Dental implant surgery can take between 1-2 hours for a single implant. Patients face a waiting game once the surgery is over as the titanium implant rod and the jawbone gradually fuse. Depending on the patient's ability to heal, this process of osseointegration can take between 6 weeks to 3 months or even longer.
The placement procedure takes 1 to 2 hours with a healing time between 3 and 6 months.
It takes anywhere between four and six months for the All-on-4 implant process to be completed. It may take longer for those who are in need of additional dental work, which can add another month or two to the overall process.
The average time for dental implants to fully heal is 4-6 months, though the healing process is complex and is likely to vary considerably from person to person. Healing time is influenced by many factors, including the general overall health of the patient.
With numbed nerves, you can expect not to feel any pain during your dental implant procedure. You may feel pressure at times, but it should not cause you discomfort. For patients who have anxiety with dental procedures, oral sedation is available.
Patients are commonly sedated during dental implant surgery to protect against pain during this invasive procedure. Most patients are put under conscious sedation while local anesthesia is applied to the area of the mouth that is being worked on.
You'll need to eat soft foods while you recover from the dental implant procedure. That way, your mouth and jaw will have a chance to heal. Stay away from foods that are sticky and/or hard to chew in the meantime. Once you fully recover from the dental implant procedure, you'll be able to eat whatever you want.
Typically, it takes about one week for patients to return to regular eating habits after dental implant surgery. But if you are a fast healer, you may be able to return to some solid (but not firm or crunchy) foods 24 – 48 hours after surgery. Food consumed during healing should still be easy to chew.
Full Mouth Implants
With modern dentistry, various patients may be a good candidate for implant-supported dentures or full mouth dental implants. The cost for this type of implant-supported dentures can vary from $7,000 to $90,000. The average cost for full mouth implants is about $34,000.
Side effects that are normal and expected include swelling around the gums and in your face, slight bruising, pain at the implant site, and minor bleeding. It's usually recommended to avoid hard foods during healing, and your oral surgeon may prescribe pain medication or antibiotics after surgery to help you heal.
The jaw, mouth and tongue will be sore throughout this period. Although the pain or swelling may have reduced at this time, eating may still be somewhat challenging. A liquid diet will not involve chewing so as to ease the pressure on the mouth.
An implant is rarely used to replace multiple teeth on its own, but it can be combined with another to replace up to six teeth. That means an implant on its own can support a max of three artificial teeth.
The four implants support a fixed prosthesis with 10 to 14 teeth, and it is placed immediately, typically within 24 hours of surgery.
While waiting for implants, temporary crowns may be a good choice. It is usually made of acrylic-based plastic, and the dentist will cement it in place. The crown offers an aesthetically pleasing option. It will appear like a real tooth, though the patient should be cautious about eating hard foods.
In general, there are three steps involved in the dental implant procedures. First, the implant itself is placed into the jawbone. Next, the abutment is added to the implant, which is where the artificial tooth will be connected. Finally, the prosthetic tooth, or crown, is placed onto the abutment.
The good news is that you don't need to be without your teeth while your dental implants heal, and there are options for temporary dental implant teeth. If you need implants to replace your molars, right at the back of your mouth, you might not need to have a temporary.
In Australia, all-on-4 dental implants typically range between $23,000 to $27,000 per fixed arch. This cost includes the first consultation, any procedures before surgery, the surgery, the fitting of an acrylic denture, the post treatment reviews and x-rays.
How Much Does A Dental Implant Cost? The cost of dental implants will vary depending on several factors, including how many teeth need to be replaced and whether you require a bone graft or sinus lift. Typically in Australia, the price for a straightforward dental implant can range between $3,000 - $5,500 per tooth.
After implant surgery, your gums are healing from having an incision made through them. It is vitally important that you avoid drinking hot coffee, tea or hot chocolate after the procedure itself for up to two or three days.
It should go without saying that water should be your drink of choice not just after getting a dental implant but all the time. Water will help wash away any bacteria and other debris caught in your teeth. It will also keep you hydrated and won't harm your stitches at all.
When you have dental implants, you can eat, chew, and talk just as you would with your natural teeth. Even eating foods like apples or corn on the cob will not dislodge or shift your new teeth.
Foods Not to Eat
During the healing phase, completely avoid the following foods: Hard and crunchy foods like hard candies, nuts, raw carrots, seeds, pizza, potato chips, and taco shells. Acidic food items like apple cider vinegar, tomatoes, soda, and citrus fruits. Sticky and chewy items like gum and caramels.
With dental implants, there's no plate, so you can experience all of the tastes of your food and drink without interference.