Dental Implant Surgery
Patients are often pleasantly surprised by how easy implant surgery can be. In both our dental clinics in West Vancouver and North Vancouver, your comfort is always a top priority. On the day of your procedure, Dr. Gillespie will perform your personalized treatment plan to precisely and accurately place the implants in their optimal positions within your jawbone. If you are having a tooth extracted, the implant may be placed into the socket during the same procedure. Otherwise, a small incision is made in the gum tissue to expose the underlying jawbone. The dental implant will then be surgically inserted into the bone. Most of the time the gum is sutured around a healing abutment attached to the implant that extends through the gum tissue. This is referred to as “one stage healing” of the implant.
At times, patients may have a softer bone or insufficient volume of bone. In these cases, the implant may need to heal beneath the surface of the gum for additional protection. This is referred to as “submerged healing” and requires minor surgery to expose the implant after it heals. You may be a candidate for immediate implant teeth. This option allows for the placement of temporary teeth that are immediately secured onto the implant(s) to avoid the need for removable replacements during healing. Our experienced dentists will explain how your case is best managed.
After implant surgery, most patients experience minimal disruption in their daily life. In almost all cases you can wear temporary replacement teeth. Most patients can easily return to work the following day. Postoperative discomfort is usually considered minimal. Although you will have temporary teeth, dental implants need to integrate before the final teeth are fabricated. Implant integration can range from six weeks to four months or more depending on conditions such as bone quality and your ability to heal.
