The procedure to place an implant takes 30 to 60 minutes for one implant and only 2 to 3 hours for multiple implants. The number of appointments and time required vary from patient to patient. The surgeon will bring great precision and attention to the details of your case.

Prior to surgery, you may receive antibiotics and for greater comfort, IV sedation or nitrous oxide (laughing gas).  These options are discussed with you at your consultation appointment.  A local anesthetic will be administered to numb the area where the implant will be placed.

When you are comfortable, the surgeon makes a small incision in the gum tissue to reveal the bone, creates space using special instruments, and gently inserts the titanium implant.  A healing cap (abutment) is screwed into the top of the implant and is often visible level with or slightly above the gum.  Sometimes it is better in the early stages of healing to have the implant covered by the gum tissue.  This will require a small secondary procure to uncover the implant when it is done healing.

The Healing Phase

Now the healing begins.  The length of time is usually around 3 months, however this varies from person to person, depending upon the quality and quantity of bone.  In some cases, implants may be restored immediately after they are placed.  The surgeon will advise you on follow-up care and timing.  After the initial phase of healing, the healing cap allows the gum tissue to mature and provides access to the implant.

How long your mouth needs to heal is determined by a variety of factors.  Follow-up care (one to four appointments) is usually needed to ensure that your mouth is healing well and to determine when you are ready for the restorative phase of your treatment.

It may be beneficial to perform a soft tissue graft to obtain stronger, more easily cleaned and natural appearing gum tissue in the area around the implant. This process involves moving a small amount of gum tissue from one part of your mouth to the area around the implant.  Most often, it is a brief and relatively comfortable procedure.

Whether it’s one tooth or all of your teeth that are being replaced, your dentist will complete the restoration by fitting the replacement tooth (crown) to the dental implant.

When Are Implants Placed?

Implants are often placed several months after extraction.  At times, an implant may be placed immediately after extraction of a tooth.  This may involve a little more risk, but it simplifies the process—you won’t have to wait for another appointment to place the implant.  When infection or other problems with the bone are present, immediate implant placement is not the best treatment.

If your tooth has been missing for some time, the adjacent support bone is likely to grow thinner and shrink.  This occurs because the root of the natural tooth has to be present to stimulate the bone.  As much as 50% of your jaw’s thickness can be lost in the year following tooth extraction.  If you are missing enough bone, you may benefit from having additional bone grafted into the area. This ensures the implant will be adequately supported when it is placed in the jaw.

How Many Implants Do I Need?

Most frequently, one implant per missing tooth is placed.  In the case of multiple missing teeth or the absence of teeth, fewer implants can be strategically placed to replace the missing teeth utilizing implant fixed bridges, hybrids, or implant overdentures.  Because many of the larger teeth in the back of your jaws have two or three roots, the most common approach is to replace missing back teeth with larger implants.