Dental Implant Process Virginia Beach, VA
If you’re missing a tooth — or several — you’ve probably already heard that dental implants are the closest thing to getting your natural tooth back.
What’s less clear is what actually happens between your first phone call and the day you bite into an apple without thinking twice about it.
At Virginia Surgical Arts & Dental Implant Center in Virginia Beach, Dr. Sergio Vendetti has spent 20 years guiding patients through exactly that journey.
Here’s what the dental implant process looks like from start to finish.
Step 1: Your Consultation and 3D Scan
Everything begins with a conversation and a look beneath the surface. Using advanced 3D imaging, Dr. Vendetti evaluates your jawbone density, the position of nerves and sinuses, and how your bite fits together.
This scan is what makes guided implant surgery possible — your implant placement is digitally planned before any procedure begins, which improves accuracy, reduces surgical time, and supports faster healing.
You’ll leave this visit knowing your treatment plan, your timeline, and your costs. No guesswork.
Step 2: Preparing the Site (If Needed)
When a tooth has been missing for a while, the jawbone in that area naturally begins to atrophy.
If your scan shows thinned bone, bone grafting rebuilds the foundation so your implant can be placed at a proper length and width — restoring both function and the facial contours that shrinking bone tends to flatten.
Not every patient needs a graft. For those who do, it’s a routine, well-tolerated step that protects the long-term success of the implant.
Step 3: Implant Placement
The implant itself is a small titanium post placed into the jawbone, where it serves as an artificial tooth root. The procedure is typically performed in a single appointment at our state-of-the-art ambulatory surgical center.
If dental anxiety has kept you away from care in the past, this is where our sedation options matter. Many patients tell us the appointment was far easier than they’d built it up to be in their heads.
Step 4: Osseointegration — The Healing Phase
Over the following months, your bone fuses directly to the implant surface in a process called osseointegration. This biological bond is what makes implants so stable and long-lasting compared to other tooth replacement options. Most patients return to normal activity within days and wear a temporary restoration during this phase.
For select candidates, our Teeth-in-a-Day protocol allows a fixed set of teeth to be placed the same day as surgery.
Step 5: Your Final Restoration
Once healing is complete, an abutment and custom crown, bridge, or denture are attached. The result looks, feels, and functions like a natural tooth — and it’s built to last with routine brushing, flossing, and checkups.
Why Virginia Beach Patients Choose Dr. Vendetti
Dr. Vendetti holds both a dental degree and a medical degree, completed postgraduate residency and fellowship training in oral maxillofacial surgery and cosmetic surgery, and serves as an assistant professor at the Medical College of Virginia’s Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery — where he has trained surgical residents in implant surgery himself.
He founded Virginia Surgical Arts in 2006, and our team makes every effort to be more available for scheduling than any other oral surgery practice in the area.
Ready to Start? Let’s Talk.
The hardest part of the dental implant process is usually the decision to begin. Take that step today. Request an Appointment — or call our Virginia Beach office to schedule your consultation and 3D scan!
Serving Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, and Hampton Roads.