When Are Immediate Dental Implants Possible?
When you've been told that a tooth must be extracted, you're probably already thinking ahead to your replacement options. Dental implants win that particular race, since the implant (a small titanium alloy screw in your jaw) acts as a tooth root, with the prosthetic tooth attached to it being an exact replica of the extracted tooth. In short, it looks and functions just like a natural tooth, which isn't quite the case with dentures or dental bridges. But don't dental implants take a really long time from start to finish?
An Implant's Stability and Health
Yes, for some patients, dental implants can be a long, drawn-out affair. This length of time can be necessary to ensure the stability and general health of the implant. The titanium alloy implant must be placed in a patient's jaw, with the bone then remodeling around the new addition, and therefore integrating with it. The process is called osseointegration and can take up to six months. Only once osseointegration has been successful can the final prosthetic tooth be added. Some patients may need to have their jaw bone density increased before an implant can be added, which adds more time to the overall process. But why might it be different for you?
Immediate Implants
Because your tooth is still in your mouth (or perhaps was only recently extracted), you may be a candidate for a same-day implant, which can also be called an immediate implant, or an immediate-loading implant. But how can you skip osseointegration and possibly also bone grafting? Surely these are highly-important parts of the dental implant process? Your circumstances can differ in that your jawbone and the tooth's other necessary supporting structures are still intact.
Checking Suitability
To check your suitability for a same-day implant, your dentist will run a few diagnostic tests to confirm your bone density. This involves an x-ray, and even more advanced testing, such as a 3D Cone Beam CT scan. Your overall oral health will also be examined. If the assessment is conclusively positive, an immediate implant can be possible.
Combining Parts of the Process
Immediate implants offer the same results as traditional implants, but your robust bone density and standard of oral health allow for parts of the process to be combined. Your prosthetic tooth is manufactured (generally onsite), and the details for implant placement are determined, creating an individualized surgical guide. The implant is placed, its tooth is attached, and then it's your responsibility to maintain the implant's cleanliness, and to avoid excessive pressure during osseointegration. Failure to follow aftercare instructions can easily result in implant rejection.
Not everyone is a candidate for immediate implants, but if the tooth that will be replaced is still in place (or was very recently extracted), it's advisable to talk to your dentist about your suitability.
For more information about dental implants, contact a local dentist.
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