Dental Implants

Last updated: November 6, 2026·Reviewed by Soo Jin Kim, DDS

Dental implants replace missing teeth with replacements anchored in the jawbone, and they can restore chewing and the look of a full smile without reshaping the neighboring teeth for support. Each implant is a small post, usually titanium or zirconia, placed in the bone where a tooth root used to be. Over the following months the bone bonds tightly to the post, a process called osseointegration. A connector called an abutment then joins the implant to a crown, a bridge, or a denture. One implant can replace a single tooth, several can carry a bridge, and two or more can hold a full denture in place. At ConfiDental in Carlstadt, every step from the first consultation to the final crown, bridge or denture happens in one office, and the implants are placed by a board-certified periodontist.

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Soo Jin Kim, DDS

NYU-trained family and cosmetic dentist with a hospital residency at Mount SinaiConfiDental in Carlstadt, NJ

For one missing tooth, Dr. Kim recommends an implant because it can be restored on its own, without touching the teeth in front of it or behind it, and the implant keeps the neighboring teeth from drifting into the gap. When several teeth are missing, implants restore them to work and feel much like natural teeth. She plans and fits the crown, bridge or denture each implant carries, and Dr. Lee places the implants beforehand in the same office.

More About Dr. Kim

Dr. Kim on dental implants

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Dental implant is a great option for missing teeth because single teeth, if it’s missing, we could just restore the tooth singly, not touching the teeth in the front or the back. It’s more functions and aesthetic depending on where the lost teeth are. When we’re missing teeth, it actually drifts, it can drift, so preventing that from happening.

And then people who’s missing multiple teeth, it actually restores like their own natural teeth after all. That’s what we recommend implants versus the other options too, but implant is restoring and feel like a natural tooth actually.

Overview

A missing tooth leaves a gap that affects chewing and appearance, and the bone that once held its root begins to remodel. Major changes to the bone ridge take place during the first year after a tooth is extracted. An implant replaces the root as well as the visible tooth, which can help preserve the surrounding jawbone, and it avoids cutting down healthy neighboring teeth to anchor a conventional bridge.

An implant system has three parts. The implant body, a threaded post usually made of titanium or zirconium oxide (zirconia), sits in the jawbone in place of the root. The abutment connects to the implant and passes through the gum. The restoration, which is a crown, a bridge, or a denture, attaches to the abutment and is the part visible in the mouth.

Treatment is planned from the final tooth backward: the position of the crown or denture decides where each implant goes, so imaging of the bone comes before surgery. Where the bone is too thin, or the sinus in the upper jaw sits too low, a bone graft or a sinus lift may rebuild the site first; those are separate procedures. The implant then either heals under the gum and is uncovered in a short second step, or heals with a cap already through the gum. Some implants receive a temporary tooth within a week of placement.

Implant-supported dentures apply the same approach to a jaw with no remaining teeth. Two or more implants hold a denture that clips onto attachments, so it is held in place rather than resting on the gums alone, and it can still be removed for cleaning. Consensus statements describe a lower denture retained by two implants as the first-choice treatment for a toothless lower jaw, and trials, many of them randomized, report higher satisfaction and quality of life than with a conventional denture. A fixed full-arch bridge, often called All-on-X, is a separate treatment with its own planning.

Empty ConfiDental treatment room with a tan dental chair, stool, instrument tray, overhead light and wall monitor

When It's Recommended

A single missing tooth lost to injury, decay, or gum disease
Several missing teeth that can be replaced with implant-supported crowns or a bridge
A gap at the end of a row of teeth, where no tooth behind it is available to anchor a bridge
A failing tooth that is planned for extraction and replacement
Complete loss of teeth in one or both jaws, restored with an implant-supported denture
A conventional denture that is loose, unstable, or poorly retained
A preference to avoid reshaping healthy neighboring teeth for a conventional bridge

What are the risks of Dental Implants?

When to Avoid

Acute illness, or an active infection or other disease in the jawbone or gum at the planned implant site
Uncontrolled metabolic disease, such as poorly controlled diabetes
Active, untreated periodontal (gum) disease
Jaw growth that is not yet complete, as in children and younger adolescents

Possible risks

Pain, swelling, and bruising in the first days after surgery
Infection at the implant site
Bleeding during or after surgery
Opening of the gum incision during healing
Nerve injury in the lower jaw, causing numbness, tingling, or altered sensation of the lip, chin, or gums that may be temporary or persistent
Sinus perforation when an implant is placed in the upper back jaw
Damage to neighboring teeth
Failure of the implant to integrate with the bone, or loosening later, which may require its removal
Peri-implant mucositis and peri-implantitis, inflammation around the implant that can progress to loss of the supporting bone
Loosening or fracture of the abutment screw or the restoration
Difficulty cleaning the gum around the implant
Fracture of the jawbone, which is rare

Who needs extra care

Too little bone height or width at the site may call for a bone graft or sinus lift before the implant is placed, or for a shorter or narrower implant
Smoking is reviewed during planning, because implants placed in people who smoke show higher failure rates, more postoperative infections, and more bone loss around the implant
Diabetes and other chronic conditions are reviewed before surgery; how well a condition is controlled generally matters more than the diagnosis itself
Bisphosphonate medication, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy to the head and neck is associated with a higher risk of complications and is assessed before an implant is planned
Teeth grinding or clenching (bruxism) adds load to implants and their restorations and is taken into account in the restoration design, sometimes with a protective night guard
Blood-thinning medication and bleeding disorders are reviewed before surgery
A history of severe periodontitis is associated with a higher risk of peri-implantitis, which makes regular professional maintenance after treatment especially important

What to Expect During Treatment

A consultation reviews your dental and medical history and medications, examines the gums and remaining teeth, and discusses the replacement you want
Imaging, often a cone-beam CT scan, measures the bone and locates the nerve and sinus, and the implant position is planned from the final tooth position
Any gum disease is treated first, and a bone graft or sinus lift is completed beforehand if the site needs more bone
On the day of surgery, local anesthetic numbs the area, and some people also have sedation
A small opening is made in the gum, the bone is prepared with a sequence of drills, and the implant is placed
The gum is closed over the implant or around a healing cap, sometimes with a few stitches
The implant integrates with the bone over the following months, and a temporary tooth or your existing denture may be worn during this time
In two-stage treatment, a short second step uncovers the implant and attaches a healing abutment
Impressions or a digital scan of your mouth are taken, and the final crown, bridge, or denture is made to fit
The abutment and final restoration are attached, the bite is checked, and cleaning around the implant is reviewed with you
Follow-up and maintenance visits check the implant, the gum around it, and the bone level over time

How do Dental Implants work?

An implant replaces the root of a tooth. Titanium is bioinert, so bone forms in direct, rigid contact with the implant surface without a layer of soft tissue in between. That bond, called osseointegration, is what allows the implant to carry chewing forces and support a replacement tooth.

Placement is planned around the restoration. Imaging, often a cone-beam CT scan, maps the height, width, and density of the bone along with nearby structures such as the nerve canal in the lower jaw and the sinus in the upper jaw, so the implant can be positioned clear of them.
The site is prepared with a sequence of drills of increasing size under a stream of cool saline, which protects the bone from heat. The implant is then threaded into the prepared site at the planned depth and angle.
While the bone heals, the implant is either covered by the gum (two-stage) or left with a healing cap through the gum (one-stage). Integration usually takes about 2 to 3 months in the lower jaw and 3 to 6 months in the upper jaw before the abutment and final restoration are attached. With immediate loading, a temporary tooth is attached within a week of placement.
Of the steps above, the surgical ones are Dr. Lee's. She places implants, including immediate implants set at the same visit the tooth is removed, and when a site is short of bone she rebuilds it first with a bone graft or, in the upper back jaw, a sinus lift.
Once the implant has bonded with the bone, Dr. Kim restores it. A digital impression of the implant site and the bite is taken on one of the office's intraoral scanners, and the crown, bridge or denture the implant will carry is made from that impression.

Recovery & Aftercare

Mild pain, swelling, and bruising are common for the first few days and are usually managed with over-the-counter or prescribed pain relief
The first stage of gum healing takes about a week
You may be advised to eat soft foods, cold foods, and warm soup while the site heals
Tobacco use can slow healing of the implant site
Bone integration takes roughly 3 to 9 months, depending on the jaw, the bone, and whether grafting was needed, before the final restoration is attached
Once the restoration is in place, you brush and floss around the implant as you would around a natural tooth, and regular dental visits help lower the risk of peri-implant disease
If you notice swelling that worsens after the first few days, fever, pus, or an implant that feels loose, contact the dental office that placed it promptly

Alternative Treatments

A conventional fixed bridge supported by crowns on the neighboring teeth
A resin-bonded bridge for a single missing front tooth
A removable partial denture
A conventional complete denture
A fixed full-arch implant bridge (All-on-X) when all the teeth in a jaw are being replaced

What the Research Says

A dental implant is a post placed in the jawbone in place of a tooth's root, joined by an abutment to the crown, bridge, or denture it supports[2]
Implants rely on osseointegration, a direct and rigid attachment between the jawbone and the implant surface with no soft tissue in between[1]
A 2019 systematic review of prospective studies estimated that 93% to 96% of contemporary implants remain in place at 10 years[5]
Implants have conventionally been left without biting load for 3 to 8 months while they integrate, and some now receive a tooth within a week of placement[6]
Trials, many of them randomized, report greater satisfaction and quality of life with a lower denture retained by two implants than with a conventional denture[7]

Who provides this at ConfiDental Family and Cosmetic Dentistry

Sung Min Lee

DDS

Places the implants.

Board-certified periodontist specializing in gum disease treatment and dental implant surgery

Full profile
Soo Jin Kim

DDS

Designs and fits the teeth the implants hold.

NYU-trained family and cosmetic dentist with a hospital residency at Mount Sinai

Full profile

A patient on getting a dental implant at ConfiDental

Patient reviews

“Not only did they exemplify professionalism but were also extremely friendly and thorough during the entire process.”

– Stephen B
“From the first phone call, politeness and quickness to get an appointment, I felt good vibes from the get go.”

– Colleen F
“Dr. Kim and the entire team is amazing.”

– Massiel Melo S
“Thank you to the entire staff for so many perfect visits.”

– Robert

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a dental implant?

A dental implant replaces a missing tooth from the root up. A small titanium or zirconia post is placed in the jawbone, the bone bonds to it over several months, and a crown, bridge, or denture is attached on top. The replacement tooth is anchored in the jaw rather than resting on the gums or relying on the neighboring teeth.

Does getting a dental implant hurt?

Local anesthetic numbs the area before the implant is placed, so you typically feel pressure and vibration rather than pain during the procedure. Some people also have sedation to stay relaxed. Soreness and swelling are common for a few days afterward and are usually managed with over-the-counter or prescribed pain relief.

Are dental implants safe?

Dental implants are a well-established treatment for missing teeth, and very few medical conditions rule them out entirely. Implants are made of titanium and other materials that are compatible with the body. A health review before surgery confirms that the gums, the bone, and any medical conditions suit treatment. Specific risks are listed in the risks section.

How long does the dental implant process take?

From placement to the final tooth, treatment commonly takes about 3 to 9 months, because the bone needs time to bond to the implant. Healing tends to be quicker in the lower jaw than the upper jaw, and a bone graft or sinus lift beforehand adds time. In some cases a temporary tooth is attached within a week of placement while the implant heals underneath. When implants or bone grafting are part of rebuilding the whole mouth, most cases take six to 12 months from start to finish, longer when a large bone graft has to heal first, and full-mouth reconstruction covers those cases.

What happens during dental implant surgery?

Once the area is numbed, a small opening is made in the gum and the bone is prepared to the planned depth and angle. The implant is threaded into place, and the gum is closed over it or around a healing cap. A single implant often takes an hour or two, and most people go home the same day with instructions for eating, cleaning, and pain relief.

Who is not a candidate for dental implants?

Implants are generally put off for people with an acute illness, an active infection in the jaw or gums, untreated gum disease, or a metabolic condition such as diabetes that is not under control. They are also not placed while the jaws are still growing, so children and younger teenagers wait until growth is complete.

What are implant-supported dentures?

Implant-supported dentures are full dentures held by implants in the jaw, not resting on the gums alone. The denture clips onto attachments on the implants as a snap-on overdenture and comes out for cleaning. For teeth that stay in, the alternative is a fixed full-arch denture screwed onto the implants, which comes out only at a dental visit and is planned as its own treatment. Depending on the jaw, the denture sits on two, four or six implants, and neither form needs denture adhesive. Consensus statements describe a lower denture on two implants as the first-choice treatment for a toothless lower jaw. Dr. Lee places the implants, Dr. Kim designs and fits the denture they hold, and the fixed full-arch option has its own page, All-on-4 dental implants.

Who places dental implants?

Dr. Lee places them here in Carlstadt. Her periodontics residency at Columbia University College of Dental Medicine focused on gum disease treatment and dental implant placement, and the American Board of Periodontology certified her in 2023. Dr. Kim restores the implants once they have healed, which keeps the surgery and the new teeth under one roof.

How much do dental implants cost?

The cost depends on the plan: how many implants you need, whether a bone graft or sinus lift has to come first, and whether the implants carry a crown, a bridge or a denture. We work out that plan with you at the consultation. Our page on the cost of dental implants explains what moves the total and the payment options we offer.

Sources & References

This article draws from 13 peer-reviewed sources.

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