Simple, Effective Solutions at Russo Dentistry

I need a Tooth Extraction in Raleigh, NC. Now what?

Tooth Replacement with Dental Implant 

A Timeline:

Day 1. Plan for temporary prosthesis: Essix retainer

An Essix retainer is a denture tooth in an Invisalign type clear tray that fits over your teeth and allows you to have the appearance of a tooth while undergoing the extraction and implant placement/restoration process. This is fabricated before the tooth is removed so that you do not have to go without a tooth.

Day 7. The tooth needs to be removed (extracted) and a graft membrane needs to be placed. Simply stated that a tooth can have anywhere between one and four roots. Usually, a tooth is removed due to fracture and bacterial contamination or recurring infection from gum disease. The tooth is removed and the socket (jawbone) is irrigated and cleaned. A bone graft particulate is placed in the socket to give your body a scaffold to heal through. A surgical membrane is placed over the top of the root socket to prevent debris from entering the site and to also prevent the gum tissue from growing into the extraction site.  

Day 67. (3 months after extraction) CBCT (3D X-Ray) is obtained to determine healing and sufficient bone volume for implant placement (titanium artificial tooth root screw). Assuming healing has occurred, the implant can be inserted into the jawbone and needs to heal. Your jawbone needs to heal into the threads of the implant (titanium artificial tooth root screw). The rate-limiting step determines the patient’s ability to heal. Things that can affect healing: smoking, poor diet, diabetes, and other medical comorbidities. Delayed healing just extends the timeline.

Day 97. (3 months after implant placement) The surgical specialist determines if the implant is properly healed and thus clears the patient for a prosthesis which is usually a dental abutment and crown (the tooth). If healing occurs then implant restoration can be fabricated. If not completely healed a month or two may be added to the healing time. 

Day 111. (2 weeks after implant restoration begins) Raleigh dentist Dr. Russo will unscrew the healing abutment (part of the implant that connects to an abutment and crown) and seat the permanent crown. Care must be taken to make sure that bite intensity is less on an implant vs. natural tooth because natural teeth have ligaments that compress when chewing and implants do not so they need to be slightly less contact.