How Long Does A Dental Implant Procedure Take? (Feels Like Forever?)

How long does a dental implant procedure take? Do you want to know more information about this procedure? Hooray! You just opened the right article for you. A dental implant procedure is more of what you can ever think of. For this reason, you will need to consult a professional for tooth implants surgery. These professionals will help you understand every single detail of the procedure. Also, you can read this post to learn how much dental implants cost worldwide.

What to know about the procedure of dental implants?

How long does a dental implant procedure take? Later on, we will discuss the length of time this procedure takes to complete. Meanwhile, let’s talk about a few details about the purpose of tooth implants in our oral health.

In the world of dentistry, implants are the top treatment option to replace a missing tooth. A person can suffer tooth loss due to tooth decay, periodontal disease, or an injury. In this case, tooth implants are the replacement for tooth roots and ensure a strong foundation.

Patients already proved the implant’s worth when it comes to natural-looking replacement options. Additionally, it also offers comfortable function and prevention of secondary oral problems, such as the bone recession.

Aside from that, implants can last longer, even up to a lifetime. In general, the success rates of oral implants are high, making them famous for tooth replacement. On the other hand, you might be thinking about the whole procedure?

Is it simple? Is it quick? Or, will it be a procedure to last forever? Naah, that’s a bit exaggerating. Okay! Let’s not keep you waiting. We will now head on to what an implant procedure involves and how long it will take to complete it.

How long does a dental implant procedure take?

Generally speaking, getting oral implants is not a one-day process. Implant surgery has several stages that you would have to spend time with. For this reason, you have to discuss everything clearly with your oral surgeon about it. It may affect several activities in your life.

Sometimes, when we want to achieve something beautiful, it’s not always instant. We have to exert extra effort for it and put our time to get it. Moreover, things usually don’t turn out well if we rush it.

Besides, you cannot rush something like a dental procedure. Dentists have to perform them accordingly for your safety and to achieve the best results in the end. Now, moving forward to our implants’ story, below are the overall inclusions in its procedure.

Stages of dental implants procedure

Initially, let us know the different stages you have to go through for an implant procedure’s completion. This way, you would know how much time you have to spare for this treatment option.

1. Dental consultation

First and foremost, you have to seek the dentist’s opinion about your oral condition. Your dentist has to know if there are other oral concerns that they need to address first. Additionally, you might need to undergo an x-ray or a 3D scan of your teeth and jawbone during this stage.

The dentist has to know your bone density and quality to be sure you are eligible for this procedure. During the consultation, your dentist will discuss your treatment options and the next steps you would take after that.

Then, upon agreeing with a treatment plan, you’ll get your answer to how long does a dental implant procedure take to reach completion. A consultation may take around one hour.

2. Pre-dental implant procedure exam

You might need to have an appointment with your prosthetist before the actual schedule of implant surgery. It might become necessary, especially if your replacement will take an entire arch of missing teeth.

At this point, you can start to ask about the preparation you have to do before the surgery. Then, you can now book an appointment for the implant procedure itself.

3. Dental implant placement

Before the surgery, your oral surgeon will use local anesthesia or IV sedation to relax you. It will keep you comfortable while the procedure is ongoing. Some cases may require bone grafting if necessary.

Your oral surgeon has to do this process if your jawbone is not thick enough or too soft to support the implants. The bone graft will create a solid base for the implants to function well. Additionally, you can choose among various bone graft materials depending on your preference.

Going back to implant placement, the surgeon will now mount the artificial tooth root into your jawbone. The whole placement procedure generally takes an hour per implant. However, the length of the process can vary depending on the surgeon’s technique.

4. Bone fusing

This stage involves the jawbone’s fusing to the implant’s titanium screw. In effect, the implant can mimic the function of a natural tooth root. We can refer to this process as osseointegration, and it often takes between three to six months to complete.

At this time, it would be best to eat soft foods only for the first few weeks. This way, you can help the bone around your implant to heal more quickly. Afterward, you can already return to your usual routine in life. You only have to make sure that you already healed enough.

5. Abutment placement

Some patients can already have their abutment during the implant procedure. However, there are cases wherein they cannot. It only means they have to go back to the dentist after several months to install the abutment.

The abutment is a material connecting the titanium implant to the dental crown. Healing from the abutment process might take two weeks. Meanwhile, you might need to wait for another six weeks before you can have your dental crown.

On the other hand, your oral surgeon might use a temporary crown for protection while waiting for the permanent crown.

6. Crown attachment

Finally, to complete the whole process, the attachment of the permanent dental crown. In this case, the dental crown will help restore the appearance and function of the missing tooth. Before this could happen, your dentist will endure that your gums healed sufficiently.

Your gums’ healing is necessary to ensure the perfect fit of the custom crowns. After attachment, your dentist still has to check your bite and overall oral appearance to prevent long-term misalignment problems.

After checking these out, the implant procedure has already reached the finish line. Say hello to a complete set of teeth once again.

Conclusion

The procedure for oral implants may take some time. However, the results will be beneficial. You have to discuss the entire process with your oral surgeon. This way, you can make adjustments if necessary.

Moreover, it would be best to undergo a lengthy procedure than neglect a missing tooth. If you don’t receive treatment for a missing tooth, it can lead to other oral concerns. In this case, you might not undergo one procedure only. Aside from that, it can be very costly.

How long does a dental implant procedure take? The answer is it depends. It will depend on the oral surgeon’s technique, healing time before abutment placement, and crown attachment.

Overall, what you have to think about is not the length of time you need to spare for a procedure. It would be best to think about the excellent outcomes waiting for you in the end. If you’re looking for a clinic that offers dental implants, you can go to MLD’s Burwood clinic today.