Implant
A new root and tooth
Best for most peopleWhat's good
- Feels like a real tooth
- Brush and floss it normally
- We don't touch the teeth next to it
- Lasts the longest
What to know
- You need enough bone
- Small surgery
- Takes the longest
Replacing a tooth.
Four options, side by side, and the honest timeline of what happens if you leave the gap.
This page prints cleanly as a handout
Lost a tooth, or about to lose one? You have four choices. Here they are side by side. There is a best one for most people, but what is right for you depends on your bone, your budget, and what matters to you.
| Option |
ImplantA new root and toothBest for most people
|
BridgeAnchored to both sides
|
PartialTakes in and out
|
Do nothingLeave the gap
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | $$$$ | $$$ | $$ | $ now a lot more later |
| How long | 4 to 12 months | 2 to 8 weeks | About 8 weeks | No visits |
| What's good |
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| What to know |
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A general guide for discussion. Your exam determines what is right for you. Download this chart
What happens if you wait.
A missing tooth is never just a gap. Teeth work as a set, and removing one starts the whole system moving. This is the honest timeline of doing nothing.
Months 0 to 6
The bone starts shrinking
The jawbone under the missing tooth loses its stimulation and begins to resorb. Most of the loss happens in the first year.
6 to 18 months
The neighbors drift in
Teeth on either side tip into the empty space, and the tooth above or below grows down out of its socket looking for something to bite against.
Year 2 and beyond
The bite breaks down
Shifted teeth change how everything comes together: uneven wear, food traps, gum problems and jaw strain.
The fix, later
Simple becomes complex
What was a straightforward implant may now need bone grafting and orthodontics first. Waiting is the most expensive option on the menu.
Not sure which one is right for you?
It depends on your bone, your bite and your budget. A consult sorts it out in one visit.