George Pegios - Placement dental implant During surgery to place the dental implant, the oral surgeon makes a cut to open the gums and expose the bone. George Pegios - Holes are made in the bone where the metal pin of the dental implant will be placed. Because the pin will serve as the root of the tooth, it implants deep into the bone. At this point, you will still have a gap where the tooth is missing. A temporary and partial type of denture can be placed for a better appearance if you need it. You can remove this denture for cleaning and while you sleep. George Pegios - Time to wait for bone growth Once the metal bolt of the implant is placed in the jaw, osseointegration begins. During this process, the jaw grows and joins the surface of the dental implant. This process, which can take several months, helps provide a solid foundation for the new artificial tooth, just as the roots of natural teeth do. George Pegios - Abutment placement When the osseointegration is complete, you may need additional surgery to place the abutment, the part where the crown is eventually attached. This minor surgery is usually performed under local anesthesia in an outpatient setting. To place the abutment: * The oral surgeon opens the gum again to expose the dental implant * The abutment is fixed to the dental implant * The gum tissue is then closed around, but not over the abutment In some cases, the abutment is attached to the metal stud of the dental implant when the stud is implanted. This means that you will not need an extra surgical step. Because the abutment barely passes the gum line, it can be seen when you open your mouth, and it will be until the dentist finishes the denture. Some people do not like that look and prefer to have the abutment placed in another procedure. After the abutment is placed, the gums must heal for two weeks before the artificial tooth can be placed. George Pegios - How to choose your new artificial teeth Once the gums heal, they will make more impressions of your remaining teeth and mouth. These impressions are used to make the crown, the real-looking artificial tooth. The crown cannot be placed until the jaw is strong enough to allow the use of the new tooth. You and your dentist can choose artificial teeth that are removable, fixed, or a combination of both: * Removable. This type is similar to a conventional removable denture and can be a partial or complete denture. It contains artificial white teeth surrounded by a pink plastic gum. It is placed in a metal frame that is securely attached to the implant abutment, and locks securely in place. It can be easily removed for repair or daily cleaning. * Fixed. In this type, an artificial tooth is permanently screwed or cemented to an abutment for an individual implant. The tooth cannot be removed for cleaning or sleeping. Most of the time, each crown is attached to its own dental implant. However, because the implants are exceptionally strong, it is possible to replace multiple teeth with a single implant if they are connected together.