Can You Get Same-Day Dental Implants After An Extraction?

If you are getting a tooth extracted and are then replacing it with an implant, you may be wondering if you can get your restoration immediately or if you'll have to wait. With traditional implants, patients typically have to wait a few months for the extraction site to heal before proceeding. Once the site has healed, then the implant can be inserted and a final crown can be placed at a later date. However, some patients can be good candidates for immediate loading, or same-day dental implants. These implants are placed immediately after an extraction. Take a look to see if you are a good candidate for this procedure and weigh the pros and cons.

Who Is a Good Candidate for Same-Day Implants?

While every case is different, people typically need to have very good oral health overall to be candidates for same-day implants. Smokers and people with gum disease or autoimmune diseases may not be good candidates since they can be at risk for complications, like peri-implantitis. Also, people with bruxism aren't ideal candidates because they can inadvertently place too much stress on an implant that hasn't fused with underlying jaw bone.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Same-Day Implants?

If you aren't a good candidate for same-day implants, you may be disappointed, but the good news is that both immediate and delayed implants have similar outcomes in terms of success rates and bone stability. If you are a good candidate for same-day implants, you'll still want to weigh all the pros and cons.

Obviously, the big advantage of same-day implants is that you cut down treatment time by many months since the implant and a temporary crown are placed immediately after the extraction. While your final crown will be manufactured and placed at a later date, you won't have to worry about bone grafts, wearing a denture flipper, or having a gap in your smile.  

Another advantage of same-day implants is that pathogens are less likely to contaminate the extraction socket. Soft tissues are less likely to recede and you'll usually maintain more jaw bone density with same-day implants.  

The biggest downside of same-day implants is the post-procedure discomfort. As you can imagine, since you are undergoing an extraction and implant placement in the same day, you'll have a longer 1-day appointment and may have a more intense recovery time. Another downside is that you'll still have to avoid using the temporary crown to chew food as the bone will still need to heal. Your dentist may require you to chew softer food for a longer period of time as you heal.

You and your dentist know your situation, so these downsides may not be a big concern if you prepare for post-op pain and meal prep. Whatever route you take, dental implants are a great way to restore your lost tooth after an extraction. Reach out to your dentist for more details regarding dental implants.


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