Knowing what to expect before dental implant surgery can help to alleviate fears and make the process go smoother. These are the common phases that you'll go through when getting dental implants. 

Preparing Before Surgery

Your dentist needs to give you a thorough checkup before the dental implant procedure begins to make sure that you are an ideal candidate for dental implants. For one thing, your jawbone in the area of the implant needs to be healthy, since this will help the titanium implant fuse with your jawbone. If you have any ongoing gum disease, this can affect your candidacy for dental implants as well. Since the implant surgery happens in several phases, you may have an open wound in your mouth for several weeks as the implant heals. Your dentist will check to make sure that your immune system can handle the implant procedure and that you will be able to go on antibiotics for the duration of the treatment. 

Creating the Implant

The first phase of the surgery itself is where measurements will be taken for your implant. Each implant is created custom to match the size and shape of your tooth gap. The implant can take several weeks to create, since the implants are typically done out-of-house. Your dentist will set up a follow-up appointment when the implants are ready. 

Placing the Implant

Placing the implant will also happen in a few different steps. The first step is to place the post that your crown will eventually rest on. The post is integrated into your jawbone and allowed to become stable, and your dentist will check up on this process to make sure that there isn't any infection. Once the post implant has healed, the dentist will then screw on the top part of the implant, which is the porcelain crown. For placing the base and the crown, you may be given painkillers to ease the pain of the surgery. 

Healing 

The final phase of the dental implant procedure is the healing process. During this time, your implant will gradually fuse with your jawbone and the gum tissue around the implant will heal. You will probably schedule a follow up appointment with your dentist to ensure that there are no issues during this healing period and that everything is on track. You will need to be extra gentle around the implant area until the implant is healed, but then you will be able to continue brushing, flossing, and eating as you did before the implant. 

For more information, contact professionals like Joe Rosenberg, DDS.