The Implant Procedure
Step by step,
from consultation to final smile.
Here’s exactly what the dental implant process looks like — what each visit involves, what healing feels like, and how long the whole journey takes.
Step 1 — Consultation and CBCT scan
Your first visit is about gathering information. Dr. Sanie reviews your goals, examines your mouth, and orders a 3D CBCT scan to evaluate your bone, nerves, and sinuses. We discuss whether implants are the right choice, talk through alternatives, and give you a written treatment plan with cost.
Step 2 — Planning
Before any surgery, Dr. Sanie virtually places your implant on the CBCT scan, choosing the ideal angle, depth, and size for your mouth. If a bone graft is needed first to support the implant, you’ll hear about it at this stage in plain language — why, how, and what it adds to the timeline.
Step 3 — Implant placement
On placement day, the area is fully numbed and you’re offered nitrous oxide if you’d like. Dr. Sanie gently places the titanium post into your jaw following the digital plan. Most patients are surprised how easy the visit feels — far easier than a typical extraction. You leave with a temporary restoration so you’re never without a smile during healing.
Step 4 — Integration and healing
Over the next three to six months, your implant slowly fuses with the surrounding bone — a biological process called osseointegration. During this time, you eat normally on the other side, brush around the area as you would your other teeth, and come in for short check-up visits.
Step 5 — Abutment and impression
Once the implant has integrated, a small connector called an abutment is attached. We take a digital scan of your mouth and send it to our lab so a custom crown can be crafted to match the shade and shape of your surrounding teeth.
Step 6 — Final crown
About two weeks later, your custom porcelain crown is bonded onto the abutment. Dr. Sanie checks the bite carefully, makes any small adjustments needed, and polishes everything for a natural finish. You leave with a tooth that looks, feels, and functions like the one you lost.
Step 7 — Long-term follow-up
We monitor every implant at your routine cleanings, check the surrounding gum and bone health, and keep you ahead of any early issues. With good home care, dental implants commonly last decades — many a lifetime.
How long the whole thing takes
From consultation to final crown, most cases finish in 4 to 7 months. Cases that need bone grafting first can take longer. We’ll give you a clear timeline at your first visit so you can plan around it.
New patients welcome
Your calmer dental visit
is one conversation away.
Tell us a little about what you need — we’ll listen, answer your questions, and find a time that fits your life. No pressure, no rush.
¿Habla español? Llámenos al 540-418-0825 — estamos aquí para ayudarle.