You have heard of dental implants, but do you know what they do? Do you know what they can do for you as a person, and how you can benefit from them? Here is a guide to help you learn more about dental implants and what the dental implant procedure entails so you can get your new implants with ease and not feel overwhelmed in the process.

A thorough oral exam

Your oral exam will include an assessment of your gum and overall jaw health to determine if you're a good candidate for a dental implant procedure in the first place. After your oral exam, your dentist may recommend a gum cleaning, a bone graft for your jaw bone, or other measures to be taken before you can go to the next step in your procedure to get dental implants put in.

A tooth cleaning and removal

You're going to get your teeth cleaned before you have dental implants put in, and the offending teeth that are unhealthy are also going to be removed or repaired as part of the process. You need to have your mouth ready to get dental implants so your mouth is free of bacteria and you don't have any compromised areas of your teeth prior to the dental procedure.

A dental posts procedure

You're going to have dental implant posts put in before you have the dental implants put in, so have your dental health professional walk you through the process of getting the posts in. These posts are going to hold the end dental implant crown and are an essential — if not the most essential — part of your dental exam.

A healing period

If you have swelling gums and a jaw bone that is still healing, you may have a space of time between having posts put in on the upper and lower quadrants of your smile. Your dental implants will be completed in time, after a healing period that may include antibiotics and treatment for swelling.

A dental crown procedure

Finally, you get to have the best part of dental implants put in: the dental implants that include the crowns. The crowns in your dental implants are what make your smile complete and give it a more pleasing appearance. You'll be able to enjoy your new smile once the crowns have been fitted to your teeth and shaped so they match the rest of your smile.

As you can see, it takes some time to complete a dental implant procedure. However, it's very rewarding to have a healthier, better-looking smile.