Once you’ve learned about the many advantages of dental implants, you’re likely to be interested in using them to fill the empty space in your smile. But before that can happen, you will need to schedule an initial consultation with your dentist; this visit is necessary to determine your candidacy for the procedure as well as what your unique treatment plan will look like. To make sure you’re as prepared as possible, here’s a breakdown of what to expect during your dental implant consultation.
Review of Your Dental History and Goals
Before anything else, your dentist will need to look over your dental and medical history. They’ll take note of any previous dental surgeries, current medications, or chronic health conditions that might affect your ability to have dental implants placed. On top of that, they will ask about your goals for the dental implant process; they’ll keep what you tell them in mind when developing your treatment plan.
Thorough Oral Examination
To figure out whether you’re a good candidate for dental implants, your dentist will need to carefully examine your mouth and jaw. This is done to check for signs of oral health issues that might cause dental implant complications. For example, gum disease is a leading cause of dental implant failure. Thus, your dentist will want to confirm that your gums are in good health before you commit to getting dental implants.
Imaging
A simple visual examination isn’t enough to tell your dentist everything they need to know about your candidacy for dental implants. Thus, they will also likely take X-rays or CBCT scans of your mouth and jaw. Thanks to these diagnostic tools, your dentist will be able to determine whether there’s enough bone density in your jaw to give your implant posts the support they need.
Creation of Treatment Plan
Once they’ve gathered all the necessary information, your dentist can work with you to put together a treatment plan. There are many things to discuss during the planning process, such as:
- Whether you’ll need gum disease treatment, bone grafting, or another preliminary procedure to prepare for dental implant surgery.
- How many dental implants you’ll need and what kind of prosthesis they’ll support.
- The likely overall cost of the process as well as how long you can expect it to take.
Remember, the initial dental implant consultation is your chance to ask any questions that might be on your mind. Be sure to voice any concerns you might have; that way, by the end of your visit, you can be confident that you’re making the right choice for your smile.
About the Practice
At Salmon Brook Dental, our dentists strive to provide a comprehensive menu of services so that patients don’t have to worry about seeing separate specialists for certain treatments. As such, we’re happy to offer start-to-finish dental implant procedures in order to replace any number of missing teeth. To schedule a consultation at our office in Granby, visit our website or call (860) 653-4551.