Like many people these days, you’re busy! You know you want to replace your missing teeth with dental implants, but you need to know how much time to budget for the placement procedure. How long does the surgery take? What do you need to know about this treatment so you can give yourself plenty of time to recover properly? Keep reading to get more clarity and information!
What Is Involved in Dental Implant Placement
Before learning about the timing of this surgical procedure, you need to understand the steps it entails. First, the area is numbed with a local anesthetic, and then the dentist makes an incision in the gum tissue. Great care is necessary to avoid hitting blood vessels or nerve endings. With a dental drill, a small hole is made in the jawbone, and the screw-like post is inserted. Finally, the gum tissue is closed.
How Long Dental Implant Placement Typically Takes
Now that you know how implant placement is performed, you can see why this procedure would require a bit of time. Generally, to position just one dental implant, dentists need one to two hours. When done properly and carefully, this procedure has a high success rate for replacing missing teeth. In planning the timing of your treatment, you also need to include at least a couple of days to rest and recover after this minor surgery.
Factors That Affect the Timing of Dental Implant Placement
The range of time dental implants placement requires can vary because several factors are considered. For example, the number of implants you’re receiving will greatly impact how long you’ll be in the chair. If you need just one, placement should be straightforward and quick compared to that for four or more implants for the entire arch.
Other factors to take into account are the experience of your dentist and the location where the implant will be inserted. Further back in the mouth tends to be more difficult to access, potentially requiring more time to perform the procedure properly.
Why Your Consultation Matters
Before starting this process, you must meet with your dentist, not only to make sure you’re a good candidate for this treatment but also to discuss timing, cost, and other details. During this visit, you can ask questions and learn more about your specific case.
In the end, getting dental implants may seem like a huge time commitment, especially if you feel like you don’t have much extra, but the long-term rewards far outweigh any temporary inconvenience in your schedule.
About the Author
As a Jacksonville native, Dr. Sean Altenbach is thrilled to serve friends and neighbors in his hometown. Since graduating from dental school, he has continued his education through advanced training coursework and has completed the Implant Educators Comprehensive Interdisciplinary Implant Continuum. He is also a Fellow with the International College of Oral Implantologists. If you would like to learn more about dental implants, you can contact our team online or call Altenbach Dentistry at 904-448-0441.