How Long Will It Take To Get A Dental Implant?

If you have finally made the decision to get a dental implant to replace a missing tooth, you may be wondering how long it will take for you to get the implant from the time you start the process. The time frame can vary, as it depends on several important factors. Here are several things you should know about this process.

It is performed in two steps

The first thing to understand about dental implants is that they cannot be installed in just one visit. You will need to have at least two visits to complete the procedure, but you may need more than this. The first visit is designed to insert the implant, which is placed in your jawbone. The implant is what will hold the crown, or artificial tooth, in place once it is attached to the implant.

In order for the implant to hold the tooth in place, the implant must fuse to your jawbone, and this is something that takes time. Once the dentist is certain that the implant has fused properly, the dentist will be able to attach the crown to the implant.

The time frame will depend on your health

The time it takes for you to get an implant from start to finish will be based on how quickly your body is able to heal, and your health can affect this. In addition, certain habits you have may stall your implant from healing too, such as smoking.

The time it takes for the implant to heal and fuse will also be affected by the location of your implant. For an implant that is placed on the lower jaw, you should expect it to take at least three to four months for the healing to occur. For one that is on the upper jaw, it will take longer. Typically, you should expect to have to wait for six to nine months before it is healed.

The process of getting a dental implant can take up to one full year in some cases, but it can be shorter than this in others.

What you can do to speed it up

There is not a lot you can do to speed up the process; however, you can help it speed up by avoiding smoking. Smoking tends to prolong healing of the body, which means if you continue to smoke, your implant will take longer.

If you have any questions about dental implants or would like to find out how much they cost, schedule an appointment at a dental clinic, like Oral Surgery Associates Inc, today.