Know Each Step Before Your Implant Begins
A missing tooth changes how you chew, and you notice the gap every time you smile. Many people put off an implant because the process feels like a mystery. How many visits will it take? Will it hurt? What will it cost? At our Farmington office, the dental implant procedure follows a set order, and you’ll know every step before anything starts.
A typical case moves through four stages:
- Consultation
- Implant Surgery
- Healing Period
- Final Restoration
Your plan can vary based on the type of implant you need. Call our team of implant dentists at (505) 327-4863 to schedule your consultation.
Your First Implant Consultation in Farmington
Your first visit is about answers. By the end of it, you’ll know whether an implant suits you and what your treatment would involve.
What We Check
- Your health history: We go over your medical history and the medicines you take, since some conditions and drugs change how well bone heals after surgery.
- Your mouth: Our dentists look at the gap, your gums, your bite, and the teeth on either side.
- Your jawbone: Digital X-rays and 3D technology show whether there’s enough bone to hold a post and where it should sit.
- Your comfort: If you’re nervous, tell us. We talk through numbing and sedation choices at this visit, so you know what surgery day will feel like.
What You Leave With
You’ll know whether you need prep work first, such as an extraction or a bone graft, which type of implant fits your case, and roughly how many visits to plan for. If an implant isn’t the right fit, we’ll explain the other ways to replace a tooth.
What to Bring
- A list of your medicines and supplements
- Your dental insurance card, if you have one
- Recent X-rays from another dentist, if you have them
- Your questions, written down
Questions Worth Asking
- Who will place my implant, and who will make the tooth that goes on it?
- Will I have a temporary tooth while I heal?
- Do I need a bone graft or an extraction first?
- What does my total cost include, from the post to the crown?
- What happens if the implant doesn’t bond to the bone?
Still weighing a single implant against All-on-4 or implant-supported dentures? We compare all three options on our dental implants in Farmington page.
The Dental Implant Procedure, Step by Step
Dental Implant Surgery
Implant surgery is usually done with local anesthesia, so the area stays numb the whole time. The dentist opens a small spot in the gum, sets the titanium post into your jawbone, and closes the site so it can heal. We place your implant here in our office, following the plan from your 3D scan. Some placements use laser dentistry for guidance.
The Healing Period
In the months after surgery, your jawbone fuses with the post and anchors it. Dentists call this osseointegration.
Daily routines tend to resume within a few days. Soreness or swelling can last from several days to a week. Follow your aftercare instructions closely to lower the chance of dental implant risks and complications.
Your Final Restoration
When the post is solid, we attach the abutment, a small connector that holds your new tooth. The gum around it needs at least two weeks to heal, according to Mayo Clinic, before the last piece goes on.
Then you come back for your custom crown, bridge, or implant-supported denture. We shape and shade it to blend in with the teeth around it and check that your bite feels even. The same office that placed your implant fits the tooth, so you aren’t sent somewhere new for the last step.
How Long Does a Dental Implant Procedure Take?
At Desert Hills Dental Care in Farmington, the whole implant process usually takes about four to six months. The surgery itself takes only a few hours. Healing takes up the rest, while the bone bonds to the post before your final tooth goes on. Across those months, plan on several visits: the consultation, surgery, one or two healing checks, and the visits for your abutment and final tooth. Prep work such as an extraction, a bone graft, or gum disease treatment adds time, so some cases take closer to a year.
Want to know what your own timeline looks like? Call (505) 327-4863 (tel:+15053274863) and we’ll set up a time to look at your case. Already have a plan from another office? Bring it with you for a second opinion at no charge.
Why Patients Choose Our Farmington Implant Team
Choosing who places your implant matters as much as choosing the implant. These are the people and tools behind your procedure:
- Implant training: Dr. Gene Hilton holds membership in the American Academy of Implant Dentistry, a professional group devoted to implant care.
- Four decades of local care: Dr. Charles Schumacher has practiced in Farmington since 1986, so your implant is planned by an office with deep roots in the community.
- A guided placement: Our 3D cone beam scanner builds a detailed model of your jaw. We use that model to make a surgical guide that shows exactly where your post should go.
- A preview of your new smile: A digital smile design shows how your finished implant should look, so you can weigh in on the result before treatment starts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Once we’ve examined your mouth and reviewed your X-rays and scans, we can tell you what your treatment would cost, including any extraction or bone graft you need first. We also go over your insurance before you decide.
Our office currently offers a complimentary consultation for new patients. Ask about it when you call to book.
Plan for about an hour for your dental implant consultation. That leaves time for your exam, X-rays, a 3D scan, and any questions you may have.
Not necessarily. In some cases, an implant can be placed directly into the jawbone without removing any existing teeth. However, if there aren’t enough healthy teeth or if the jawbone is too thin or weak, tooth extraction may be necessary.
Book Your Dental Implant Appointment at Desert Hills Dental Care
An implant starts with one visit and a clear plan. You’ll leave your consultation knowing what your treatment involves and how long it should take. Patients come to us for implant care from Aztec, Bloomfield, Kirtland, and Shiprock.
Call our dentists in Farmington at (505) 327-4863 or request an appointment online to schedule your dental implant consultation at Desert Hills Dental Care.