.png){kind=logo}
.png){kind=icon}
Dental implants were first invented in 1965, but did not gain widespread use until the late 1980s.
After your implant surgery, you’ll go home to recover. Initial recovery takes 1-2 weeks, while it will take up to 3-6 months for your dental implant to permanently attach to your jaw bone. During this time, you will come into our office for several follow-ups.
During your follow-ups, Dr. Hanks will take scans, images, and impressions of your mouth. She will use this information and work with a dental lab to create a lifelike dental restoration, such as a dental crown.
Once your mouth has healed and Dr. Hanks has finished creating your dental implant restoration, you’ll come to our office for your final appointment, and your restoration will be permanently attached to your implant.
If you’ve had a new dental implant placed into your mouth, you definitely need to get a dental implant restoration. Dr. Hanks will work with your implant specialist to build a life-like, natural restoration that will fit into your mouth perfectly.
It’s sometimes a bit more difficult to tell if you need a new implant restoration for an existing implant, though. In most cases, implant restorations last about 15 years. In contrast, the metal dental implant will usually last 30+ years, and can easily last a lifetime. That means your implant restoration will wear out eventually.
So if your restoration feels loose or strange, or you’re experiencing any kind of pain or change in how the area around your implant feels, your implant restoration may have worn out. You may also want to look for signs of damage to the restoration, such as cracks, chips, or other damage to a dental crown.
This is one of the reasons why it’s important to see Dr. Hanks every six months for a teeth cleaning and oral exam. At your routine appointments, she can check your natural teeth as well as your implants and restorations, and ensure they’re in good shape. Then, if she notices any issues with your implant restoration, she can schedule you for a follow-up and fix the problem.
Because the dental implant is only part of the procedure. Dental implants are small pieces of metal that are surgically placed into your mouth to function as artificial tooth roots. But on their own, they don’t restore your smile. They just provide an anchor for a new tooth.
To actually restore your smile, you need a dental implant “restoration.” The most common type of dental implant restoration is a dental crown, which replaces just one tooth. However, some types of restorations can replace multiple teeth. Implant-supported bridges replace several teeth at once, and implant-supported dentures can replace a full mouth of teeth.
Veneers are a permanent dental treatment that requires the removal of enamel.
.png){kind=icon}
.png){kind=icon}
.png){kind=icon}