A dental implant replaces the root of a missing tooth with a small titanium post, and puts a crown on top of it. Done well it looks like a tooth, works like a tooth, and lasts decades. It is also the slowest and most expensive thing we do, so this page tells you plainly what is involved before you commit.
We are at 115 Christopher Columbus Drive, Suite 200, two minutes from the Grove Street PATH. To talk it through, call 201-425-8600 or request an appointment.
What an implant actually is
There are three parts, placed at different times.
- The post. A screw-shaped piece of titanium, about the size of the root it is replacing, placed into the jawbone.
- The abutment. A small connector fitted onto the post once the bone has healed around it.
- The crown. The visible tooth, made to match the colour and shape of the teeth either side.
The part that makes an implant different from a bridge or a denture is the first one. Bone grows onto the surface of the post and grips it. That takes months and cannot be hurried, which is why the timeline below is what it is.
How long it takes, honestly
Most people are surprised by this, so it is worth being direct: a straightforward implant takes about four to six months from first appointment to finished crown. A more involved case can take nine months or longer.
A typical sequence:
- Consultation and a scan, to see how much bone there is and where the nerves and sinuses sit. About an hour.
- Extraction, if the tooth is still there. Then two to three months of healing before anything else.
- A bone graft, if one is needed. Add three to six months.
- Placing the post. Usually under an hour for a single implant, under local anaesthetic.
- Healing. Three to six months while the bone takes hold. You are not without a tooth in this time if the gap shows; we can fit a temporary.
- Abutment and crown. Two or three weeks, across a couple of short visits.
Some cases allow the post to go in on the same day as the extraction, which removes a few months. Whether yours is one of those depends on the shape and health of the bone after the tooth comes out, and it is not always possible to know until we are there. We will tell you which we expect and why.
Does it hurt
The placement itself does not. It is done under local anaesthetic and most people find it easier than the extraction that came before it. Bone has very few pain nerves; it is the gum that has to heal.
Afterwards, expect soreness and some swelling for three to seven days, usually manageable with the painkiller you would normally take for a headache. Most people go back to work the next day. If you want something stronger, or you are anxious about the procedure, say so beforehand and we will plan for it rather than improvise.
What it costs
An implant is priced in parts, not as one number, which is why quotes vary so much between practices. A full quote may include:
- The consultation and the scan
- Extraction of the existing tooth, if needed
- A bone graft, if needed
- The implant post
- The abutment
- The crown
Two implants that sound identical can differ by thousands of dollars because one needed a graft and the other did not. Be careful comparing a headline price from one practice against a full quote from another — ask what is included.
We give you the whole cost in writing before we start, itemised, with the parts you may not need marked as such. If the answer is that we cannot tell whether you need a graft until the tooth is out, we will say so and give you both figures.
Insurance
Most PPO plans contribute something, but rarely all of it. Two things catch people out. Some plans cover the crown but treat the post as excluded. And nearly all plans have an annual maximum, often between one and two thousand dollars, which an implant will use up on its own.
That second point is worth planning around. Because the treatment naturally spans several months, it is sometimes possible to place the implant late in one benefit year and fit the crown early in the next, using two annual maximums instead of one. We will check your plan and tell you whether that is worth doing in your case. More on what we accept is on the insurance and payment page. We do not take Medicaid, plans through the state, or DHMO and DMO plans.
Whether an implant is right for you
It usually is, but not always, and we would rather say so early.
Things that need sorting out first
- Gum disease. An implant placed into unhealthy gums is an implant that fails. This gets treated first, without exception.
- Not enough bone. Bone shrinks after a tooth is lost, faster in the first year. A graft can rebuild it. This is common and not a reason to give up.
- Smoking. It measurably lowers the success rate by interfering with healing. We will still treat you. We will also be straight with you about the odds and ask you to stop for the healing period.
- Diabetes that is not well controlled. Controlled is fine. Uncontrolled slows healing considerably.
- Grinding your teeth. Treatable, but it needs a night guard, or the crown will not last.
Tell us about your medications
One group matters more than the rest. Drugs for osteoporosis and some cancer treatments, particularly the ones given by infusion, change how jawbone heals after surgery. It does not automatically rule out an implant, but it changes the plan and the conversation. Bring a list of everything you take, including anything from a hospital.
Age is not the issue
There is no upper age limit. We have placed implants for people in their eighties. What matters is your general health and the state of the bone, not the year on your birth certificate. The one real age limit is at the other end: we wait until the jaw has finished growing, usually the late teens.
Implant, bridge or denture
For a single missing tooth the honest comparison is with a bridge.
A bridge is quicker, costs less up front, and is finished in a few weeks. The cost is that the two healthy teeth either side have to be filed down to carry it. If those teeth are already crowned or heavily filled, that is no great loss and a bridge can be the better answer. If they are untouched, grinding them down to replace a different tooth is a real price to pay.
An implant leaves the neighbouring teeth alone and puts something back into the bone, which slows the shrinking that follows a lost tooth. It takes months and costs more.
For several missing teeth, or a whole arch, implants can anchor a bridge or a denture so it does not move. Far fewer implants are needed than teeth being replaced. That is a longer conversation and depends entirely on what is in your mouth now.
How long they last
Well-placed implants in a healthy mouth have a strong record over ten years and beyond. The post itself is usually not the part that gives trouble.
Two things do. The crown on top is a manufactured object and may need replacing once in a few decades, like any crown. And the gum and bone around an implant can become inflamed and recede if plaque is left to build up, which is the implant version of gum disease and the most common reason one is lost late. It is largely preventable with ordinary brushing, cleaning between the teeth, and keeping your check-ups. An implant does not decay, but it is not maintenance-free.
If you have just lost or broken a tooth
Do not wait for this page to become relevant. A knocked-out tooth can sometimes be saved and put back, which is better and cheaper than any implant, but only within about an hour. Call 201-425-8600 now and read what to do in a dental emergency.
Even if the tooth cannot be saved, coming in early matters. Bone begins to shrink as soon as a tooth is gone, and how much is left decides whether you need a graft later.
Who does the work
Dr. Singal earned her Doctorate in Dental Surgery at the New York University College of Dentistry and treats her own patients from the first scan through to fitting the crown. You will not be handed between offices partway through. More about the practice.
We see patients from across downtown Jersey City, including Grove Street, Exchange Place, Paulus Hook and Newport.
How much do dental implants cost?
There is no single figure, because an implant is priced in parts: the scan, any extraction, any bone graft, the post, the abutment and the crown. Two cases that sound alike can differ by thousands because one needed a graft. We give you an itemised cost in writing before anything starts.
Does getting an implant hurt?
The placement is done under local anaesthetic and most people find it easier than the extraction that preceded it. Expect soreness and some swelling for three to seven days afterwards, usually managed with ordinary painkillers. Most people are back at work the next day.
How long does the whole process take?
About four to six months for a straightforward case, and nine months or more for a complex one. Most of that is waiting for bone to grow onto the post, which cannot be hurried. Some cases allow the post to be placed on the same day as the extraction, which saves several months.
Am I too old for a dental implant?
No. There is no upper age limit, and we have placed implants for patients in their eighties. What matters is your general health and the condition of the bone. The only real age limit is at the other end, because we wait until the jaw has finished growing in the late teens.
What if I have lost bone in my jaw?
This is common, especially if the tooth has been missing a while, and it is not a reason to give up. A bone graft can rebuild the area, adding roughly three to six months to the timeline. The scan at your first visit tells us whether you need one.
Will my insurance pay for a dental implant?
Most PPO plans contribute something but rarely all of it, and some cover the crown while excluding the post. Nearly all have an annual maximum that a single implant will use up. Because treatment spans months, it is sometimes possible to place the implant in one benefit year and fit the crown in the next. We check your plan and tell you.
How long do dental implants last?
The post itself commonly lasts decades. The crown on top may need replacing once over that time, like any crown. The main late risk is inflammation of the gum and bone around the implant from plaque build-up, which is largely preventable with normal brushing, cleaning between the teeth and regular check-ups.
Would a bridge be better than an implant?
Sometimes. A bridge is quicker and cheaper up front, but the two healthy teeth either side must be filed down to carry it. If those teeth are already crowned or heavily filled, a bridge can be the better answer. If they are untouched, an implant leaves them alone and also slows the bone loss that follows a missing tooth.