During a short surgical procedure, dental implants are inserted into the jawbone. Your dentist will make an incision into the gum tissue and drill a small hole. Once the hole is made, the implant post is screwed into the bone, and the gum is replaced over the implant and stitched back in position so the bone and gum can heal. Then, the surgical site is allowed to heal. The abutment is attached to the implant once the wound is healed, and this supports the replacement post. Once the implant is placed, the jawbone heals and fuses to the implant over several months.