Before you get started replacing missing teeth with an implant supported tooth replacement prosthetic, there are some important preparatory steps you may need to complete first. In order to ensure your dental implant tooth replacement stays whole and functional, these preparatory treatments are essential. In this post, we’ll discuss the four steps patients often need to complete before beginning a dental implant tooth replacement plan.
1 – Optimize Oral Health
Before beginning advanced tooth replacement using dental implants, your dentist will want to make sure you are not suffering from any oral health concerns. This may include removing damaged or decayed teeth, treating gum disease, and addressing other oral health issues.
2 – Increase Bone Density & Soft Tissue volume
Prior to dental implant placement, we may need to place a bone or soft tissue graft to ensure there is adequate supportive structure to anchor your dental implant posts. These procedures allow patients who may not otherwise be good candidates for implant tooth replacement to receive this treatment.
3 – Meet with Your Physician to Review Medications
If you’re taking any medications or suffer from any chronic or system illnesses, you may want to have a meeting with your physician to discuss how treatments for these health concerns could affect your implant procedure and recovery.
4 – Discuss Proper At-Home Care with Your Dentist
Before you leave the dental office after having your implants placed, you should discuss how best to care for your surgical site as it heals. Your dentist will likely provide oral or topical antibiotics to limit risk of infection. You should continue to brush and floss any healthy remaining teeth. The dentist will likely also recommend an antimicrobial oral rinse to help you clean the area around the dental implant site.
Meet Dr. Nameth
Skilled Worthington dentist, Randall Nameth, DDS, offers a wide array of dental care solutions from the simplest dentistry exams and teeth cleanings to the most advanced implant supported tooth replacement plans. If you’re considering dental implant supported tooth replacement, our dentistry team would be happy to schedule a tooth replacement consultation appointment in our Worthington dental office. During your consultation visit, we’ll examine your smile, discuss treatment options, and help you to create a plan to replace missing teeth with flawless, functional smiles. If you’re ready to get started, contact us today. We look forward to seeing your smile.