Same Day Dental Implants
Finding out that a tooth needs to be extracted can be stressful and concerning for a number of reasons. You might be worried about the procedure itself or even dreading the healing process. One of the most common concerns, however, is aesthetic in nature: what it will look like before you’re able to replace the tooth. Fortunately, there is such a thing as same day dental implants. These can dramatically speed up the tooth replacement process and, in some cases, even allow patients to leave their dentist’s office with a temporary replacement tooth that same day. In addition to providing excellent aesthetic results, same day dental implants also reduce the number of oral surgeries needed to install a dental implant and, as such, can both preserve and promote gum health throughout the process, as well.
How do Same Day Dental Implants Work?
Your dentist or oral surgeon will first ensure that you are a candidate for same day dental implants by carefully examining your teeth and gums and reviewing a series of X-rays of your teeth and mouth. During this time, your dentist or oral surgeon will also consider your general health and preferences surrounding sedation and pain medication. If she or he determines that you are in fact a good candidate for same day dental implants, you’ll then discuss the basic steps of the procedure and make some decisions together about any temporary prosthesis that might be used following surgery.
During the day of surgery, your dentist or oral surgeon will utilize the agreed upon form of sedation or anesthetic before extracting the tooth that needs to be removed. The extraction site is then carefully examined and cleaned before the implant fixture is installed. The implant fixture is a small, post-like structure typically made of titanium that is essentially embedded into the jawbone where the roots of the extracted tooth were. During surgery, the implant fixture will be firmly implanted to give the highest degree of strength and stability possible.
The next stage depends a great deal on the immediate stability of the implant fixture. If it is stable enough right away, your dentist or oral surgeon will be able to attach an abutment (a small connecting piece) and a temporary implant crown. In this scenario, you will be able to leave the office with a temporary prosthetic tooth that will then stay in place until the implant fixture has become firmly embedded in the jawbone and all of the surrounding tissues have healed. At this point, a permanent implant crown can be either cemented or screwed in, depending on your preferences surrounding removability of the implant crown. If the implant fixture is not quite stable enough at this stage, a healing cuff will be placed to protect the tissues as they heal and a partial bridge will likely be utilized as a temporary crown.
Do Same Day Dental Implants Last?
Yes, same day dental implants are just as durable and attractive as dental implants that take a longer time to install, they simply save you time and money while providing you with instant results. If you are interested in same day dental implants, call your dentist today for a personalized consultation.