Dental Implants
A small titanium post takes the place of the missing root, and the bone grows onto it. What sits on top looks, feels and chews like the tooth you lost.
- Visits
- Staged over 6 to 8 months, start to finish
- Anesthetic
- Local
- Healing
- 3 to 6 months while the post bonds to the bone
- Back to normal
- Soft diet at first; daily life carries on
- Results last
- Decades with good care
Every service is quoted up front, before we start. All PPO insurances accepted.
The service
A new root, not just a new tooth.
An implant is a small titanium post placed in the jaw where a tooth is missing. The bone bonds with the titanium and the post becomes a fixed anchor for a crown, a bridge or a denture. Because the root is replaced, not just the crown, the jaw keeps its stimulus and the bone loss that normally follows a lost tooth can be held off.
Where the bone allows it we place single-stage implants, which skip the second surgery to uncover the post, and in some cases the implant goes in at the same appointment as the extraction. The surgery, any extractions and any bone grafting happen here; the final teeth are designed alongside the healing so nothing waits on anything else.
One tooth, several teeth or a full arch: the same post carries them all. If a tooth has been gone a while and the ridge has thinned, a bone graft can rebuild enough foundation first.
Before / after
What an implant replaces.
Illustration: missing front teeth replaced with implant crowns · drag to compare.
An illustration of the change, not a photo of a 360 Dental patient. See real cases in the smile gallery
What happens
From scan to new tooth.
Most implants follow this staged path. Single-stage placements skip the uncovering.
Scan and plan
A 3D CT scan maps your bone, nerves and sinuses, and the placement is planned virtually before anything touches your mouth. Your health history and any gum disease or decay are dealt with first.
Placement
The titanium post is placed in the jaw under local anesthetic. Where suitable it is a single-stage placement, and sometimes it happens at the same visit as the extraction.
Healing
For 3 to 6 months the bone bonds to the post. You can wear temporary teeth and eat a soft diet; most people notice little disruption.
Uncovering and posts
For two-stage implants the post is uncovered and a small healing collar fitted. An impression is taken and the attachments that will carry your new teeth are connected.
Final teeth
The crown, bridge or denture is fitted over the posts and adjusted to your bite. The whole process usually takes 6 to 8 months.
Is it for you
Worth asking about if.
You do not need to match every line. Any one of them is reason enough to ask.
- One tooth is missing, or several, or a whole arch
- A denture slips when you eat or speak
- You want a replacement that leaves the neighboring teeth alone
- The jaw has started to sink where a tooth has been gone a while
- A bridge has failed and there is nothing left to anchor another
Afterwards
After each stage.
Soreness after placement is real but short, and over-the-counter anti-inflammatories usually cover it. Stick to soft food while the site settles and keep the area clean as instructed.
Once the final teeth are on, an implant asks for exactly what your own teeth do: brushing, flossing and regular check-ups. The check-ups matter, because gum health around the post is what keeps it for the long run.
Call the office if:
- Bleeding does not settle with gentle pressure
- Swelling or pain gets worse after the third day
- The post or the temporary feels loose
- You run a fever after surgery
Common questions
Answering your questions.
Does implant surgery hurt?
It is done under local anesthetic and most people find it far easier than they expected. Any soreness afterwards is usually managed with over-the-counter pain relief.
How long does the whole process take?
Usually 6 to 8 months from planning to final teeth, most of which is quiet healing time while the bone bonds to the post. You wear temporary teeth in the meantime.
How many teeth can implants replace?
One, several or all of them. A single post carries one crown; a handful of posts can carry a full-arch bridge or lock a denture in place.
Do I need any treatment first?
Gum disease and untreated decay are dealt with before placement, and if the jaw has thinned a bone graft may come first. The planning scan settles this before anything is booked.
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