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Dental implants have always been one of the most controversial treatment procedures practiced in cosmetic dental medicine. It is a long procedure that would take around a year's waiting even for placing a single implant.

The general procedure of getting a dental implant

1. The primary step involves detailed medical examination. Your dentist would require for a clean chit from your general physician stating that you are physically fit enough to tolerate the treatment and surgeries involved in the procedure. Certain contraindications are abnormal levels of blood sugar, hypertension, hypotension, low immunity, heart troubles, blood conditions, low bone density etc.

2. Once you get the clearance from your general physician, your dentist would take up further screening and investigation to ensure whether your gums and jawbones are fit enough to hold an implant. If you are susceptible to gum infections, then your dentist might disapprove your treatment. In the event of any temporary issue he would prescribe appropriate medication and treatment.

3. After you are dentally cleared for getting an implant, your dentist would fix a date for your dental implant surgery. The surgery is done with local anesthesia. The procedure begins with extensive cleaning using requisite antibacterial and antibody solutions. Then a hole will be drilled through your bare gum into the jaw bone. The measurement of the hole is carefully matched with the size of the titanium implant. After this the implant is fixed inside, and it is screwed into that position. The open incision in the gum is ligated with sutures and the surgery is concluded.

4. The above procedure is followed by an interval of 3 to 4 months during which your gums are left alone to heal around the implant. You would be given oral medication to supplement the healing procedure and also to avoid infections. There would be limitations regarding eating and biting and this would be explained in detail by your surgeon.

5. Once your gums and jaw bones are completely healed, the second part of the treatment begins. This is known as restoration of the implant. In this process, your dentist would restore implant by creating a hole in your gum. This would leave the implant exposed. Then an abutment is fixed to this exposed top portion of the implant. After that your dentist would fix a temporary crown model on to this abutment. Meanwhile, measurement of your teeth structure is taken in order to construct the permanent prosthetic tooth that matches the color, shape and size of your teeth.

6. After the placement of the abutment and temporary tooth, you will be on further medication for proper growth of gum tissues surrounding the entire set of implant and tooth. Once your oral condition is deemed fit for the placement of the final tooth, your dentist removes the temporary tooth and replaces it with the permanent one.

This concludes the basic procedure of your dental implant placement. This is followed by proper care and eating regulations so as to prevent rejection of the implant.