How long does an implant take?

By Vulpesco, written for this demo from the cited sourcesPublished October 2, 20264 min read

Clinical review: Not reviewed by a dentist and not medical advice

The short answer

For a single tooth, an implant usually takes several months from the first visit to the final crown. The slowest part is waiting for the jawbone to heal around the implant, which the American Dental Association describes as taking up to several months. If you need a tooth removed or a bone graft first, the whole process can take longer.

Every mouth is different, so your dentist can give you a realistic timeline only after an exam and X-rays.

The stages

The ADA describes three phases: the implant is placed in the jawbone, the bone heals around it, and then the replacement tooth is attached. In practice there are a few more steps.

1. Exam and planning. Your dentist checks your teeth, gums and the bone where the implant will go, with X-rays and sometimes a three-dimensional scan. You talk through your health history, because it affects healing. This may take one or two visits.
2. Preparing the site, if needed. If the tooth is still there, it has to be removed. If there is not enough bone, a bone graft adds some. Both need healing time before an implant goes in.
3. Placing the implant. The implant is a titanium post that is placed into the jawbone, usually with local anesthetic to numb the area. Your dentist may suggest soft, cool or warm foods for a few days afterward, as the ADA notes.
4. Healing and bone fusion. The bone grows onto the implant surface. This is called osseointegration. A dental journal summary from the ADA says it can take as long as six months. During this time you may have a temporary tooth or a small cap over the implant.
5. Abutment and crown. Once the implant is stable, an abutment (the connector) is attached and the crown is made to match your bite and your other teeth. Fitting the crown may take one or two visits.
6. Check-ups. Implants need regular cleaning and check-ups, as natural teeth do.

Why the waiting is part of the treatment

An implant works because bone fuses to it. Dentists usually protect a new implant from heavy chewing while that fusion happens. Most of the waiting is healing that you cannot see, and you may feel back to normal long before the bone has finished.

What can make it longer

• Removing a tooth first. The socket needs time to heal.
• A bone graft. If the bone is too thin or soft, adding bone first can add months.
• Your health. The ADA notes that good general health matters more than age. Chronic illnesses such as diabetes can slow healing, and tobacco use slows healing too.
• Gum disease or infection. These are treated first.
• The location. The upper and lower jaw differ in bone density, which can affect how long healing takes.

What can make it shorter

The ADA notes that some patients can have the implant and the replacement tooth placed in one visit. This is not suitable for everyone. It depends on the bone, the tooth being replaced and how the bite works, and your dentist will tell you whether it fits your case. A one-visit implant still needs the bone to heal and the tooth to be checked at follow-up visits.

Benefits and risks

An implant is designed to replace a missing tooth, but no one can promise a result for an individual mouth. The US Food and Drug Administration lists possible complications: damage to nearby teeth, injury to tissue during surgery (for example, a sinus perforation or a fractured jawbone), numbness from nerve involvement, a loose abutment screw, infection in the bone and gums around the implant, and loss or failure of the implant. It says smoking can affect healing and reduce long-term success, and that uncontrolled diabetes can make infection more likely. A failed implant may need further treatment. Before you decide, ask your dentist about the benefits, the risks for you, and the alternatives.

Questions to ask

• How many visits will I need, and over how many months?
• Do I need a tooth removed or a bone graft first, and what does that add?
• Who will place the implant and who will make the crown? If a specialist is involved, how will the care be shared?
• What will I wear in the gap while I wait?
• What is included in the price, and what is not? (For example, extractions, bone grafts and scans beyond standard X-rays are often quoted separately.)
• What care will the implant need after it is finished?

Implants are not the only option for a missing tooth. A bridge or a denture may suit you better, and your dentist can explain the trade-offs in time, cost and upkeep.

General information only. It does not replace advice from a dentist who has examined you. Brazos Street Dental is a fictional practice in a Vulpesco demo. See illustrative implant prices and inclusions.