Dental Implant Timeline: What to Expect

Having one or more teeth missing can cause health problems, not to mention damage your self-esteem if they are noticeable and make it difficult to eat or speak. In time, if missing teeth are not replaced by a dental restoration, the surrounding teeth can be affected as well.

Bridges and crowns are temporary solutions for missing teeth, but the best treatment option remains a dental implant. Dental implants replace the whole structure of a missing tooth, promoting jaw bone health and serving the same functions as your natural tooth.

If you want to know what to expect from getting a dental implant, read on as we describe the timelines of this surgery.

You Get a Bone Graft (Optional)

If your teeth have been missing for long enough, your jaw bone may have receded. In this case, you will need a bone graft before the implant can be placed, as you need enough tissue to hold it. This surgery is not needed by all patients getting an implant, but if you do, this adds 3-7 months to the process.

The Implant Is Placed

The implant is placed in around 1-2 weeks after the initial consultation, it takes one visit to insert it into the bone and close the gums over it. After that, the area heals in 1-2 weeks, but you will have to wait for 4-7 months for the implant to fuse with your bone tissue (osseointegration).

Your Abutment Is Placed

Once the implant is successfully fused with the bone tissue and it heals completely, your dentist can open the gum tissue and place the abutment on your implant screw. The abutment is a metal piece that will connect the actual implant with a crown - or restoration. The crown is an artificial tooth that looks and behaves like the real tooth you have lost.

At this stage, you can get a temporary crown that holds the gum tissue back for it to heal in the right position, folding nicely around the implant and abutment. If a temporary crown is not needed, a healing collar is placed, holding your gums in place.

You Get the Final Implant Restoration

The final implant restoration is the artificial tooth that will be attached to the implant, which you will likely use for the rest of your life. Your restoration will be custom fit on your implant, and its color will blend perfectly with the rest of your teeth.

Need an Implant? Book an Appointment

As you can see, getting an implant is a complex operation, and it should be done by the same dentist who can follow the progress of each step. Find a highly experienced and qualified dentist at Washington Metro Dental and book your first appointment before getting a dental implant.

You can contact us via our online form, or by calling (202) 785-9474.