Are you considering dental implants? If so, understanding the entire dental implant process can help alleviate any fears you might have so you can enter into treatment feeling confident. Below, we’ll break down the timeline of a dental implant so that you know what to expect. Read on!
The first step in the dental implant process is a consultation and examination with one of our dentists. During this visit, we’ll review your medical history and evaluate your current condition to determine if dental implant restoration is the best option for you.
We’ll also discuss your treatment options, including any necessary pre-treatment surgeries (such as an extraction or bone grafting) that might be needed before beginning the implant surgery itself. Finally, we will advise on any lifestyle changes that may be required during recovery (for example, pause Smoking). This visit usually takes around 45-60 minutes.
If necessary after evaluation, pre-treatment surgeries such as an extraction or bone grafting may be performed at this stage. Depending on the type of surgery needed, it could take anywhere from 3-12 months to fully recover from these treatments before moving on to Stage 3 of the dental implant timeline.
During this appointment, your dentist will surgically place an artificial titanium implant into your jawbone where it will act as an anchor for the new tooth (or teeth). The entire procedure typically takes about two hours but may vary depending on individual circumstances.
After placement of the implant, it’ll take about 3-4 months for it to integrate with your natural jawbone tissue before proceeding with further steps in the process.
During follow-up appointments, we’ll take impressions and images of your gums, teeth, and implant. We'll use this data to build you a customized implant restoration which could include crowns or bridges, depending on how many teeth need replacing.
About 1 or 2 weeks before your final appointment, we’ll place both an abutment and healing collar overtop of your existing implant site so that it is ready for final restoration placement.
Finally, once everything has healed correctly we’ll remove any temporary dentures or healing collars. We’ll check to make sure you've healed properly and then place your final crown or bridge permanently onto the abutment.
There you go! We hope this article has provided valuable insight into each step of the dental implant timeline so that you know exactly what comes next throughout your journey toward restoring your smile!
If you have any questions about dental implants or would like more information about dental services, feel free to contact us or give us a call at (713) 623-0700! Our team here at Insight Dental Group is ready to help you and answer all your questions.
