What to Expect. Your Dental Implant Experience
There are usually two things that stand between a patient and a new smile with dental implants. One is making the financial investment, and the other is fear of the unknown.
The Pi Dental Center is dedicated to removing fear from the dental implant procedure. We begin by providing as much information as possible to our prospective patients via our online presence, our printed materials, and our knowledgeable telephone staff.
Walking through our glass doors, every patient considering a dental implant procedure should feel a sense of welcome and confidence that is uncharacteristic of most healthcare facilities. Step one is to remove all uneasiness.
Your First Visit to Pi
The first visit is a comprehensive examination of the teeth, including radiography and “impressions” (which create stone models of your teeth). The doctor will design an ideal customized treatment plan for your dental implant procedure and usually at least one viable alternative. We will present this plan to the patient in a written document during this appointment or at the patient’s convenience on another date. A staff member will explain the plan in detail and answer all questions.
There is no time limit on this initial visit. The more you understand, the better our relationship will be.
Your Second Visit Is the Life Changer!
If the patient elects to pursue dental implant care, the next appointment is the Teeth in a Day® experience. Every patient leaves this appointment with attractive, non-removable temporary teeth. The length of this visit depends on the number of implants placed and the complexity of the placement; however, an average procedure runs 2 to 3 hours, including the placement of the teeth on the implants. The recent development of the AvaDent® fully milled monolithic provisional prosthesis now adds additional strength to the temporary implant-supported teeth.
Most patients choose to have the implants surgically placed with local anesthesia (awake), but for those who prefer to sleep through the procedure, we provide the services of a first-class general anesthesia team.
The staff will be ready with ice packs to reduce the degree of facial swelling after surgery and will carefully explain the healing “tips” for quick recovery. Most post-operative discomfort from the dental implant procedure is because of swelling, so patient cooperation with ice minimizes the impact.
Some patients go back to work the next day and never miss a beat. Others like to see it through with rest and pampering for several days. Normally, we schedule a brief appointment one week after the dental implant procedure to remove sutures; most patients are completely comfortable by this visit.
All Comfortable From Here
The next phase involves no appointments unless a patient inadvertently breaks a temporary tooth or develops an unexpected complication. This is the time when the titanium implants bond to the natural bone and form the solid roots that will accept the permanent teeth. This process takes from 3 to 5 months and is pain free. Midway through the 3 month healing period, a session is usually scheduled with a Pi Dental Center hygienist who will clean the provisional teeth and instruct you on effective home care oral hygiene techniques.
Once the implants have fused to the bone, a completely diagnostic visit is scheduled. This visit may be lengthy, but it is also pain free. It allows the doctor and the laboratory time to design each minute detail of what will become the final smile. The temporary teeth are then reapplied and the lab goes to work to create the masterpiece.
The Final Smile
Approximately six weeks later, the patient is scheduled for the delivery of the final teeth. This visit resembles a celebration. Replacing the temporary teeth with the permanent smile is quick and painless.
It is more about the face in the mirror, the cameras flashing, and the rejoicing at the end of the journey. Nothing is left but to flash the solid, healthy, confident smile that often changes a whole life. Future appointments are simply for routine check-ups and regular hygiene maintenance.
Remember that at the Pi Dental Center, everything happens under one roof with the same team for all phases of your dental implant procedure. We have served thousands of dental implant patients from across the globe. Our center is one of its kind near the Philadelphia, New Jersey, and New York regions.
