If you have missing teeth or are at risk of losing a permanent tooth, your dentist may recommend endosteal dental implants to restore the look and feel of your natural teeth. Specifically, endosteal dental implants involve the placement of a metal post inside the jaw that is then "capped" with a crown that looks like a real tooth. When properly cared for, this type of dental implant can easily last for decades or even a lifetime.

Wondering what to expect from the process of getting an endosteal dental implant? While your exact treatment plan may vary, most follow the same basic steps.

Tooth Removal and Preparation

First, your dentist will want to perform X-rays on your teeth and make sure you're a viable candidate for dental implants. If your jawbone isn't substantial enough to accept an implant, you may be instead referred for a subperiosteal implant that involves the placement of the post underneath the gum instead.

If you are a good candidate for an endosteal implant, your dentist may need to remove the existing tooth if it has not fallen out on its own already. From there, your dentist will likely schedule the next appointment to place your implant post — though in some cases, tooth extraction and post placement may be completed in the same appointment.

Dental Implant Post Placement

The procedure to insert the implant post into your jawbone is a surgical one. A hole will need to be drilled into your jawbone where the post will be placed. Typically, this procedure is done under local anesthesia, although general anesthesia may be recommended if you're having multiple posts placed at once.

Abutment and Crown Placement

After the implant post is placed, your dentist will want to wait and make sure your healing goes smoothly before finishing up with the final steps. This time is also important for allowing the jawbone to fuse with the dental implant post itself. The process usually takes a couple of months.

Once your implant post is fully fused and healed, your dentist will schedule your abutment and crown placement procedure. This is also a minor surgical procedure that involves attaching an abutment to the implant post, which will then be topped with a temporary or permanent crown. From there, your smile will be restored. Your dentist will provide you with important aftercare instructions and schedule a follow-up appointment for a few weeks down the road to make sure everything is healing up well.

For more information about dental implants, contact a dental service like Orange Door Dental Group.