Unlike some other dental treatments, dental implants can’t be completed during just one dental visit. Because there are several steps to getting dental implants, multiple visits are needed to your Brookline, MA dentist. But just how long do dental implants take?
They Take Longer Depending on Your Oral Health
Dental implants are like any other implant. The health of the surrounding infrastructure—jaw bone and gums—will impact the likelihood of the implants being successful. Your dentist will not be able to properly do the procedure until serious underlying problems are taken care of. That’s not to say that you have to have perfect oral health. But if you don’t have sufficient bone to receive the implant, for instance, you will need some kind of therapy such as bone growth treatment or a bone graft. This process takes between three and six months.
Implant Surgery
After the dentist is sure that you have sufficient oral health and bone to support the implant, you’ll have the implant surgery. This is the part where the titanium implant is surgically placed in the jaw bone. The incision spot needs to heal for about two weeks. In addition, the bone and the implant need to fuse during a process called osseointegration. The length of time needed for this depends on your body.
Abutment Surgery
After successful osseointegration, you’ll have the abutment surgery. This is where the dentist attaches the abutment to the implant. About another two weeks need to pass to allow that incision to heal.
Fitting the Artificial Crown
Finally, the dentist will fit the artificial crown that was custom made for you. This is a one-day procedure.
Follow up Visit
Your dentist will want to follow up in a week or so to check on your dental implants in Brookline, MA.
Although dental implants can take up to nine months, most patients agree that it is well worth the wait! Contact us now to learn more.
