Last updated: 11/24/2009

At the first appointment, the dentist or oral surgeon performs a thorough examination to determine whether implants are appropriate to replace the missing teeth. Often, x rays are necessary to discover the state of the jawbone, particularly if the...

teeth have been lost for some time. This information is used to determine if implants are appropriate and, if so, what particular type of implant would be best for the clinical situation.

There are two solutions commonly used if the initial examination indicates that the bone in the area where the implant is to occur is too resorbed to support the implant. The first is bone grafting. This involves undergoing a procedure that moves bone from one place in the body to another to enlarge the bone structure at the implant site. Often, bone can be moved from one place in the mouth to another. Sometimes a graft from a donor or an animal or artificial bone can be used if bone from the patient is not available. Grafting usually is done four to eight months before the implant procedure, to allow the graft a chance to heal before it is disturbed with the implant process.

A second solution is the use of subperiosteal implants that ride above the bone but beneath the gum. These types of implants are not placed in the bone. A CT scan is commonly used to obtain a model of the bone structure and then the implant fixture is molded to precisely fit the bone model.