Although methods vary with the surgeon and the patient's individual circumstances, dental implants are generally placed over a period of six to eight months, by means of two separate surgical procedures and several related steps. An exception may be when insufficient bone exists to support the implant, in which case an additional, separate procedure of bone augmentation may be required. The typical implant surgery may be done either in a dental office or in a hospital, depending on the preference of the dentist and overall health condition of the patient. Prior to surgery, the number and shape of required implants is planned, and a careful casting is made of the mouth's remaining teeth. Next, the first surgical procedure takes place, usually requiring only local anesthesia. This involves attaching the implant anchors below the gum surface to the jawbone or alveolar (al-vee-OH-lar) bone. Generally, the recipient does not feel the presence of these implants. Over the next 12 weeks to six months, each implant is gradually accepted by the body as it slowly and securely bonds to the bone. If needed, a temporary bridge or dentures may be provided during this time, to allow the patient to eat a fairly normal soft-food diet, and to help maintain facial muscle support. During this adjustment period, a dental laboratory will generally use the previously made casting to manufacture custom-made teeth to cover the implants. Then, once the anchors are sufficiently bonded to the jawbone, the next surgical step can be taken. In this step, each of the implant anchors is uncovered and connected to a small post that protrudes above the gumline. Each post is then completely covered with a specialized, custom-made artificial tooth, resulting in the appearance of a normal set of teeth. Depending on the individual response and the particular professional practice, the entire procedure may take from six to eight months to complete.
