When you commit to getting dental implants, you’ll naturally want to have an accurate idea of what to expect. This is perhaps especially true when it comes to having the implant posts placed in your jaw. Just what will happen during the procedure? And how long is it likely to take? Learning the answers to these questions can help you prepare for your oral surgery. Here’s a brief overview of what you need to know.
What Happens During Dental Implant Surgery?
Step one of the procedure is to numb your mouth with a local anesthetic; this will help ensure that you don’t experience any discomfort during the surgery. After that, an incision will be made in your gums, thus exposing the underlying jawbone. Your oral surgeon will create holes in precisely chosen spots in your jaw before carefully inserting the implant posts. Once said posts are in place, the gums will be sutured so that they can heal properly.
How Long Does It Normally Take to Complete Dental Implant Surgery?
Having a single dental implant placed often takes around one to two hours. However, surgeries that involve two or more implant posts can be expected to take longer. Your oral surgeon can give you an estimate of the timeline of your procedure based on the specifics of your situation.
How Long Does the Overall Dental Implant Process Take?
As a whole, completing the dental implant process can take several months or even around a year. That said, there are multiple factors that can influence the timeline. For example, if you need a bone graft to prepare your jawbone for dental implants, you will need to wait for your mouth to completely heal before you can have implant surgery performed. This can extend the process by several months.
On top of that, once your dental implants have been placed, they will need to form a lasting bond with the jawbone via a natural process called osseointegration before they’ll be ready to support replacement teeth. Generally speaking, osseointegration usually takes about three to six months.
In short, the only way to know for sure how long getting dental implants will take in your case is to speak to your oral surgeon. They can give you a realistic idea of what to expect after they’ve learned more about your unique needs.
About the Practice
At Northern Virginia Oral, Maxillofacial, & Implant Surgery, our oral surgeons provide advanced forms of care to help people enjoy better oral health in the long run. We’re proud to be able to offer dental implants in order to replace any number of missing teeth so that our patients can reclaim complete, confident smiles. To schedule a dental implant consultation at our practice in Burke, visit our website or call (703) 736-1640.