Dental Implants FAQ
Scarsdale and Mt. Kisco, NY

The first question most patients ask us is about the installation process. Dental implants are usually installed over a series of two procedures, but some patients require an additional procedure. In some cases, our professionals will be able to install your dental implants in only a single visit.

Regardless of whether or not you need multiple procedures, the dental implant installation process itself is very similar. After your dental implants are made, our team will install them into your jawbone. Your jawbone will fuse with the dental implant, through a process called osseointegration. These metal posts are threaded and will attach to dental crowns. Some patients need to have a temporary set of crowns placed while their mouth heals and will receive the permanent set a few weeks to a few months later.

The procedure itself will utilize local anesthesia, so our patients are guaranteed that no amount of discomfort will be felt during the operation. Some will find the need to keep their mouths wide open for a prolonged time to be a bit uncomfortable, though. Fortunately, standard dental implant procedures are relatively quick, so you won't need to suffer from that discomfort for too long.

A single dental implant replacement will usually take less than an hour to complete while more complex procedures can clock in at no more than four hours. All our doctors are highly skilled and experienced in dental implant operations, so expect the process to finish quickly.

There are several factors to consider when it comes to how much the dental implant procedures will cost for specific patients. For example, how many implants will be required to support the teeth to be fabricated in your case, whether additional preparatory procedures are necessary, as well as the materials that will be used by your dentist to restore the implant itself. We will be happy to provide you with information regarding your options and an estimate from the surgical standpoint. Your restorative dentist or prosthodontist will discuss the dental restorative options and costs with you.

Dental implants are pretty much available to any patient who has lost one or multiple teeth permanently. Drop by our office to be properly evaluated by one of our doctors.

The procedure is relatively safe, but as with any surgical procedure, there are possible risks and complications that can rarely occur. Your oral surgery specialist at New York Oral, Maxillofacial, and Implant Surgery will review the potential risks and complications of your specific case with you at the consultation visit and again prior to the surgery. Our oral surgeons and staff will give you a comprehensive and personalized guideline on the "do's and don'ts" and the signs and symptoms you should look out for after your procedure.

Based on studies as well as our track record, dental implant procedures have a 95% success rate with patients. This percentage is further increased if the patient implements good oral hygiene and a healthy lifestyle.

As this can be quite an expensive procedure, it is only natural to ask how long such an investment will last. While dental implants are immune to most dental diseases such as tooth decay, patients are required to follow through with regular checkups and dental implant maintenance. Dental implants are designed to last for a decade or more. With proper care and a great healthy lifestyle, a patient can further improve their dental implant's lifespan by over 15 years.

Our dental team will be able to determine if you need additional procedures during your consultation. They will take x-rays and other images of your mouth to determine if your gums and jaw are healthy enough for dental implants. If they are not, you will likely need a gum graft or bone graft before getting dental implants. These procedures are designed to strengthen your jawbone and gums so that they can adequately support implants.

Gum grafts are a form of surgery used when the gums have receded and exposed the tooth root, which can cause sensitivity, decay, and looseness of teeth. The gum graft will help protect your teeth from damage, decrease symptoms such as sensitivity, and prevent the problem from worsening.

New York Oral, Maxillofacial, and Implant Surgery offers several types of gum grafts to ensure the proper protection of your teeth and gums.

Gum grafts are needed to repair gums that have been affected by gum recession. Gum recession in itself is caused, most commonly, by poor oral hygiene. However, diabetes and certain autoimmune disorders can also increase the chances of gum recession as well.

Certain lifestyle choices such as smoking and lip piercings can increase the risk of a patient's gums receding. Our dentists can properly diagnose gum recession and accurately tell you the possible causes in your life; it may be something you didn't realize affects your oral health.

There are three types of gum grafts, which differ in where the graft material comes from. Most commonly, a connective-tissue graft is used, which takes connective tissue from the roof of the mouth. A flap is created in the roof of the mouth, and tissue is removed. Then the flap is stitched back up. The connective tissue is then placed around the affected tooth.

A free gingival graft also takes tissue from the roof of the mouth, but this graft does not use a flap. Instead, the tissue is taken from the top layer of the roof of the mouth. The final type of graft is a pedicle graft. The pedicle graft uses a gum flap that is pulled across from an adjacent tooth, and then stitched around the affected tooth's root.

Any of the different types of gum graft procedures will be done under the use of local anesthesia and should only take up to one to two hours. The recovery time is one to two weeks, as the gum graft is prone to damage before it has fully connected to the surrounding tissue. Cold and soft foods such as yogurt, ice cream, and jello are advised to prevent irritating the graft.

A bone grafting procedure at New York Oral, Maxillofacial, and Implant Surgery can build up your jawbone so you can have dental implants. Although the bone loss in the jaw would ordinarily prevent you from having dental implants, restoring the bone with a graft is the ideal solution.

A bone graft is a surgical procedure to regenerate lost bone in the jaw, using grafting material, which can be a little bone taken from elsewhere on your body, from another human donor, or from an animal. More commonly, the grafting material is a synthetic material that is biocompatible and bonds readily with human bone to form a strong augmentation.

Bone loss is typically caused by lost teeth. This can be through advanced gum disease (periodontitis) that compromises the bone or through injury, for example, if a tooth is knocked out. When a tooth has been knocked out the bone will begin to deteriorate unless remedial action, such as a tooth socket graft, is undertaken to stem the deterioration.

You will need to be seen by one of our skilled professionals for an assessment of your suitability and to determine the bone grafting material that should be used.

The bone grafting procedure is carried out with a local anesthetic and conscious sedation unless the grafting material is being sourced from your body when a general anesthetic may be used. A flap is made in the gum to expose the jawbone underneath. A small circular hole is made in the bone, which is filled with the grafting material. The gum flap is stitched back in place over the jawbone and the area is left to heal for a period of three to 12 months.

During the healing time, the grafting material will regenerate new bone to increase the amount of bone in the jaw to make it viable for placing a dental implant. As mentioned, the implant cannot be inserted without a sufficient amount of bone in your jaw.