Initial Consultation
The process begins with a dental appointment. Your dentist will assess your oral health and discuss your options. Expect your dentist to conduct a thorough exam, including x-rays and  creating impressions of your teeth and gums.
Of note, if you have a thinner jaw bone, your course of treatment may involve an extra step. Patients with thin jaw bones may need bone grafting to rebuild the jaw to make it strong enough to hold an implant.
2. First Appointment - The Dental Implant
The first appointment involves a surgical incision in the jaw to place the dental implant. Your dentist will stitch up the incisions so that the implant can integrate with your jaw bone. It can take several weeks to heal enough for the next step.
3. Follow-Up Appointment - Prepare the Implant
Once the initial incisions heal completely, your dentist will make a second incision to expose the implant and prepare the gum tissue to heal around the area. A temporary healing cap is placed on the implant so that the gum tissue will heal around the area.
4. Final Appointment - Secure the Cap or Crown
Finally, after the second incision heals, you will visit your dentist for the permanent cap or crown. Your dentist removes the temporary cap and places the new permanent one.