Many people spend a lifetime hiding their smiles because they do not like the appearance of their teeth. Fortunately, many people have regained the confidence to share their smiles with the world by having dental implants installed.

Dental implants are an excellent way to completely recreate your smile by replacing your unattractive or damaged teeth with artificial teeth that are permanently attached to the gums. These are two different procedures that are done to install dental implants. 

Two Stage Dental Implant Procedure 

The two stage dental implant procedure begins with the dental implant being surgically placed into the jaw bone. The implant is screwed down tightly so that the top of it is completely even with the top surface of the jawbone. The soft gum tissue is then sewn over the implants so that they are not visible.

After this has been done, the patient will need to wait until the gums heal before the second stage can begin. This often takes several weeks to several months depending on the patient. Once the gums have healed, a minor surgery will be performed to expose the implants. The artificial teeth are then attached to the implants. The gums will need to heal again, but this normally only takes a short period of time.

Single Stage Dental Implant Procedure 

In the single stage dental implant procedure, there is no need for the second minor surgery to be done. The implants that are used for this procedure are longer and stick up above the gum tissue once they have been tightly secured into the jawbone. The gum tissue is then stitched together around the implants so that they can heal properly. 

Once the patient has waited the time needed for the gums to heal, the artificial teeth are then attached to the screw ends of the implants where they are held in place securely. This procedure produces the same results as two stage dental implants. However, the healing time is shortened since the second gum surgery is unnecessary.

Dental implants improve the structure of the jaw and make biting and chewing easier than with natural teeth that are not in good condition. This process can be done to replace one, multiple or all the natural teeth. Some patients prefer this method over having dentures made because the artificial teeth cannot be removed and seem more like natural teeth when biting, chewing, brushing and smiling. For more information, contact a company like Van Buskirk & Krischke DDS, LLC.