If you’ve lost one or more of your natural teeth, dental implants in Flower Mound, TX, from Titensor Dental are the best way to permanently restore your smile. Compared to alternatives like bridges and partial dentures, dental implants last longer, feel more natural, require less maintenance, and help protect your oral health more effectively.
But how exactly do dental implants work, and what can you expect from the procedure if you decide to get implants from Dr. Brett Steven Titensor or Dr. Jackson Mann at our office? In this comprehensive guide, we’ll discuss how implants work, what types are the most common, and what you can expect from the process, from your first implant consultation to the long-term maintenance of your new smile.
Understanding Dental Implants – What Are They?
Dental implants consist of two primary parts, usually called the implant “post” and implant “restoration.” The post is a small, screw-shaped piece of titanium metal. This is surgically placed into your gums and jawbone in the area where you’ve lost a tooth.
Over time, the implant post heals and permanently bonds with your jawbone in a process known as “osseointegration.” Once it’s fully healed, the implant post essentially functions as an artificial tooth root. It may be used to support a single false tooth (crown), or multiple implants can be used to support a dental bridge or even a full set of implant dentures.
The benefits of dental implants
Wondering why dental implants are typically considered to be the best way to replace missing teeth? Here are just a few of the reasons that patients choose implants instead of alternatives like partial dentures or dental bridges.
- Completely natural appearance – At Titensor Dental, we use the latest ceramic materials to create crowns and other implant restorations. Dr. Jackson and Dr. Titensor will ensure that your new tooth or teeth fit perfectly into your natural smile for a seamless result.
- Never shifts or moves – Unlike traditional dentures, implants are securely locked into place, and cannot shift or move once they heal. This provides more stability when eating, chewing, speaking, and living your daily life.
- Low maintenance – For the most part, you can treat your new implants just like natural teeth. Maintenance requirements are minimal, especially when compared to partial or full dentures.
- Unbeatable lifespan – Dental implants have a longer lifespan than any other method of tooth replacement. With expert placement and optimal recovery, dental implants can last for 30 years or longer. Some patients are able to keep their implants for the rest of their lives.
Types of Dental Implants – Your Options For Tooth Replacement
There are lots of different dental implant types that may be recommended based on how many teeth you've lost, the location of each tooth, your overall oral health, and a variety of other factors. Here’s a quick look at the most common types that are used in modern dental offices:
- Single-tooth implants – These consist of a single implant with one porcelain dental crown, and are used to replace just one tooth. Single-tooth implants are, by far, the most common type of dental implant.
- Implant bridges – Implant bridges use two dental implants to support a row of three or more false teeth and fill larger gaps in the smile. Unlike traditional bridges, there’s no need to trim away healthy tooth material for implant bridges!
- Implant dentures – Implant dentures snap onto a series of 4-6 implants in the upper, lower, or both arches of teeth. Depending on the type that you choose, implant dentures may be removable at home, or permanently fixed in place and only removable by a dentist.
- Mini implants – About half the size of traditional implants, “mini” implants require less bone material than traditional implants. Though they can sometimes be used for single-tooth implants, it’s more common for multiple mini implants to support a bridge or a full set of dentures
- Zygomatic implants – Zygomatic implants are used to restore upper teeth in patients with severe bone loss. They are much longer than traditional implants and reach all the way into the cheekbone. This provides strong, stable support for a set of upper implant dentures.
Your Step-By-Step Guide To The Dental Implant Procedure
Getting dental implants is a big commitment, and we understand that the process can be a little bit intimidating. But at Titensor Dental, Dr. Titensor and Dr. Jackson will do their best to explain every step, keep you comfortable during treatment, and answer any questions you may have throughout the procedure.
But if you’re wondering what to expect, we’re here to help! Here’s an in-depth look at what you can expect as you move through all of the implant procedure steps that are necessary to permanently restore your smile.
Initial consultation and evaluation
First, you’ll meet with Dr. Titensor or Dr. Jackson for a comprehensive consultation and implant evaluation. Your dentist will examine your mouth, discuss your oral health history, and take 3D images and X-rays of your teeth and jaws to determine if you’re a good candidate for dental implants.
Extractions and bone grafting (if needed)
Once you’re approved, you may need additional treatments like tooth extractions or bone grafts to prepare for dental implants. Dr. Titensor or Dr. Jackson will discuss these with you after your initial consultation and work with you to schedule any necessary pre-implant procedures at Titensor Dental.
Surgical implant placement
To begin, Dr. Titensor or Dr. Jackson will clean and numb your mouth. We also offer a variety of dental sedation options to keep you comfortable throughout your implant surgery. Once your mouth is numb, your dentist will create a small opening in your gums and jawbone.
Then, your dentist will place a titanium implant in the opening and use special tools to secure it in place in your jawbone. Then, the area will be cleaned and sutured shut to ensure that it heals properly. This process will be repeated if you’re getting multiple implants.
Initial recovery and osseointegration
You’ll be sent home to heal and recover. It usually takes 2-3 weeks for your mouth to heal from surgery. However, it will take between 3-6 months for the jawbone to fully heal and bond with your implant.
Throughout this period, you’ll come into Titensor Dental for follow-up visits. Your dentist will track your progress, make sure you’re healing properly, and begin designing your permanent crown, bridge, or set of implant dentures.
Abutment and implant restoration
Once your mouth is fully healed, you’ll usually need to come in for a quick visit to have a metal abutment placed on top of your implant. This is a small metal connector that lets the restoration attach to your dental implant.
After you get your abutment, you’ll come in for your final visit a few weeks later. Dr. Jackson or Dr. Titensor will check the fit of your implant restoration. Then, if everything looks good, they will attach it to your implant or implants, permanently restoring your smile.
Understanding Dental Implant Healing Stages
Generally speaking, the dental implant recovery process can be split up into two stages. Here’s what to expect after you get a dental implant from the team at Titensor Dental and begin to heal and recover:
Soft tissue healing and recovery (2-3 weeks)
Right after your treatment, you may feel some pain and discomfort in the implant site, and you will usually experience bleeding for 24-48 hours. Some swelling, inflammation, and tenderness can persist for 1-2 weeks afterward.
However, there is no extensive downtime. You can usually get back to work or school within a day or two of your implant, and your mouth should be fully healed within 2-3 weeks of your surgery.
Osseointegration (3-6 months)
After your mouth heals from your surgery, your jawbone will continue to heal and bond with the titanium implant. This is a natural process known as “osseointegration.” It usually takes between three and six months for your implant to fully bond with your mouth.
This process will continue in the background after your initial healing from your surgery. Throughout the osseointegration period, you’ll come in every couple of months for a visit with Dr. Jackson or Dr. Titensor so that they can track your recovery and make sure everything looks good.
Aftercare For Dental Implants – Essential Steps
Not sure what to expect right after you get dental implants? Dr. Titensor or Dr. Jackson will provide you with a comprehensive set of dental implant aftercare instructions to follow as you heal. This ensures that you know exactly what to do in order to speed up the recovery process. Here are a few highlights:
- Take things easy for a few days – Heavy exercise and exertion within 2-3 days can cause bleeding and serious discomfort around the implant site.
- Stick to a soft food diet – You should eat mostly soft foods for about two weeks. You can start out with yogurt, ice cream, smoothies, and other liquid foods, then add firmer foods like scrambled eggs and soft pasta into your diet after a few days. Avoid crunchy, sharp, spicy, and hard foods for at least 3-4 weeks.
- Do not smoke, vape, or use any tobacco/nicotine products – Using any kind of tobacco or nicotine product right after implant surgery will interfere with the natural healing process, dramatically raising the risk of implant failure.
- Take care while brushing your teeth – You can keep brushing your teeth, but you should be careful around the implant site, and should not brush it directly for at least 3-4 days.
- Look out for signs of complications – If you experience a lot of pain, discomfort, bleeding, or swelling after a week or so, you may want to schedule a follow-up at Titensor Dental to check for complications.
- Don’t skip your checkups – Dr. Jackson or Dr. Titensor will need to check on your implant a few times over the next few months, so make sure to come to Titensor Dental as scheduled.
Long-Term Care And Maintenance For Dental Implants
Dental implants are a big investment, and they're worth every penny. But if you want to get the most out of your new smile, it’s best to follow a few simple steps to keep your smile in great shape for the years and decades to come:
- Maintain a great oral hygiene routine – Brush twice a day for two minutes using fluoride toothpaste, floss once per day, and use alcohol-free ADA-accepted mouthwash to kill bacteria and keep your breath fresh.
- Eat a “tooth-healthy” diet – Try to reduce your intake of sugary beverages, starchy snacks, and processed foods that can cause cavities. Instead, consume more fresh fruit and vegetables, lean meats, healthy dairy, and whole grains.
- Permanently quit tobacco/nicotine use – In the long term, continued use of tobacco (smoking, dip, snus), or nicotine products (vaping, nicotine pouches) is associated with a much higher risk of implant failure. If you want to keep your implants for as long as possible, you need to quit all types of tobacco/nicotine use.
- Protect against grinding and accidents – Consider a night guard if you grind your teeth at night, and an athletic mouth guard if you play contact sports and activities like soccer, hockey, football, skateboarding, and mountain biking.
- Get cleanings and oral exams every six months – During every six-month checkup, Dr. Jackson or Dr. TItensor will check on both your natural teeth and your implants to make sure that your smile is healthy. Plus, teeth cleanings keep your natural teeth and implants bright, shiny, and beautiful!
Answering FAQs About The Implant Procedure
- How painful is the dental implant procedure? You will not feel any pain during the procedure. Dr. Jackson or Dr. Titensor will numb your mouth to ensure you stay comfortable. We also offer nitrous oxide (laughing gas), oral conscious sedation, and IV sedation to keep you feeling relaxed during your visit.
- Will my mouth hurt after surgery? After numbing and sedation wear off, the implant site will be sore and tender. This discomfort is quite minor, and your dentist will provide you with instructions on how to manage it as you heal and recover.
- How long does recovery from dental implants take? You can get back to your routine within a day or two, and most patients are fully recovered from surgery within 2-3 weeks. However, it will take an additional 3-6 months for the implant to permanently bond with the jawbone.
- Are dental implants permanent? Yes. The implant itself can easily last the rest of your life with proper care. While the implant restoration (crown, bridge, denture) may still wear out and require replacement over time, your implant will be permanent and will never need to be replaced as long as it stays healthy.
- What can cause dental implants to fail? The most common reason is infection at the implant site (peri-implantitis). This can be caused by poor oral hygiene, smoking, gum disease, bruxism, and a variety of other factors. Dr. Titensor and Dr. Jackson can provide the advice you need to minimize the risk of implant failure and keep your investment safe.
Book A Dental Implant Consultation At Titensor Dental
Tooth loss doesn't have to stop you from eating your favorite foods, smiling proudly, and feeling great about your appearance. With dental implants in Flower Mound at Titensor Dental, you can permanently restore your smile and your self-confidence.
So don’t wait. Whether you’re interested in a single-tooth implant, an implant bridge, or a full mouth of implant dentures, Dr. Jackson and Dr. Titensor are here to help. With extensive training from institutions like Spear, Hornbrook Group, and The Pathway, our doctors have the expertise you need for the best possible results. Give us a call at (972) 355-9545 or contact us online to get started today.