Dental Implant Procedure: What Happens at Each Visit

The implant procedure runs in stages over several months. Knowing what happens at each visit makes the process far less daunting, and helps you ask the right questions.

Key points

• Implant treatment runs in stages over several months, with a consultation, imaging and planning, any preparation, surgery, healing, and fitting of the final tooth.
• Surgery is usually done under local anaesthetic, and you may feel pressure and vibration but should not feel pain.
• NHS guidance says the whole process could take 6 to 12 months, with three to six months of healing before the crown is fitted.¹²
• Smoking raises the chance that an implant does not bond, and NHS guidance asks patients to stop at least six months before treatment.¹
• After the crown is fitted, check-ups every three to six months and daily cleaning around the implant protect the result.¹

If you are thinking about a dental implant, the part that worries people most is usually the surgery itself. In fact the surgery is one stage in a longer process, and much of the work is planning and healing. Here is the usual order for a single tooth, with notes on where other designs differ.¹²

Step 1: the consultation and examination

The first visit is mainly a conversation. Your dentist asks about your medical history, your medicines, whether you smoke and what you hope to achieve. They look at your teeth, gums and bite and check for decay or gum disease. Tell your dentist about every condition and medicine you take, because some affect healing.²

You should hear what the options are, including leaving the gap alone, and what each would involve. A good consultation does not push you towards surgery. If you want a broader overview before you go, our complete guide to dental implants covers the basics.

Step 2: imaging and planning

To place an implant well, your dentist needs to see the bone, not just the tooth. X-rays show part of the picture, and a 3D scan shows the height and width of the bone and where nerves and the sinus lie. At Orion Dental Clinic, planning uses a 3D scan (CBCT) so that the position and angle of the post can be worked out from your own anatomy. Your dentist uses the scan to decide whether there is enough bone, whether a graft is needed and which size of post suits.

If you need other treatment first, such as gum treatment, a filling or removal of a damaged tooth, it is done at this stage. Untreated gum disease is a reason to wait, because infection can affect the implant.¹

Step 3: preparing the site

If there is not enough bone, a bone graft can add some. NHS patient information says this can add at least four months to treatment, and that it can bring swelling, bruising and pain.¹² Sometimes a graft is placed at the same time as the post, and sometimes it is done first and left to heal. If a tooth must be removed, the implant may be placed at the same visit or after the socket has healed. Your dentist will explain which applies to you, and our guide to bone grafts for dental implants explains the options.

Step 4: placing the implant

Placing the post is usually done under local anaesthetic, so the area is numb. Some people are also offered sedation, which is worth asking about if you are nervous. The dentist makes a small opening in the gum, prepares a space in the bone and places the post. The gum is then closed over it or around it, and sometimes a temporary tooth is fitted.

You should not feel pain during the procedure, although you may feel pressure and vibration. Afterwards, swelling, bruising and some discomfort are normal for a few days.¹ We cover what to expect in do dental implants hurt?

Step 5: healing and bonding

This is the longest stage. Over the following months the bone bonds to the post, which usually takes three to six months, longer if a graft was needed.¹ During this time:

• keep the area clean as your dentist shows you;
• avoid hard biting on the site;
• do not smoke, because smoking raises the chance that an implant does not bond;¹
• attend any review visits.

A short review is common after one to two weeks, and sometimes the gum is checked again later. Our article on aftercare and recovery tips lists what usually helps.

Step 6: the abutment and the impression

When the bone has bonded, the post is uncovered if it was buried, and an abutment is attached. An impression or digital scan is taken so that the dental laboratory can make the crown, bridge or denture to fit your bite and match your other teeth. The gum is given a short time to settle around the abutment.

Step 7: fitting the final tooth

The crown is checked for fit, shape, colour and bite and is then fixed to the abutment, by cement or by a small screw. Your bite is adjusted so that the new tooth does not take too much force. You are shown how to clean around it, with interdental brushes and floss, and a review date is agreed.

Step 8: ongoing care

Implants need long-term care. Brush twice a day, clean around the implant and attend check-ups, which NHS guidance puts at every three to six months.¹ Over time the crown or screw can wear or loosen and may need repair, and the gum around an implant can become inflamed, which is why cleaning and check-ups matter.²

How long does it take altogether?

NHS guidance says the whole process could take 6 to 12 months, with three to six months of healing before the crown is fitted.¹² The timetable depends on your bone, on whether a graft or extraction is needed, and on how well you heal. Faster plans exist, for example when a temporary tooth is fitted at once, but the bone still needs time to bond before the final tooth is made.

What the research says about success

In a review of 26 studies, 96.8 percent of implants supporting single crowns were still in place after five years.³ That is a figure for groups of patients, not a promise for one person, and it comes from implants that were looked after and reviewed. It is the reason regular maintenance matters as much as the surgery.

Questions worth asking at your first visit

• Which treatment do you advise for my mouth, and why?
• Do I need a graft, and how much time would it add?
• What are the risks for me, given my health and my habits?
• Will I have a temporary tooth while I heal?
• Who will do my check-ups, and how often?

You can also read about the stages for a single tooth on our single tooth implant page.

What the day of surgery is like

On the day, you will usually be asked about your health again, including any change in medicines or any illness, and the plan will be confirmed with you. The area is numbed with local anaesthetic, and sedation may be offered if you are anxious. The procedure is planned from your scan, so the post is placed in the position that was decided beforehand.

Placing a single implant is usually a short appointment, though the time varies with the number of implants and whether a graft is needed. Afterwards you receive written instructions on medicines, food and cleaning, and you are told whom to call. If you have had sedation, someone should take you home. Many people go back to light activity the next day, though your dentist will advise you on your own case.

Temporary teeth while you heal

A gap in the front of the mouth is a concern for many people, so ask in advance what you will wear while the implant heals. Options depend on the site and include:

• a temporary denture or retainer with a tooth attached;
• a tooth bonded to a neighbouring tooth for a short time;
• a temporary crown fixed to the implant, in some cases, if the bone is stable;
• no replacement, if the gap is at the back and not visible.

Temporary teeth should not press on the healing site, so follow the advice on wearing them and cleaning them.

Signs that healing is on track

After the first few days, discomfort should ease steadily. Gums should look pink and settle without increasing swelling, the area should not bleed repeatedly and you should not feel the post move. Review visits let the dentist check this, sometimes with a scan before the final tooth is made.¹

Call the clinic if you have pain that grows after the first week, swelling that returns, pus or a bad taste, a loose cover screw or temporary tooth, or numbness that does not improve. Early advice helps, and most issues are easily dealt with when caught early.

Frequently asked questions

How many visits does an implant need?

It varies, but a single implant usually needs a planning visit, the surgery, one or two reviews, the visit to take an impression and the visit to fit the crown. A graft or an extraction adds visits.

Can I eat normally after the surgery?

Your dentist will give you advice, but most people start with soft food and avoid chewing on the site for a while.

Can an implant be done on the same day as an extraction?

Sometimes. It depends on the bone around the socket and the state of the gum, which your scan and examination show. Your dentist may suggest waiting if the site is infected.

What if the implant does not bond?

A small number of implants do not join the bone and have to be removed.² Your dentist can talk through whether another implant is possible once the area has healed.

How long is each appointment?

It varies. The consultation and scan take a short visit, surgery for one implant is usually a short appointment, and the fitting visits are shorter. Ask the clinic for the schedule for your plan.

Will I have stitches?

Often yes. They hold the gum in place while it heals, and they are removed or dissolve over the following days or weeks, as your dentist explains.

About the author

Sources

1. Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Dental implants in restorative dentistry (patient information). https://www.cuh.nhs.uk/patient-information/dental-implants-in-restorative-dentistry/
2. Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. Dental implants (patient information). https://guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/health-information/dental-implants
3. Jung RE, Pjetursson BE, Glauser R, Zembic A, Zwahlen M, Lang NP. A systematic review of the 5-year survival and complication rates of implant-supported single crowns. Clinical Oral Implants Research, 2008;19(2):119-130. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18067597/

Medically reviewed by Dr Anupam Sinha, BDS, MDS – Orthodontics, on 23 October 2026. General information for patients from Orion Dental Clinic, last updated 23 October 2026. It is not advice for one person, so ask a dentist what suits you. To report an error, contact us.