Dental implants
A dental implant is a small post placed in the jaw to hold a replacement tooth. It is for an adult who is missing a tooth, or has one that can't be saved, and whose gums and jawbone can support it.
What happens
Plan on three to five visits over several months, because the bone needs time to heal around the post.
- 01
Step 1: Exam and scan
A conversation, an exam and a 3D scan of your jaw. Dr. Durham tells you whether an implant is an option, and what else is.
- 02
Step 2: A written plan
Each step, who does it, how many visits, and the fee for each step.
- 03
Step 3: Placing the implant
A small surgery with the area numbed. It is done by Dr. Durham or by an oral surgeon or periodontist she works with, and you hear which before the day.
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Step 4: Healing and the final tooth
The bone and the post join over a few months. Then she makes the crown, checks your bite, and shows you how to clean around it.
Some people need a bone graft first, which adds a visit and healing time. A scan shows whether you might.
Comfort, choices and care
Comfort
The area is numbed with local anesthetic before surgery, and you can ask for a break at any time. Ask us beforehand how comfort is handled and who is involved.
If you wait
A missing tooth can let the teeth beside it drift, and the bone under the gap can thin over time. You can also choose a bridge, a partial denture, or leaving the gap. Dr. Durham will tell you what she'd watch for.
Risks and after-care
Swelling, soreness and bruising are common for a few days. Risks include infection, a post that doesn't join the bone, and irritation of a nerve. Smoking and some health conditions raise them. She goes through them with you before you decide.
How it's billed
By the step, with a written estimate before anything begins. Many dental plans pay for part of implant care, or none of it.
How fees work
Questions about dental implants
How long does an implant last?
No one can promise that. It depends on your bone and gums, how you clean around it, whether you smoke or clench your teeth, and whether you come to checkups.
Am I too old for an implant?
Age alone isn't the question. What matters is your general health, your gums and the bone in your jaw. You share your health history in our private patient portal, never in a message.
Will I need a bone graft?
Some people do. The 3D scan shows how much bone there is, and Dr. Durham tells you at the planning visit if a graft is worth considering.
Provided by a prosthodontist
Planned by Dr. Mabel Durham, DDS, who completed a residency in prosthodontics and is a diplomate of the American Board of Prosthodontics. Licensed in Washington.