When you meet someone for the first time, they form their impression of you within the first few seconds. If you are smiling, that impression is likely to be positive. However, if you are not smiling due to dental issues such as tooth loss, that impression may not be a very good one. Unfortunately, this is a common issue among American adults.
According to research, tooth loss causes a variety of oral and overall health complications. First of all, it's harder to chew foods, making it difficult to make healthy food choices. Plus, without the stimulation of the tooth root, the jawbone in that area will begin to deteriorate- which will cause adjacent teeth to loosen and fall out. Finally, missing teeth can have a detrimental impact on your confidence. Therefore, it's a good idea to consider replacing missing teeth.
Dental experts agree that dental implants are the gold standard for tooth replacement because they restore the appearance, feel, and functionality of natural teeth. While this option offers a lot of advantages, the primary disadvantages are the treatment time and the cost.
ZircTeeth offers a solution to help with the treatment time: same-day dental implants. In this article, we'll explain more about this option including the advantages and disadvantages, as well as your options for same-day implant solutions.
Traditional dental implants can take up to a year or more from start to finish. First of all, if you have damaged teeth, those must be extracted, followed by a 3- to 4-month healing period. Then, the implant is placed, followed by another 3- to 6-month healing period. The last step is to place the crown. If you need any additional prep procedures before implant placement, that adds additional time to the process.
Same-day dental implants, on the other hand, are a much quicker and more convenient way to get a picture-perfect smile. Typically, there are three appointments involved:
On average, the procedure takes 30 minutes to 3 hours, depending on the number of implants you need. However, it is important to note that the prosthetic tooth/teeth that are placed on this day are temporary- your permanent ones will be placed at your follow-up appointment.
When implants are placed, your jawbone needs time to osseointegrate with them to secure them in place. The permanent prosthesis cannot be placed until this process is completed. Therefore, while you'll have your smile back on day 1, you'll need to return in a few months for your permanent smile.
During the healing period, the same rules apply as with traditional implants:
Due to advances in dental technology, this process is getting more efficient and the success rate is increasing. There is very little difference between the success rate of same-day implants vs. traditional implants, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information.
Some of the advantages of same-day dental implants include:
When considering dental procedure options, it's important to also consider the disadvantages, including:
Also, it's important to note that this is an invasive oral surgery, which can be hard on your body. Patients who have a compromised immune system should be cautious when considering same-day dental implants- or any other oral surgery.
There are a few options when it comes to same-day dental implants:
A single-tooth implant replaces a single tooth. The implant screw is placed in the jawbone and a crown is placed on top. Typically, the implant is made of titanium, and the crown is made of porcelain. However, some patients have an allergic reaction to titanium and opt for a zirconia screw, which is a type of ceramic.
The dentist will make sure that your prosthetic tooth matches the adjacent teeth so that no one can tell the difference. If you want whiter teeth, you should do it before having the implant placed because prosthetic teeth cannot be whitened.
If you are missing some or all of your teeth, you have a few options for replacing multiple teeth.
All-on-4 is a system for replacing an entire arch of missing teeth with the support of 4 dental implants. The implants are strategically placed in the jawbone. If necessary, more implants can be used if there is significant jawbone loss or if the patient has a larger-than-average mouth. The prosthesis can only be removed by the dentist.
Denture implants can replace some or all missing teeth in a single arch supported by 2 or more dental implants. This is often a more affordable option because the prosthesis is removable and must be taken out at night for cleaning. This option is available in a partial or full arch.
Implant-supported bridges are designed to replace several missing teeth in a row. A traditional bridge requires neighboring teeth to be altered to create space for the crowns to sit. However, implant-supported bridges require implants to be placed on each side of the gap with a span of one or more teeth between them.
If you are missing one or more teeth and you've been considering dental implants, schedule your consultation with the team at ZircTeeth today. Our team will work with you to help you understand your options. Our office staff will work with your insurance provider to determine coverage. If implant options are not covered, we will explain our financing options to make it easier to afford treatment.
We have three convenient locations to serve you and your family: Boston, Manchester, and Malden. We look forward to meeting you and giving you back your smile and confidence!
