Planning and Preparation

When beginning the dental implant process, we always have an in-depth consultation with you in order to discover your wants, needs, and smile goals. We will then evaluate your mouth and identify the number of implants you may need using a cone beam CT scanner and performing any tooth extractions necessary for failing teeth. If you have had missing teeth for some time, you may have lost bone volume in your jaw. Having proper levels of jaw bone is essential for implants as the sole purpose of that jaw bone is to securely hold the teeth or implants in place. In order to restore lost bone, we can perform bone graft procedures. This involves adding a bone material to affected areas that, once healed and fused to existing bone, will give you the proper bone levels to support a new dental implant.

For those needing multiple dental implants or who have extreme dental fear, Dr. Chang may administer IV sedation during the surgery to put you in a relaxed state. We will then place a biocompatible post into pre-planned areas of your jaw to replace missing teeth. This implant post acts as a tooth root, stimulating the jaw bone for continued growth and support as well as firmly anchoring the new tooth into your mouth. In some instances, we are able to place a temporary crown on your implant that very day so you never go any time without a tooth. After allowing your implant dentures to heal for a few months, we will finalize the treatment with a permanent, natural-looking dental crown. Once this final crown is placed, you will be able to use your mouth naturally and enjoy a healthy, complete smile again.