The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of timing of implant insertion on osseointegration after tooth extraction. Fifteen mongrel dogs, weighing 15kg or more, were used. The lower right 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th premolars and 1st molar were extracted under general anesthesia. Implants were inserted at 2, 4, and 8 weeks after extraction of the teeth, being designated as 2-, 4-, and 8-week groups, respectively. Results obtained were as follows. 1. Macroscopically there was neither an infection at the implant site nor an exposure of the implant. 2. Histologically the surrounding bone of the implant was less mature in the 2-week group than in the 4- and 8-week groups. 3. The implant-bone contact ranged from 75 to 82%, with no significant differences among the groups. No increase in the implant-bone contact was found with increasing healing periods from 4 to 12 weeks after implant insertions. 4. The average depth (0.64mm) of the fibrous connective tissue ingrowth in the 2-week group was slightly deeper than those in the 4- (0.51mm) and 8-week (0.53mm) groups at 12 weeks after implant insertion. 5. the implant-bone interfacial bond strengths were 73.05 kgf in the 2-week group, 69.71 kgf in the 4-week group and 73.76 kgf in the 8-week group. No significant difference was noted in pullout force among the groups. The degree of confidence of interfacial bone strength was highest in the 8-week group, followed by the 4- and 2-week groups. These results indicate that at least 4 weeks of healing period will be required before implant is to be inserted following tooth extraction.