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Conventional dental implants — also called standard or staged-loading implants — follow a protocol where the implant is placed in the bone, allowed to osseointegrate over a defined healing period, and then restored with a crown. This is the baseline implant protocol from which immediate loading (same-day) implants depart when bone conditions are favourable. Understanding the conventional process helps patients understand what drives the timeline and why each step matters.
Step 1: Assessment and Planning
At Dazzle, every implant case begins with a CBCT scan that reveals the three-dimensional bone volume at the planned implant site — height (from crest to sinus floor or nerve), width, and density. These measurements determine: the implant diameter (typically 3.3–5.0mm), the implant length (typically 8–16mm), the need for bone grafting before or concurrent with placement, and whether immediate or conventional loading is appropriate.
Implant position is virtually planned using digital implant planning software, and a 3D-printed surgical guide is fabricated to guide the osteotomy (the hole drilled for the implant) to the planned position with ≤1mm apex deviation and ≤2° angular deviation from plan.
Step 2: Surgical Placement
Under local anaesthesia (sedation available), a small incision or flapless punch is made, the osteotomy is prepared in a graduated sequence of increasing diameter drills, and the implant is threaded into the prepared site. Insertion torque is measured and recorded. A healing cap or cover screw is placed to close the implant, and the gum is sutured closed over the implant in most conventional protocol cases.
If bone grafting is required simultaneously (guided bone regeneration, socket preservation), graft material and a barrier membrane are placed at this appointment before closure. Healing time is extended by approximately 4–8 weeks when GBR is concurrent with placement.
Step 3: Osseointegration
Healing period before loading: 8–12 weeks for mandibular implants in good bone; 12–16 weeks for maxillary implants and all implants where bone density was lower. During this period, bone cells (osteoblasts) populate and bond to the implant surface — the titanium oxide layer and surface treatment (SLActive, Xpeed, TiUnite) determine how rapidly this occurs. The implant is not disturbed during this period. The patient wears a temporary partial denture or bridge over the healing site if aesthetics require coverage.
At the healing review appointment, osseointegration is confirmed by: absence of peri-implant pain, absence of mobility, and — at Dazzle — ISQ measurement using resonance frequency analysis (RFA). ISQ values above 65–70 confirm adequate integration for loading.
Step 4: Abutment and Crown
The healing cap is removed and a healing abutment is placed to shape the soft tissue for 2–4 weeks. This creates the natural-looking emergence profile — the transition from the implant neck through the gum to the crown margin — that is critical for aesthetics in anterior implants and for hygiene access in posterior implants.
At the crown appointment: the TRIOS 5 intraoral scanner captures the abutment position and the adjacent and opposing teeth. The custom abutment and crown are designed in CAD software and milled in the Amann Girrbach milling unit. Posterior implant crowns: monolithic zirconia (1000–1200 MPa), same-day in most cases. Anterior implant crowns: IPS E.max lithium disilicate (400 MPa), shade-characterised by the technician, delivered next day. The crown is either screw-retained (preferred for posterior) or cemented to the abutment.
Timeline Summary
Simple case (single posterior implant, adequate bone, no grafting): placement → 10–12 weeks → healing abutment 2–4 weeks → crown delivery. Total: 3–4 months. With concurrent GBR grafting: 4–5 months. With staged grafting before implant: 6–9 months. Anterior aesthetic single implant: allow 4–5 months for optimal soft tissue maturation before final crown.
FAQs
Q1: Is a conventional protocol better than immediate loading?
Not categorically. Immediate loading produces equivalent long-term survival when properly selected (adequate insertion torque, good bone, appropriate provisional design). Conventional loading is the safer default when primary stability is uncertain — it avoids the micro-movement risk that can compromise osseointegration. For most single-implant cases at Dazzle, the decision is made intraoperatively based on achieved insertion torque.
Q2: Will I be without teeth during the healing period?
Not typically. For posterior implants replacing a single tooth: adjacent teeth provide function; no coverage is required. For aesthetic anterior implants: a temporary partial denture (Essix retainer with a tooth) or a cantilever temporary bridge from adjacent teeth provides coverage during healing. Full-arch cases use the provisional bridge from Day 1.
Q3: What brands does Dazzle use for conventional implants?
Nobel Biocare (Nobel Active, Nobel BrainMark), Straumann (BLX, BL), MegaGen (AnyRidge), and Osstem (TS III, GS III) — selection based on bone density, loading protocol, and case budget. All systems are FDA/CE-cleared with published 10+ year outcome data. The brand and model are specified in the written treatment plan and in the discharge documentation.
Q4: Can I have a zirconia implant instead of titanium?
One-piece ceramic (zirconia) implants are available but have a smaller clinical evidence base than titanium systems and do not allow two-stage placement (the healing cap option). At Dazzle, titanium implants are the primary system for all conventional cases. Zirconia implants may be discussed for specific patients with documented titanium allergy (rare) on a case-by-case basis.
