If you are looking for a procedure to replace a tooth or teeth, getting dental implants is a good option. A dental implant is a surgical installation that fuses with the jaw or skull bone to support a prosthesis. Implant surgery involves several steps. The different steps require time to heal before the next step. The entire treatment process can take from five months to over a year. Here is the process entailed in getting dental implants.

If you are getting the implant to replace a tooth, tooth extraction is necessary. The next step involves the removal of the damaged tooth or teeth. This procedure can be painful and will require local anesthesia to numb the area. The extraction should not take too long, but you will need some time to heal from the process.

If during the initial evaluation the oral surgeon determined your jawbone is not strong enough, you will need grafting. For the surgery to be successful, you require an adequate amount of bone to hold the implant. The procedure will involve taking some bone material from a different part of the body and adding it to the jaw. In some cases, synthetic bone grafting material can be used. It can take anywhere from four months to one year for the bone graft to heal.

After healing from tooth extraction and any bone grafting, the next step involves installing the implant. The dentist will place the implant by cutting the gum and drilling it into the jawbone. The implant is a titanium rod that will act as the root. It generally takes between four to seven months for fusing to take place. The implant fuses with the jawbone in a process called osseointegration.

In cases where the dental implant is fused onto the jawbone, the dentist will install a healing cap. It is placed on the implant, flush with the gum. This cap acts as a metal collar that guides the gum tissue to heal around it. This helps to prepare for abutment and crown placement. The healing process takes between 10 to 14 days.

After the tissue heals, the cap is removed and replaced with the implant abutment. The abutment is screwed into the implant and a temporary crown is placed on it. The temporary crown remains in place for four to six weeks, giving the gums time to heal properly.

A permanent crown is made to replace the temporary one. It can take two or three weeks to custom-make the crown. The crown is placed over the abutment by either screwing it on or cementing it.
 

The time it takes to complete the entire dental implant process will differ depending on the circumstances. If you are ready for the procedure, talk to the dentist about your specific needs.