08 Apr

How is a dental implant done?

Knowing how a dental implant is done helps you arrive at the clinic with realistic expectations and without unnecessary anxiety. A dental implant is a titanium screw placed in the upper or lower jawbone to act as an artificial root. The full process involves digital planning, surgery, an osseointegration period, and placement of the final crown. Without complications, treatment takes between three and six months.

At Clínica Dental Fernando Soria, we explain how a dental implant is done from the very first visit, with the 3D CT scan on the table and the digital design of the implant position on screen. Patients understand exactly what is going to be done, where, and why before signing any consent form.

Want to find out if you’re a good candidate? Book your assessment with our specialists in dental implants in Madrid and we’ll walk you through the full process, tailored to your case.

 

CLÍNICA DENTAL FERNANDO SORIA, MADRID

Phone: 91 445 16 36 / 610 42 79 78

Email: atencionalpaciente@fernandosoria.com

 

The phases of a dental implant: an overview

Understanding how a dental implant is done means knowing the phases of the dental implant process as a whole. It is not a single-visit procedure: it is a process in stages, each with a specific clinical purpose.

 

Phase	What happens	Duration	Anesthesia
1. Planning	3D CT scan and digital design	1 visit	No
2. Surgery	Implant placement	30-60 min	Local
3. Osseointegration	The bone fuses with the implant	3-6 months	No
4. Abutment	Connection between implant and crown	1 visit	Light local
5. Final crown	Placement of the final prosthesis	1-2 visits	No

In selected cases, immediate loading is possible: placing a temporary crown on the same day as the surgery. This isn’t always possible, but when conditions allow it, it significantly shortens treatment time.

 

Phase 1: digital planning with a 3D CT scan

At our clinic, the first step in how a dental implant is done doesn’t happen in the dental chair: it happens in front of a screen. We take a 3D CT scan that reconstructs the available bone volume, the position of the dental nerve, the proximity of the maxillary sinus, and the quality of the bone. With that virtual model, we design the exact position of the implant before touching the patient.

This step determines whether the case can go ahead directly or whether a bone graft is needed first. It also makes it possible to fabricate a custom surgical guide that the surgeon uses during the procedure to place the implant exactly where it was planned.

Phase 2: implant placement surgery

Surgery is the step that worries patients most when they ask how a dental implant is done. The reassuring answer is that it is performed under local anesthesia and usually takes between 30 and 60 minutes for a single implant. The patient feels no pain during the procedure, although they may feel pressure and vibration.

The surgical process includes:

1. An incision and opening of the gum flap to expose the bone.
2. Drilling of the implant site following the digital surgical guide.
3. Insertion of the titanium implant in the planned position.
4. Placement of the cover screw and suturing of the gum.

In minimally invasive surgery, it can be done without an incision: the implant is inserted through a small punch in the gum, which shortens healing time.

Phase 3: osseointegration, the silent process

Between the surgery and the final crown there is a period of three to six months during which the implant osseointegrates; that is, the bone grows around the rough titanium surface and anchors it firmly. During this time, the patient wears a temporary restoration or simply has the gum closed over the implant, depending on the case.

This is the longest of the dental implant phases and the least visible to the patient, but it is the most important. Loading the implant prematurely, before osseointegration is sufficient, can jeopardize the entire treatment.

Phases 4 and 5: abutment and final crown

Once osseointegration has been confirmed, the last phases of how a dental implant is done are placing the abutment, the component that connects the implant to the crown, and then the final crown.

At our clinic, the crown is designed digitally with the same intraoral scanner we use for veneers and other restorations. The result is a prosthesis that exactly replicates the anatomy of the original tooth in color, shape, and function.

 

How to sleep after a dental implant

How to sleep after a dental implant is a very common practical question. The main recommendation is to keep your head elevated for the first few nights, using two pillows, to reduce venous pressure in the area and minimize swelling.

Other tips for sleeping after a dental implant:

• Sleep on the side opposite the implant for the first few nights to avoid direct pressure on the area.
• Don’t rest your face against the pillow if the implant is in the front of the mouth or a visible area.
• If the patient has bruxism, wear the occlusal splint from the first night to avoid forces on the temporary restoration or the treated area.

From the third or fourth day on, how to sleep after a dental implant stops being a real concern for most patients.

 

Can you eat after a dental implant?

Yes, you can eat after a dental implant from the same day, but with conditions. For the first 24 hours, your diet should be soft and cold or lukewarm: yogurt, purées, smoothies, scrambled eggs, poached fish. Nothing that requires hard chewing or is hot.

After a dental implant, you can gradually return to eating normally:

• Days 1-3: soft diet; avoid chewing on the implant side.
• Days 4-7: add medium-texture foods, always on the opposite side.
• From the second week: a practically normal diet, avoiding very hard or crunchy foods directly on the temporary restoration.

The reason for these restrictions isn’t just pain: it’s to protect the blood clot and avoid forces on the implant during the initial healing phase, when osseointegration has not yet begun.

 

How is a dental implant done in complex cases?

Not all implant cases are the same. Understanding how a dental implant is done in more complex situations is important for patients who have lost bone, have a very low-lying maxillary sinus, or have been missing a tooth in the area for years.

The most common additional procedures are:

• Sinus lift: when there is not enough bone in the upper back area, the sinus membrane is lifted and the space is filled with bone to gain volume.
• Bone graft: in areas with severe resorption, autologous, synthetic, or bone-bank bone is added to rebuild the necessary volume.
• Guided bone regeneration: using membranes and filler materials that direct bone growth around the implant.

These procedures don’t change the logic of how a dental implant is done, but they do lengthen the overall treatment time. That’s why prior planning is so decisive. If you also need your periodontal health checked first, visit our periodontics in Madrid section.

 

The difference digital technology makes

Explaining how a dental implant is done today at a clinic with advanced technology means describing a very different process from ten years ago. Planning with a 3D CT scan and Simplant software, digital design of the surgical guide, the intraoral scanner, and CAD/CAM fabrication of the crown are tools that, together, reduce the margin of error to a minimum and make the result predictable.

Patients who come to our clinic don’t rely on the surgeon’s good eye: they rely on digital planning verified before the procedure. And that completely changes both the experience and the result.

To learn more about all the technology available at our clinic, visit our dental clinic in Madrid section and discover the team and resources we work with.

 

Frequently asked questions about how a dental implant is done

How long does implant surgery take?

For a single implant, surgery takes between 30 and 60 minutes. In cases with multiple implants or simultaneous bone regeneration procedures, it can take anywhere from 90 minutes to two hours. With the digital surgical guide, times are consistently shorter than with conventional surgery.

Can an implant be placed right after an extraction?

Yes, in many cases. An immediate post-extraction implant is a common option at our clinic when the socket is in good condition and there is no active infection. It reduces the number of surgeries and better preserves bone volume. Knowing how a dental implant is done in this specific context is part of the individualized planning we carry out with each patient.

Does the implant hurt after surgery?

Postoperative pain is usually mild to moderate and is easily controlled with the prescribed painkiller. In most cases, swelling is more noticeable than pain. From the third day on, discomfort is minimal in cases without complications.

Do you need to rest after surgery?

Complete bed rest isn’t necessary in most cases. Strenuous physical activity should be avoided for the first three or four days. Most patients can go back to office work the day after the procedure. Physically demanding jobs require waiting five to seven days.

 

Conclusion

Understanding each phase of how a dental implant is done lets you start treatment with confidence and no surprises. Digital planning, guided surgery, the osseointegration period, and placement of the final crown are well-established steps that, in expert hands and with the right technology, produce highly predictable results.

At Clínica Dental Fernando Soria, we show you on screen how your dental implant will be done before we begin. Book your initial assessment and start with all the information.

 

CLÍNICA DENTAL FERNANDO SORIA, MADRID

Phone: 91 445 16 36 / 610 42 79 78

Email: atencionalpaciente@fernandosoria.com