New Permanent Teeth - Faster Than Ever!
If you have lost your natural teeth, you may already have heard that dental implants are the best option for tooth replacement. Unlike removable dentures or bridgework, implants actually fuse to your jawbone — providing lifetime support for a full set of great-looking replacement teeth. But you may not know that for many people without teeth, it’s possible to receive an entire set of new implant teeth in just one surgical appointment!
Here are the steps:
Initial Consultation — We will assess your existing condition with the help of x-ray imaging. CT scans allow us to see the jawbone in three dimensions, which is particularly helpful for planning implant treatment. These scans provide critical information about anatomical structures such as bone, sinuses and nerves, and help us determine the ideal location for the implants as we design your new smile.
Implant Surgery — The surgery to place dental implants is actually minor and routine. If you need to have any failing teeth removed, we will do that first. Depending on the quality of your tooth-supporting bone, you may need as few as four or, at most, eight implants in each jaw (upper and lower) to replace all of your teeth.
Temporary Teeth — If the bone in your jaw is healthy and strong enough, we can immediately attach temporary acrylic replacement teeth to the implants so that you can leave the office with teeth the same day as your implant surgery! Once you have fully healed, we will replace your temporary teeth with permanent ones.
Healing — During the first 6-8 weeks after surgery, you”ll need to go easy on the new teeth, avoiding chewy or tough foods so that the implants remain stationary as they complete the process of fusing to your jawbone. People generally have little postoperative discomfort after surgery and begin functioning with their new temporary teeth almost immediately.
A Revitalized Smile — When we are satisfied that your implants have successfully fused to the jawbone, we will remove your temporary teeth and replace them with your permanent ones. These are generally made of stronger, more durable materials and fit the healed gum tissues more precisely. They should feel just like your own teeth. In fact, neither you nor anyone else should be able to tell that they are replacement teeth!
If you would like to learn more about replacing all of your missing teeth with dental implants, please contact Dr. Nick Pournaras by calling (803) 794-5430 to schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “New Teeth in One Day.”