Implant Placement

First Is the Implant Fixture or Implant Body

This implant fixture, typically made of titanium, is placed below the gum line where the root of your tooth used to be. Once this has been placed, we allow 3-4 months for healing and for the surrounding bone to accept the implant, this is called “osseointegration.” While the implant integrates, we may seal up the implant below the gum line and allowed to heal and will be uncovered when it’s time for the next phase. Another alternative is to place a temporary tooth over the implant while it heals. Either way, it typically takes 3-4 months for the implant to heal.

Second Is the Implant Abutment & Implant Crown

This occurs after the implant is fully healed. Our lab fabricates an abutment and crown to fit the implant. The abutment serves as a connector between the implant fixture and the implant crown. The abutment is screwed into the implant and the crown is screwed or cemented to the abutment, completing the process to replace a missing tooth. This step in the process can take 4-5 weeks to complete.

If a tooth has been missing for a while, a bone grafting procedure may need to be done. If this is needed, it can sometimes be done the same day as the implant or it may need to be done prior to an implant. We will discuss this with you should we see that this may be needed.

While our brief description above is an overview of the big picture, it is critical to not minimize the complexity of the treatment. Careful evaluation must be made by someone who is trained and practiced at placing implants. As well, patients need to evaluate whether an implant will fit their needs and lifestyle. Routine checkups and cleanings, good home care, and keeping the mouth free from infection and disease are important aspects of keeping teeth and implants healthy.

We consider several things when completing your evaluation for an implant. We assess any infection in the gums that might hamper the implant healing; we evaluate the bone health in the area where an implant is being considered.

We will evaluate the health of the adjacent teeth, and we take into consideration your current health conditions and medications that might impact the success of the implant. In addition, we will discuss with you the advantages and complications of an implant for your current dental health.

Intown Smile Studio offers surgical placement of implants with either laughing gas, oral sedation or IV sedation. (To learn more about sedation visit our Sedation Page.)

For the assessment of a single tooth, we invite you to schedule a Limited Exam and Single Xray to start the process. If you have several teeth or dental concerns that need evaluating, we invite you to schedule a Full Mouth Evaluation and X-rays. During the Full Mouth Evaluation, we will do a tooth-by-tooth exam for you and discuss any areas of concerns and recommendations, in addition to evaluating you for implants.