The Placement of an Implant

Implant therapy is unique in dentistry in that it is provided not just by one dentist, but by a team of dentists and laboratory artisans.  Your first contact in seeking to satisfy your need for tooth replacement is usually with a prosthodontist (like myself) or your restorative dentist.  Shortly thereafter, a team is formed which includes you, your restorative dentist, a prosthodontist (or a qualified restorative dentist), a surgeon (either an oral surgeon or a periodontist), and a qualified dental laboratory artisan.

Once you have consulted with the members of your team, impressions are made of your upper and lower jaws, and a "mock up" of your proposed implant restoration(s) is made.  After you approve of our plan, we make a surgical guidance appliance (it looks like an orthodontic retainer), which helps your surgeon place the implant(s) in precisely the ideal position(s).

When the day of surgery arrives, the lightweight, pure titanium implant is gently treaded into place during surgery.  Our patients report that, in most cases, the intensity of the surgery is about the same as a wisdom tooth extraction.  For comfort, local anesthetic ("novacaine", or similar) is used.  Additional comfort can be provided by sedative medications.  The vast majority of implant proceedures are outpatient in nature, and are performed in the surgeon's regular clinical office.

After surgery, the implant remains hidden in your jaw, totally unnoticed by you or anybody else, for about 3 to 6 months (the waiting time depends on one or more of the following factors:

• The density of your bone tissue

• The length and diameter of the implants used

• In the upper jaw, the closeness of your sinus to your implant

• The length of time you are out of town (for those of you who, for whatever reason, choose not to stay and enjoy your winter here in Wisconsin)

During this time, you continue to wear whatever type of existing or temporary replacement tooth or teeth that you already have.

When it's time to make your replacement tooth or teeth, a second, very minor, surgery is performed to access the very top of your implant.   Dr. Hart selects and installs the appropriate connector, or "abutment" to your implant, and begins taking the impressions needed to create your final result.

Once your impressions are made, Dr. Hart and the laboratory artisan proceed to create your implant supported replacement teeth. Depending on the type of restoration you are receiving, we usually take several steps to double check such things as fit, shade (color), your bite, etc., to make sure everything is absolutely perfect.  To review the different types of implant restorations we can provide, please review the "Possibilities" section of our Website..

Now that your implant restoration or reconstruction is completed, you will be able to enjoy the incredable improvement in your quality of life that you set out to achieve when you first looked into your possibilities with implants!  Click below to return to the Main Implant Menu.

The lightweight, pure titanium implant is gently treaded into place during surgery.  Please dont be alarmed by the size of this picture, it's greatly magnified. . . .The implant, itself, is about half the width and length of a small paper clip.

 

The implant remains hidden in your jaw, totally unnoticed by you or anybody else, for about 3 to 6 months.  You continue to wear whatever type of existing or temporary replacement tooth or teeth that you already have.

 

When it's time to make your replacement tooth or teeth, a second, very minor, surgery is performed to access the very top of your implant.   Dr. Hart selects and installs the appropriate connector, or "abutment" to your implant, and begins taking the impressions needed to create your final result.

 

Your completed implant reconstruction is now ready for you to enjoy.