Wait Time for Crowns

Well, this is one of the most common questions that I get from my patients.  But let me clarify one thing first, though.  Dental implants do not heal, but it is the bone that heals around the dental implant.  Then, the question becomes how long it takes for the bone to heal around the dental implant after the dental implants are placed in the jaw bone.

The Upper Jaw

There are different claims by researchers and different manufacturers of dental implants.  It is generally safe to say that it usually takes up to 6 months before the dental implants placed in the upper jaw can be loaded (meaning the patient can have a crown placed on top of the implant and start chewing on it.)  Different designs and different surface treatment used on dental implants allow some variation in the healing time of bone around dental implants.

The Lower Jaw

Since the low jaw bone is usually denser and stronger than the upper jaw bone, the healing time needed before putting crowns on top of dental implants in the lower jaw is 3 months or less.  Again, different designs and different surface treatment on the dental implants allow some variation in the healing time of bone around dental implants.

After Bone Grafting

If bone grafting was used during the placement of dental implants, the healing time required is usually longer in both the upper and lower jaws.  Different graft materials and different grafting procedures require different healing time.  Each case is different.  It is important to follow your dentist’s instructions after dental implant placement.