Patients who are missing many teeth, most of their teeth, or all of their teeth can count on Astoria Dental Group. Our Queens, NY practice offers Prettau® Zirconia bridges and dentures supported by dental implants. These appliances are excellently crafted and provide numerous benefits to patients.
Dr. Clifford Degel and Dr. Carmen Every-Degel would like to consider the treatment timeline for Prettau Zirconia patients. This will help you understand the general length of treatment and if the process sounds ideal for your needs.
First: Will You Need Bone or Gum Grafting?
If you’ve suffered from tooth loss and have been missing teeth for a long period of time, it’s likely that you will have experienced bone loss and gum recession. In these cases, a hard and/or soft tissue grafting surgery will be necessary. These procedures will build up the bone and gum tissue so that dental implants can be supported. Only with sufficient gum tissue can a person get dental implants.
How Bone and Gum Grafting Affects Treatment Time
Generally, undergoing bone grafting or gum grafting surgery prior to getting dental implants placed will add up to several months to the treatment timeline. This is because the bone and gum tissue grafts must fully heal in order to be ready to support the dental implants.
Oral Surgery to Place Dental Implants
The oral surgery for the dental implants will involve securing the dental implants in place. The implants will be anchored directly into the jawbone so that they can fuse with the living tissues of the mouth.
The First Few Days
In the first few days after getting your dental implants placed, patients will experience soreness, swelling, and bruising. They should take pain relievers as recommended and modify their diet in order to prevent discomfort when biting and chewing. Patients will return to our Queens practice for a follow-up visit by the end of the first week if not sooner.
The Next Few Weeks
Over the next few weeks after dental implant surgery, patients will be able to resume their normal diet and activities. Pain and swelling will have decreased significantly by this time, and patients should be able to eat hard foods again with minimal discomfort or difficulty.
It’s important that patients attend all follow-up visits with their dentist as scheduled so their healing progress can be monitored.
The Process of Osseointegration
During these follow-up visits, special attention will be paid to the process of osseointegration. This is the process by which the dental implants fuse with the existing jawbone and gum tissue of the mouth. Only when osseointegration is completed can the dental implants fully and properly support a denture or bridge.
Crafting the Prettau Zirconia Restoration
As a patient is healing, the final Prettau Zirconia bridge or denture will be crafted. The painting and dye work around the gumline portion of this bridge/denture will resemble the natural appearance of the gumline. Thanks to this craftsmanship and the durability of the materials, patients will have a beautiful smile that functions just like a natural set of teeth.
Six to Eight Months: That’s The Whole Process
The overall treatment time for a Prettau Zirconia appliance supported by dental implants is about six to eight months. This length is doubled if gum and/or bone grifting is first required.
If you’re missing teeth and this process sounds ideal, we’d love to discuss the potential of a Prettau Zirconia bridge or denture with you.
Learn More About Treatments for Missing Teeth
If you live in Queens and would like more information about your many options for treating tooth loss, be sure to contact a skilled cosmetic and restorative dentist. Schedule a consultation at Astoria Dental Group by calling (718) 215-0510.
