How long do dental implants last?

Implants are made to last for life. The titanium post can last a lifetime with good care. The crown on top lasts 15 to 25 years. After that, normal wear may call for a new crown. Many patients keep their implants for 30 years or more.

Am I a candidate for dental implants?

Most healthy adults who have lost a tooth can get implants. We look at three things: enough jawbone, healthy gums, and overall health. We use a 3D scan at your visit to check bone. Even patients with bone loss can qualify after a bone graft.

How much do dental implants cost in Indianapolis?

One dental implant in Indianapolis costs about $3,000 to $6,000. That price covers the post, the part that links it, and the crown. The cost can change if you need a bone graft. It also changes with the number of implants. We share a full cost list at your visit. We offer plans through CareCredit, Cherry, and Sunbit.

How long is the dental implant process from start to finish?

The full process takes 4 to 9 months. The surgery to place the implant takes 1 to 2 hours. The bone then needs 3 to 6 months to heal. After that, we attach the crown. If you need a bone graft first, healing takes a bit longer.

Does dental implant surgery hurt?

No. We use local numbing or IV sedation. You feel nothing during the surgery. Soreness after surgery is mild. Most patients use over-the-counter pain pills. A few need a short script. Most people find the recovery much easier than they thought.

What is the success rate of dental implants?

Modern implants work in 95 to 98 percent of healthy patients over 10 years. That is when a board-certified surgeon places them (JOMS, 2022). Smoking, poor blood sugar, and weak oral hygiene raise the risk of failure.

Are dental implants better than a bridge?

For most patients, an implant is the better choice. A bridge needs us to grind down the teeth next to the gap. An implant does not. Implants also keep the bone strong. A bridge does not. A bridge can be a good choice when nearby teeth already need crowns. It can also be a good choice when bone is too thin.

Can I get a dental implant on the same day as my extraction?

Yes, in some cases we can place the implant the same day. It depends on bone quality, signs of infection, and where the tooth is. We use a 3D scan and an exam to decide. Your surgeon then picks the safest plan for you.

Permanent Tooth Replacement · Dental Implants Indianapolis

Are Dental Implants Right for Me?

Name: Oral Surgeons of Indiana
Address: 8240 Naab Road, Suite 355, Indianapolis, IN, 46260, US
Telephone: (317) 876-1095
Price range: $$$

Restore your smile with permanent dental implants in Indianapolis. Board-certified surgeons, 3D imaging, and financing available at Oral Surgeons of Indiana.

Call (317) 876-1095 Schedule Consultation

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Patient Journey

What Getting a Dental Implant Is Actually Like

Six chapters that follow a single missing tooth from the day you notice it to the day you forget the implant is there.

Chapter 1 · Weeks to months before the call

Before — A Single Missing Tooth

Maybe you cracked a tooth on a popcorn kernel. Maybe a back molar was pulled years ago and you never replaced it. Either way, you have started chewing on the other side without thinking about it. You catch yourself in photos and notice the small dark space when you laugh. Your dentist mentions, gently, that the bone underneath that gap is starting to shrink. You decide it is time to do something about it.

120M+Americans are missing at least one tooth

Chapter 2 · 45 to 60 minute appointment

Consultation — Mapping Your Jaw in 3D

A low-radiation cone beam CT scan takes about 20 seconds. Your surgeon turns the screen so you can see your own jaw in three dimensions: the height of bone where the tooth used to be, the nerve that has to be respected, the sinus that sits just above. You learn whether you need a small bone graft first, what the implant will cost all-in, and how long you will be in the chair. Nobody pressures you to schedule before you are ready.

Chapter 3 · 1 to 2 hours in the chair

Surgery Day — Quieter Than You'd Think

You are numb in minutes — local anesthetic if you want, IV sedation if you would rather sleep through it. Your surgeon uses a custom guide built from your CT scan to make a small precise opening in the gum and place the titanium implant exactly where it was planned. A healing cap goes on top, a single dissolvable suture closes the gum, and you are done. Total chair time is usually under 90 minutes. You drive yourself home if you skipped sedation.

Chapter 4 · Days 1 to 7

Immediate Recovery — Mostly Boring

A single implant is one of the easier things our patients do. Most are back at work the next morning. You will favor the other side at meals, ice the cheek for a few hours, and take ibuprofen for a day or two. There is no "dry socket" to worry about — that is a different procedure. By day seven the gum looks ordinary again and you forget there is anything healing underneath.

Next dayMost single-implant patients return to work within 24 hours

Chapter 5 · Months 1 to 6

Healing Timeline — Bone Doing the Quiet Work

The titanium post and your jawbone are bonding into one piece — a process called osseointegration. You will not feel it happening. Depending on where the implant was placed, you may wear a small temporary tooth, a removable flipper, or nothing visible at all. We bring you back for a quick check at three months and again when the implant is ready. Then we hand you off to your restorative dentist for the final crown.

Chapter 6 · From month 6 forward

The Result — A Tooth You Forget Is There

Your restorative dentist seats the final crown, color-matched to your other teeth, and sends you on your way. You brush and floss it the same way you take care of everything else in your mouth. You bite an apple without thinking. A year later, you have to look in the mirror to remember which tooth was the implant. That is the goal: a tooth that quietly does its job and never asks for special attention again.

A candid photo of a patient in their 40s in a bright kitchen with a slight closed-lip smile and hand near the chin.

Chapter 1 · Weeks to months before the call

Before — A Single Missing Tooth

120M+Americans are missing at least one tooth

An OSOI surgeon pointing at a 3D rendering of a single implant placement plan on a chairside monitor while the patient watches.

Chapter 2 · 45 to 60 minute appointment

Consultation — Mapping Your Jaw in 3D

A patient relaxed in a modern operatory chair with a surgical assistant nearby and a CT plan visible on the wall monitor.

Numbing & sedation

3D illustration of a translucent custom surgical guide seated over the lower posterior gum, ready for implant placement.

Surgical guide placed

3D cross-section illustration of a titanium implant being precisely threaded into the lower jawbone through the surgical guide.

Implant placed

Close-up illustration of a small titanium healing cap on top of a single implant in healthy gum tissue with one neat suture.

Healing cap & single suture

Chapter 3 · 1 to 2 hours in the chair

Surgery Day — Quieter Than You'd Think

A patient at a kitchen counter the morning after surgery, holding a coffee mug with a laptop nearby, looking comfortable.

Chapter 4 · Days 1 to 7

Immediate Recovery — Mostly Boring

Next dayMost single-implant patients return to work within 24 hours

Editorial illustration of a calendar with week two highlighted alongside healed pink gum tissue over a single healing cap.

Week 2 — Gum healed

Cross-section illustration of a single titanium implant integrating with bone at the three-month mark.

Month 3 — Integrating

Cross-section illustration of a fully osseointegrated single implant ready to receive an abutment and crown.

Month 6 — Ready for crown

Chapter 5 · Months 1 to 6

Healing Timeline — Bone Doing the Quiet Work

Before and after lower-face crops of a representative single-tooth implant case, going from a visible gap to a complete restored smile.

BeforeAfter

Chapter 6 · From month 6 forward

The Result — A Tooth You Forget Is There

Ready to take the first step?

A consultation is the only way to know what your specific journey looks like — and there's no obligation.

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Key Facts

95–98%
10-year success rate for single-tooth implants placed by a board-certified surgeon.
— JOMS, 2022
1–2 hours
typical surgical time for a single-tooth implant.
— OSOI internal data, 2025
3–6 months
osseointegration period before the final crown is attached.
— AAOMS, 2023
$3,000–$6,000
average all-in cost in Indianapolis for a single tooth (post + abutment + crown).
— OSOI internal data, 2025
60%
of jawbone volume can be lost in the first year after extraction without grafting.
— JOMS, 2021

Who Needs This Procedure

Dental implants are appropriate for healthy adults missing one or more teeth who have adequate bone or are willing to undergo grafting. Patients with uncontrolled diabetes, active gum disease, heavy smoking habits, or certain medications (e.g., high-dose IV bisphosphonates) require careful evaluation first.

Risks and Complications

Reported risks include early implant failure (2–5%), infection at the surgical site (under 5%), peri-implantitis later in life (5–15% over 10 years), sinus involvement for upper implants (under 2%), and temporary nerve irritation for lower implants (under 1% permanent). — JOMS, 2022.

How OSOI Does This Differently

Every implant case at OSOI is planned with a 3D cone beam CT scan, performed by a board-certified surgeon, and supported by ACLS-certified in-office anesthesia. Our surgeons coordinate directly with your restorative dentist or prosthodontist to ensure the surgical plan supports the final tooth.

Replacement options for a missing tooth
	Dental implant	Fixed bridge	Removable denture
Lifespan	20+ years (often lifetime)	10–15 years	5–10 years
Preserves jawbone	Yes	No	No
Affects neighboring teeth	No	Yes — must be ground down	No
Bite force	≈90% of natural	≈70% of natural	≈25% of natural
Initial cost	$$$$	$$$	$$
Long-term value	Highest	Moderate	Lowest

Cost and Insurance

Single dental implants in Indianapolis typically cost $3,000–$6,000 all-in (post, abutment, and crown). Bone grafting and sinus lifts are billed separately when needed. Many medical and dental plans cover a portion when implants are medically necessary. Financing is available through CareCredit, Cherry, and Sunbit — see /oral-surgery-cost-financing.

Procedure Overview

Learn how dental implants work and what the treatment process looks like, from consultation through final restoration.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Procedures

See also our cost and financing guide and IV sedation options.