Implant surgery is a minor outpatient procedure, usually 30 to 90 minutes per implant, performed under local anesthesia with optional sedation. The provider opens the gum, prepares a precise channel in the bone, and places the implant post before closing the site to heal.
Key takeaways
- —Most single-implant placements take under an hour and are done in-office, not in a hospital.
- —Guided surgery using a 3D-printed surgical guide, built from a CBCT scan, has made placement more precise than freehand techniques.
- —Sedation options range from none (just local anesthesia) to IV sedation, depending on patient anxiety and case complexity.
- —Stitches, if used, are often dissolvable and don't require a separate removal visit.
Step by step
After numbing the area, the provider makes a small incision to access the bone, uses a sequence of precision drills to create a channel matched to the implant's size, and threads or taps the implant into place. The gum is then closed around or over the implant, depending on the protocol being used.
Guided vs. freehand placement
Guided surgery uses a custom surgical guide, designed from your CBCT scan, that fits over your teeth and directs the drill to the exact planned position and angle. This reduces the margin for error compared to freehand placement and is especially valuable for zirconia one-piece systems, where the final angle is fixed at placement.
What recovery looks like immediately after
Most patients experience mild swelling and soreness for two to four days, manageable with over-the-counter pain medication. Light activity is generally fine within a day or two; strenuous exercise is usually paused for about a week to avoid increasing blood pressure at the surgical site.
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Frequently asked questions
How long does implant surgery take?+
A single implant typically takes 30 to 90 minutes. Full-arch or multiple-implant cases can take several hours and are sometimes split across more than one visit.
Will I be awake during the procedure?+
Most patients remain awake under local anesthesia, sometimes paired with mild oral sedation. IV sedation or general anesthesia is available for more anxious patients or complex multi-implant cases, but isn't required for most routine placements.