Stage 2 Surgery
(For Those Implant Types Requiring a
Second Surgery)
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views.
The second stage of surgical treatment can usually be done on an
outpatient basis in a dental office setting 3 to 6 months after
the implants have been placed. The surgeon will numb the area of
previous surgery with a local anesthetic to make you more
comfortable. The gum tissue is then opened in the area of the
implants to expose them. Extension posts, called abutments,
are attached to the implants. (Eventually your new teeth will be
attached to these abutments.) At this time, the implants are
examined to be certain of their firmness and integration with
the bone. The gums are then put back in place around the
abutments and sutured (stitched) closed. Protective caps are
screwed onto the abutments, and a surgical packing or your old
denture with a soft lining is then placed over the abutments to
help the gum tissues heal and to lessen discomfort.
At this phase of treatment, the dentist will want to
determine that osseointegration has been achieved
and that the abutments are firmly and accurately attached to the
implants. This requires an x-ray.
Several days after the abutments are attached, the surgical
pack can be removed. If you are wearing a denture with a
temporary lining, your dentist will continue to refit the lining
to keep your mouth comfortable. You will be instructed in the
method to be used for keeping the abutments clean.
As with the stitches placed in your
first surgery, those used
to close the soft tissues during abutment connection will
usually come out by themselves within 10 to 14 days. If not, or
if a non-dissolving type of material is used, your dentist or
surgeon will remove them.
Scientific data do tell us that implant systems based on
osseointegration are predictable and highly successful. Your
dentist can discuss this with you. |
