The Dental Implant Timeline – What To Expect From Your Treatment
On average, the dental implant timeline for a single-tooth implant is about 6-8 months. But what happens during the procedure, and why does it take so long to get an implant? In this blog from Santo Dental Group, we’ll take a look at what happens during the implant process, and what you can expect during your treatment.
To begin, you’ll need to come to Santo Dental Group for a consultation with one of our dentists. You’ll get a comprehensive oral exam and consultation, and they will determine if you’re a good candidate for dental implants in Red Bank. If you’re approved, your treatment plan will be developed right away, and you’ll schedule your follow-up for implant placement surgery.
Next, you’ll come to Santo Dental Group for your dental implant surgery. Your dentist will clean and numb your mouth, then use your treatment plan as a surgical guide to create an opening in your gums and jaw. Then, they will place a small, titanium dental implant directly into this opening, clean and sanitize the area, and suture it shut. If you’re getting more than one implant, this process will be repeated.
The healing and recovery process is the reason that implants take such a long time. Initially, you will only need about 1-2 weeks for your mouth to heal from the implant. However, your implant will need to continue bonding with your jaw tissue for up to 3-6 months, in a process called “osseointegration.” This is what permanently attaches the implant to your jaw tissue.
While you recover, you will come in for several follow-up appointments so that your dentist at Santo Dental Group can check on your healing and recovery, and begin fitting you for your permanent implant restoration (dental crown).
After your mouth has healed, you will come in a few weeks before your final appointment. Your dentist will perform a minor surgery to uncover the implant and attach a small metal “abutment” to your implant. This is what your dental crown will attach to when you come in for your final implant restoration.
Once your implant and abutment have healed, you’ll come in for one last appointment. Your dentist will check the fit of your crown, and make sure everything looks good. Then, the crown will be permanently attached to the dental implant, completing the procedure.
Overall, it will take you about 6-8 months to get a standard single-tooth dental implant from your initial consultation to your final implant restoration, though this may vary depending on your situation.
If you’d like to improve your smile and replace one or more missing teeth in Red Bank, Santo Dental Group is here to help. Contact us online or give us a call at (732) 530-1003 to get an implant consultation right away.
We look forward to meeting you. Call 732-530-1003 or schedule an appointment online to set up your first visit. We’ll be in touch soon.