DIFFERENCE BETWEEN IMMEDIATE AND DELAYED IMPLANTS

There are times when teeth fall out, are knocked out or need to be removed. Once a tooth or teeth are gone, a replacement needs to be placed to ensure a patient’s ongoing oral health. An excellent replacement choice for patient’s with a missing tooth or teeth are dental implants.

What Are Dental Implants?

Dental implants are dental appliances that consist of a titanium rod or rods that are installed into the jawbone that hold a false tooth or set of teeth in place via an abutment. These are a common replacement option for patient’s that are good candidates for implants.

Why Dental Implants?

Dental implants are an excellent tooth or teeth replacement option for a variety of reasons. One reason is their durability. Unlike other replacement options, implants can allow a patient to bite and chew much like they did before the tooth or teeth were removed. Implants are also aesthetically pleasing, and can closely mimic the surrounding teeth. This makes them much less noticeable—encouraging a patient to smile with confidence.

Implants also serve a very important oral health function. When a tooth or teeth are missing and there is a gap, the surrounding, healthy teeth may begin to migrate. This can make it more difficult to chew, and can make it much more difficult to keep the teeth and gums clean.

Because of this, the teeth and gums may suffer from decay and infection. Without a tooth or replacement in place, the bone in the jaw may begin to deteriorate. This can affect both the function and appearance of the patient’s jaw.

Because of these reasons and more, a patient should consider implants.

What Are Delayed Implants?

Delayed implants involve the more traditional implant process. This process involves multiple procedures, and can often take a few months to complete.

What Are Immediate Implants?

Immediate implants are just like the name implies—they are placed immediately after the tooth or teeth are extracted. This allows the patient to walk out of the office with new teeth in place, and it helps to avoid multiple surgeries and months of healing.

Am I a Candidate for Immediate or Delayed Implants?

While immediate implants are quicker, not everyone is a candidate for immediate dental implants. Here are a few considerations your dentist will take into account if you are thinking about having immediate implants placed:

  • There is no surrounding infection.
  • You are missing one or more teeth.
  • There is no loss of bone tissue in the jaw.
  • You are missing your front teeth.

If you are not a candidate for immediate implants, don’t worry—there are other replacement options. You may still be a candidate for delayed implants if the integrity of your jawbone is still intact. Even if you are not a candidate for implants, you still have other options—like a dental bridge or dentures.

Speak with your dentist about whether or not you are a candidate for dental implants.

Interested in learning more about Drs. Leal, Spangler, and Johnson and their dental implant process? Call today and setup your consultation.

Just looking for more information about dental implants in general? Here's reading on what implants are and how they work.

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