How Soon After Tooth Extraction Can You Have An Implant?
Most people who get a tooth extracted become fairly anxious to undergo tooth replacement as soon as possible afterward. This is to be expected, because while that vacant tooth is still missing, it may be more difficult to chew and bite foods, it may be harder to speak clearly, and it's possible that your facial features will be degraded.
You can begin to have that 'sunken look' in your face, when something is missing and the nearby tissue simply sinks down as a result. If you can afford it, the very best option for tooth replacement is having dental implants installed, mostly because they have quite a few benefits to offer, and these just can't be matched by other replacement possibilities. So the question becomes, how soon after your tooth extraction can you go ahead with the implant procedure?
Immediate replacement
It is theoretically possible to proceed with a dental implant almost as soon as a tooth has been extracted, and it has even been accomplished during the same appointment. This will only be a possibility for you if you are completely free of gum disease, and if your jawbone is healthy enough that it can support an implant immediately. Immediate implant surgery does not get performed in the majority of cases, simply because it's usually necessary for a healing period to take place first.
The socket where a tooth is extracted from will fill up with blood after the extraction, and that blood flow has to be stopped before implant surgery can proceed. On the other hand, there is some benefit to proceeding with immediate implant surgery after a tooth extraction. Since implants happen right away, there's no time for any bone loss to take place in your jawbone. If you will allow several months to pass after extraction and before implant surgery is initiated, it's entirely possible that you will experience some level of jawbone deterioration, and that may require bone grafting in order to shore it up again.
Early placement
Early placement after a tooth extraction is sometimes referred to as immediate-delayed implant surgery. This generally occurs within a couple of months after a tooth has been extracted, and that waiting period will allow your gums to have a good chance to heal. If you do develop any kind of infection, that will have to be resolved before implant surgery can be performed. Early implant surgery is desirable for the same reason that immediate surgery is a good option, i.e., it all happens before any major degradation can occur to the jawbone. Early implant placement is an option frequently selected by individuals who are having dental implants installed.
Delayed implant placement
Delayed implant surgery is considered to be a procedure which gets performed after three months or more have elapsed, following a tooth extraction. Usually this kind of delay is necessary because gum disease is present, or some other condition has cropped up that will affect proceeding with a dental implant. It might be necessary for a bone graft, sinus lift, or some other type of restorative treatment to be carried out, so that your oral health can be adequate before proceeding with implant surgery. When your dentist deems that your gums and jawbone are strong enough and healthy enough to proceed with the implant, that will be the earliest opportunity for you to schedule implant surgery.
Good planning
Before your tooth gets extracted, you should be planning out a tentative timeline for having a dental implant installed. This can begin when you consult with your dentist and let him/her know that you'd like a replacement tooth installed at the earliest possible time. This should trigger a discussion with your dentist about the most opportune moment for implant surgery. Your dentist may want to preserve the tooth socket while your tooth is being extracted, because this helps to maintain an extraction site with no bone loss.
When this is done, it's much more likely that you can proceed with early implant placement. If several months have gone by since your tooth was extracted, you should schedule a consultation with your dentist as soon as possible, so you can both decide the best time for implant surgery. You can always count on your jawbone to deteriorate in the aftermath of a tooth extraction, so don't let too much time go by before scheduling a dental consultation.
If you do allow a little too much time to go by, it's much more likely that a bone graft will be necessary before proceeding with the implant. There's little question that dental implants are the absolute best option for tooth replacements, but you'll still have to do some careful planning to pull it off. Work with your dentist and consider all those factors relevant to the process, before actually moving ahead with your implant surgery. n
It is theoretically possible to proceed with a dental implant almost as soon as a tooth has been extracted, and it has even been accomplished during the same appointment. This will only be a possibility for you if you are completely free of gum disease, and if your jawbone is healthy enough that it can support an implant immediately. Immediate implant surgery does not get performed in the majority of cases, simply because it's usually necessary for a healing period to take place first.
Delayed implant surgery is considered to be a procedure which gets performed after three months or more have elapsed, following a tooth extraction. Usually this kind of delay is necessary because gum disease is present, or some other condition has cropped up that will affect proceeding with a dental implant. It might be necessary for a bone graft, sinus lift, or some other type of restorative treatment to be carried out, so that your oral health can be adequate before proceeding with implant surgery. When your dentist deems that your gums and jawbone are strong enough and healthy enough to proceed with the implant, that will be the earliest opportunity for you to schedule implant surgery.
