First, your dentist will give you a comprehensive dental exam, including X-rays, before developing a treatment plan. Your doctor will help you develop a treatment plan. The process starts by removing the damaged tooth. Then that portion of your jaw will need to heal for a bit before an oral surgeon implants a titanium post. You will be completely asleep during minor dental implant surgery with an anesthetic so that you won’t feel anything. You may need a bone graft to make sure your jaw can handle the new implant before you receive your artificial tooth. When your oral surgeon starts to implant the rod, he or she will gently cut into your gums where the implant will go. Then a small drill makes a tiny hole in your jawbone.  The titanium post is inserted into the hole. After this surgery is over, it takes several months for osseointegration to take hold. This is when your jawbone grafts to the titanium implant to strengthen the implant rod. Then a second minor surgery is needed to place the abutment, which goes into the rod and serves as the place where the artificial tooth will go.