How long does it take to get dental implants?

Has your dentist recommended dental implants maple grove mn and you are not really sure what you are getting into? This is a common experience. There are a lot of factors to consider before you decide if dental implants are right for you. You’ve heard that implants can take a while? Let’s walk through the steps so you have a better idea of the process.

Dental Exam

Prior to getting started with any work, your dentist is going to want to schedule a comprehensive exam to thoroughly check the health of your mouth. This may include X-rays and possibly 3D scans. Even if your dentist is very familiar with your mouth, this step is necessary to confirm that the health of your gums and jawbone is sufficient to support an implant, and also to develop a treatment plan that is best for you.

Implant Surgery

After you are finished with the comprehensive exam, your dentist will schedule you for surgery. The surgery is the real first step of the implant process. Your dentist will place the titanium implant in your jaw bone, right below the gums. This surgery usually takes about 1-2 hours for each implant being placed. After this step is complete, most dentist will wait about 3 months before the final restoration of the tooth replacement. This may seem frustrating, but the healing period is very important to making sure the dental implant procedure is a success. You need to allow time for the implant to integrate into the bone, so that it has the strength to support your final restoration.

Post-surgery Recovery

Initially after surgery, some people will experience swelling, bruising, or pain. This can depend on how much work your dentist needed to do to install the implant, especially if a tooth needed to be removed in the process. The time window between your implant surgery and the fitting of your crown is really important. The length of that time depends on the healing of your gums and bone. This healing period is generally around 3 months.

Abutment & Crown Fitting

The last step, after your implant is healed, is the less invasive procedure of fitting the abutment and crown to the implant. An abutment is a small cushion like shock absorber that is placed between the implant and the permanent crown. This step often involves exposing the gums so that the implant may be imprisoned for a proper fitting abutment and crown. After the abutment is secure, your new artificial crown can be fitted, and the dental implant process is complete.

In summary, to complete and schedule the multiple steps involved in the dental implant procedure, you should consider the process taking several months, from start to finish. The payoff is a permanent replacement tooth. The best way to get an idea of how long the process will take for you is to have a conversation with your dentist.

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