How the Dental Implant Process is Like Starting a New Exercise Routine

Decide

All successful exercise routines take some planning to be effective. The same goes for dental implants. You first need to decide what routine is right for you. In the case of choosing an option to replace a missing tooth, you pick amongst several options such as an implant, bridge, or a partial denture. Without replacing a missing tooth, you risk a host of problems arising such as shifting teeth, difficulty chewing, and wear on remaining teeth.

Many of our patients are drawn to implants because they look and function like their other teeth. You can even floss between them! Dental implants are capable of lasting a lifetime when well cared for, making them the most durable of any tooth-replacement option. If you don’t plan on caring for the implant, then consider other options because implants are pricier and take longer to acquire than a bridge or partial. Like exercise routines, one size does not fit all. While one option may fit one body, it may not fit as well for another. Make sure to go over the different avenues in replacing teeth with your dental professional before the initial dental implant evaluation.

Motivate

            With exercise routines, jumping right into the toughest workout isn’t doing you any favors to stay motivated or healthy. If your dentist immediately placed an implant without considering your unique condition, the plan is already set up for failure. This is why the initial evaluation for a dental implant is invaluable.

At your dental implant evaluation, your provider will determine if you are a candidate for treatment. Significant bone loss, smoking, excessive grinding, or diabetes, just to name a few, can be indicators for implant failure. If you don’t have enough bone structure to support the implant or if another condition may cause the implant to fail too soon, it serves as a red flag. A dental provider wants to see an implant last long term since the process is lengthy and requires commitment.

Whether it’s a gym class membership or a dental implant, your hard-earned dollars should go towards what benefits you the most. If a gym class is too strenuous on your body, you would choose something with less intensity like yoga. As for dental implants, we want to make sure that this option is worthwhile with all time, energy, and money well spent. The dental implant evaluation provides this opportunity, which will motivate you to move towards the next steps.

Commit

After considering all decisions, you will begin your exercise routine in stages so you can get more and more fit. Remember that if you take on too much at once, it can easily backfire in the form of injury or failure to motivate. Your dental implant procedure is completed in stages too so that nothing goes wrong and healing has time to take place. Your provider will go over the dental implant process at their office, but the timeline should look like this:

1. The Warm-Up – If a tooth exists in the spot where an implant is expected to be placed, that tooth will need to be removed.  If you do not have enough bone structure to support the implant, a bone graft may be placed. This can take several months of recovery time.
2. Step it Up – An implant (the screw portion) is now placed. It will take about 3-6 months to heal. Depending on where the missing tooth is located, you may need a temporary crown or partial to hold the place for the crown.
3. Breaking a Sweat – Once the implant is stable in the jawbone, an impression will be taken so that the abutment and implant crown can be made.
4. Cool Down –You’ve reached your weight goal and completed a series of tough exercises. We’re just kidding, but we aren’t kidding about how the abutment and implant crown will finally be placed. The new implant will function as “one of the guys” in your happy, full mouth.

We want to answer your questions about dental implants. Reach out today.

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