeon will make a tiny opening on your gum and prepare your jawbone to accept the dental implant. You should not feel any discomfort or pain during the procedure, but you may feel some vibrating sensations from the surgical instruments. Because the implant itself acts as a bandage to the open bone and gum, you should experience minimal bleeding.
STEP 4: After the Surgery
For your comfort and to help with the healing process, you will be provided with prescriptions for these medications:
- Amoxicillin – Unless you are allergic to penicillin, Amoxicillin will be prescribed. It is an antibiotic that will help prevent an infection in the area of the surgery. You must take all doses as prescribed until all capsules are gone. Take one capsule, three times a day for seven days. It is highly recommended to take all medication with food.
- Peridex (Chlorhexidine gluconate 0.12%) – This antiseptic solution will be prescribed as an oral rinse, which is necessary to reduce the amount of harmful bacteria in your mouth. Do not use your own personal mouth rinse. Please use 15 ml of the Peridex solution and gently swish it in your mouth for at least 1 minute before gently spitting it out. Do this twice a day, morning and night. Do not eat for 30 minutes after you rinse.
- Ibuprofen – We will prescribe you 600 mg tablets of Ibuprofen for pain. This medication is not necessary and you are advised only to take it when in pain. Alternatively, you may take 600 mg of over-the-counter Advil for pain. 90% of our patients do not find it necessary to take any pain medication following their dental implant surgery.
