Dental Implants 101: What to Expect From Start to Finish

A dental implant is currently the closest replacement to a natural tooth — a titanium post placed into the jawbone that acts as an artificial root, topped with a custom crown that matches your surrounding teeth.

The process happens in stages, not in a single visit. First comes a consultation with imaging to assess bone density and plan implant placement precisely. Next, the implant post itself is placed into the jawbone under local anaesthesia — a procedure that’s generally more comfortable than people expect, comparable to a tooth extraction.

Then comes the part that surprises most patients: healing time. The bone needs to fuse around the implant post, a process called osseointegration, which typically takes a few months. Once that’s confirmed, a custom crown is attached to the implant, completing the tooth.

The wait can feel long, but it’s what makes implants so durable — with good oral hygiene, a well-placed implant can last decades, functioning and looking like a natural tooth rather than a removable replacement. It’s a bigger commitment upfront than a bridge or denture, but for many patients it’s the option that feels most like getting their own tooth back.