Is it really true that dental implant surgery only takes a few minutes?

We already know that dental implants take about 3-6 months from the "root" (that is, the implant) being placed into the mouth to the tooth finally "growing out" (completing the implant crown restoration). So how long does the implant surgery itself take?

Although implant surgery is called surgery, it is actually a minor outpatient procedure just like tooth extraction. But since we call it "surgery," it must follow surgical procedures, so there will be aseptic steps such as "disinfection," "draping," and "sterile hand washing."

Why all this trouble? Our oral cavity is a bacteria-rich environment containing large amounts of fungi and bacteria. When the bacteria in the mouth are kept below a certain number, it is normal. But our surgery will leave some trauma and wounds. To avoid them becoming infected, to avoid these fungi and bacteria affecting the integration of the implant and bone, and to avoid them entering the bloodstream, sterile procedures are required before and during implant surgery.

Aseptic procedures take time, such as disinfecting the surgical area and draping the surgical area (to prevent contamination), which will take about 7 or 8 minutes. Without these aseptic procedures, postoperative infection and other adverse symptoms may occur.

So what about implant surgery? If it is just a simple implant surgery, it can be completed in a short time. A skilled practitioner can indeed complete the implant surgery for one tooth in about 10 minutes. However, everyone's situation is not necessarily the same, and there are many different situations. For example: the condition of the bone tissue in the missing tooth area, the condition of the soft tissue (that is, the gums) in the missing tooth area, and even the condition of the adjacent teeth and opposing teeth.

If your bone condition is not very good, then you may very likely need a procedure beyond the implant itself - "bone grafting" (guided bone regeneration); if your gum condition is not good, then corresponding treatment of the gums after surgery is also needed (soft tissue shaping). These additional procedures may even take more time than the implant procedure itself.

But please do not worry, and do not rush the doctor. Doctors will work hard to create favorable conditions for you, and they just hope you can be a little more patient. Depending on the specific bone defect situation, such procedures take about 20-60 minutes.

Therefore, how long implant surgery takes is not what deserves special attention. What everyone should focus on is the standardization of the surgery and whether the dental implant is successful and can be used long-term.