Understanding the Dental Implant Timeline

Preparing for Surgery 

Your treatment begins with a detailed consultation with Dr. Casagrande that will involve:

• A comprehensive medical history evaluation
• Taking X-rays and a CAT scan of your jaws
• Information about the procedure, including all aspects of the dental implant process
• Explanation of recovery and healing
• Explanation of expenses

After your consultation, Dr. Casagrande will perform or oversee any required preparatory procedures. These can include: 

• Develop appropriate temporary provisional restorations to be used during the healing phase of treatment. 
• Make any appropriate referrals for advanced surgical treatment to other members of our team if required. 
• Treatment of tooth decay
• Treatment of gum disease

The Placement of Dental Implants

The day of your dental implant procedure, Dr. Casagrande will administer local anesthesia for your comfort. If necessary, sedation can also be provided to alleviate any anxiety. 

Dr. Casagrande uses Nobel Biocare® implants, the highest-quality dental implants available. He also uses computer-guided technology for precise implant placement. With this advanced technology, the risk of complications is minimized.

Once placed, your implants will begin to integrate with your jawbone. This process, called osseointegration, takes approximately four to six months. Although patients must usually wait for the implant to fully integrate with the jaw before receiving a final restoration, Dr. Casagrande offers restorations made using titanium-welded structures that can be attached to implants much sooner after surgery. Dr. Casagrande explains:

“This clinically made, custom designed, titanium framework that is made at the time of implant placement, allows implants to be loaded with a nice provisional restoration. It is well documented that continual modification or insertion and removal of a bridge during the healing of the implant to the bone can be very negative to the long-term stability. With this welded framework design, the restoration can remain stable with no removal or reinsertion.

"Therefore, it definitely improves the longevity of the implant reconstruction. These provisional restorations have been used for as long as ten years allowing the patient when needed, the time to continue to save the money necessary to make the ideal long-term premium quality finish restoration. Even though I consider this a long-term provisional restoration, this finished bridge meets or exceeds the standards of 90 percent of the bridges delivered by other practitioners throughout the country as final restorations.”

Recovery

You can expect some swelling and bruising after dental implant placement, which can be managed with over-the-counter pain relievers and a cold compress. While you may wish to rest for the remainder of the day following your procedure, you can resume non-strenuous activities as soon as the day after surgery. However, it is important to avoid strenuous activity until you are cleared by Dr. Casagrande.

Contact Dr. Casagrande Today

If you have questions about dental implants, contact Dr. Casagrande online or call our office. During a consultation at our Billings dental office, he will take all the time necessary to help you make an informed decision.