Dental Implants Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Answers to Common Questions About Dental Implants

1. Will I have temporary teeth during the healing phase
2. Do dental implants hurt?
3. Do dental implants feel like real teeth?
4. Will I need to miss work for dental implant surgery?
5. What are single-stage implants?
6. What if I am missing a lot of teeth?
7. What are the risks and complications associated with dental implants?
8. How long do dental implants last?
9. When will I have my permanent teeth?
10. How do I care for my implants?

1. Will I have temporary teeth during the healing phase

Yes, if you want some. Usually for implants in the back of your mouth, a temporary tooth isn’t necessary. However, front teeth and teeth on the sides of your mouth that can be seen when you smile, might warrant a fake tooth (unless you just keep wearing a mask!). If a temporary tooth is desired, then your dentist will be able to make something to be placed.

2. Do dental implants hurt?

Our doctors have learned many tricks to minimize pain in all of our operations to try and give you the best experience possible. Most of the discomfort is managed with over the counter medicines.

3. Do dental implants feel like real teeth?

Dental implants are the closest we can get to our natural teeth. There are some slight differences, but over time, our goal is for you to forget you ever had a missing tooth!

4. Will I need to miss work for dental implant surgery?

Sometimes, but most of our patients are back in class or at work on Monday after a surgery on Friday. Our surgeons work hard to give you the best experience possible. Depending on what surgery you require to restore your oral health will have the biggest impact on your recovery. Dr. Welch and Dr. Sweeney will be happy to go over this during your consultation

5. What are single-stage implants?

The traditional way to place implants is in stages (take out the tooth and place bone graft, then after a period of healing come back and place the implant). However, if your anatomy is favorable, our surgeons will try to place the implant at the same time the tooth is removed! This will cut your healing time almost in half!

6. What if I am missing a lot of teeth?

There are a lot of great options to restore your health and function. Dr. Welch and Dr. Sweeney will go over the options in consultation and decide what is right for you. They will work closely with your dentist throughout the process

7. What are the risks and complications associated with dental implants?

Drs. Welch and Sweeney are dental implant specialists and use advanced techniques and safety measures to reduce the risk of complications. We work to minimize risks in every step of the process! We will go over tips and tricks to make your experience as successful as possible.

8. How long do dental implants last?

The goal is to have implants last a lifetime! Long-term studies show about an 80 percent success rate over 20 years with over 96% success rate in the first year! This is right on par with other prosthetics procedures like hip and knee replacements. If things don’t go as planned, Dr. Welch and Dr. Sweeney have a wealth of experience to get the result that we want!

9. When will I have my permanent teeth?

Implants generally heal for at least 3-4 months prior to placing the final tooth to allow the bone to heal. Sometimes this is longer depending on your specific situation, but our doctors discuss the most successful strategy for your care.

10. How do I care for my implants?

The most successful protocol is before bed time to floss all of your teeth and implants, use an oral irrigator like a WaterPik or Conair oral irrigator and a timed Ultrasonic toothbrush. After breakfast, lunch or a sticky snack, a hand brush is fine. One thing to avoid is repeated scraping with a toothpick around the implant. It is ok to use on to dislodge some food caught, but eh tissues are not as tight around an implant so gentle techniques work the best.