Each one of your teeth is held in its socket by a series of strong periodontal ligaments. Unfortunately, there are extreme situations where a hard fall, a blow to the face or other unforeseen accident can sever these ligaments and effectively knock the tooth out.
A dentist at E. P. True Dental - West Des Moines, IA will first want to examine your mouth and jaw structure. It’s possible that when the tooth was knocked out it resulted in a loss of bone structure. If this is the case, they might recommend you receive a bone graft before having the dental implant installed.
The dental implant procedure can be performed on an outpatient basis. Most people choose to be deeply sedated, so you will need to arrange to have someone drive you home after the procedure.
A small incision will be made in your gums, and a titanium abutment is then screwed into place. Titanium is a biologically safe metal that, in time, will fuse to your bone structure in a process known as osseointegration.
After your gums have healed and the titanium implant has fused to the bone, your dentist at E. P. True Dental - West Des Moines, IA can fit the tooth with a standard crown to effectively restore the previously knocked out tooth’s presence in your mouth.
If you’ve had a tooth knocked out, you should call E. P. True Dental - West Des Moines, IA’s office in West Des Moines, Iowa at (515) 224-9899 to seek immediate treatment.