The dental implant process usually happens in multiple steps. This means that it will require more than one healing stage, making healing time variable depending on the number of teeth being replaced, the patient’s health, and several other factors.
Here’s what you can expect between the procedure and recovery during each stage of the process. Once these steps have been successfully completed, you'll be finished with your dental implant treatment!
If you require bone grafting prior to the implant being placed, a waiting period of approximately four to six months will be necessary before the implant portion of your treatment process can get started. Grafting is generally required in cases where the patient is lacking healthy bone in the area where the implant will be placed.
If an extraction is required ahead of the implant procedure, there will also be a healing period necessary. However, with new advances in dentistry, dentists can often place the implants at the same time as they do the extraction, so that there is no double healing time required. This stage can take around a week to heal, depending on the patient’s health.
After four to six months have passed, and the bone has integrated with the implant metal, the next part of the dental implant procedure can begin.
At this time, your dentist can add an abutment to your dental implant, to which either an artificial tooth (a dental cap) or denture will be attached.
