Not too long ago, getting cosmetic dental implants was a long and difficult process. You had to make multiple visits to an oral surgeon – one visit for the extractions, and more for bone grafting or sinus lifting, if necessary. There was extensive healing time required. Then you’d go back in to have the dental implants put in, followed by even more healing.
By comparison, same day dental implants are a modern miracle. As the name implies, these are cosmetic dental implants you can get in one day — on a single visit! This means less time in a dentist chair and less time commuting to your oral surgeon’s office. Since many of our patients drive out to see us from Dayton, Columbus, and Cincinnati, not having to drive for multiple visits saves considerable time.
In fact, you can even get same day dental implants for multiple teeth. Depending on your teeth and dental requirements, you may even be able to do same day dental implants for a full mouth reconstruction.
Same Day Dental Implants vs. Traditional Dental Implants
The traditional method of putting in a dental implant involves extracting the tooth, waiting 3 to 4 months for it to heal, then inserting the implant, and waiting about 3 to 6 months for that to heal. Not to mention that if you need dental bone grafting before the dental implant surgery, that can extend the process as well. At that rate, it may take you close to a year to undergo and heal from the process of a dental implant.
Same day dental implants are able to do the entire process in just a day. This conveniently speeds up the wound healing and osseointegration processes. Recovery is essentially immediate.
How Can Dental Implants Be Given in Just One Day?
Modern science has vastly streamlined the process. Your one-day visit starts with a consultation where you’ll get to know Dr. Puckett — our maxillofacial surgeon — and his staff. We’ll do some 3D imaging of your jaw, face, and mouth. Then we’ll make a treatment plan. This could include sinus lift or bone augmentation procedures, if necessary.
Next, we start the process of sedation for oral surgery. This generally includes Novocain to numb the mouth, as well as oral sedation for relaxation and anxiety if you’d like. Dr. Puckett is licensed in all forms of sedation for oral surgery, so whatever makes you feel most comfortable is on the table. Our main priority is that this is a relaxing and comfortable, pain-free experience.
Next we’ll do all necessary oral surgery — including tooth extraction, the fitting of dental implants, and any additional procedures you might need. Then you’ll be allowed to rest for a little while. Finally, we’ll place your new dental implants — all in the same day.
Advantages of Same Day Dental Implants
We tend to have high success rates at same day dental implants. The implants tend to fuse better to the bone, because we’re integrating the healing processes of both the tooth extraction and the dental implant surgery. Your sockets are less exposed to bacteria from eating, drinking and breathing because we do the implants so quickly. You enjoy immediate restoration; when you leave our office, you have a beautiful smile.
A faster procedure means fewer steps. You don’t have to worry about a misshapen smile caused by missing teeth as you’re waiting for your dental implants to be complete. Not to mention your jawbone has no time to deteriorate because the extracted tooth’s root is replaced immediately by the implant. Same day dental implants are a great way to achieve holistic tooth replacement quickly and with little downtime, minimizing the risks of additional damage because of an empty socket.
Disadvantages of Same Day Dental Implants
There is some evidence of an increased failure rate for same day dental implants when compared to traditional approaches. There is a slight risk of jaw bone loss if the bone has trouble fusing around the dental implant, which could loosen the implant overtime, resulting in failure. You may also experience increased discomfort immediately after the same day dental implant. There is an increased risk of swelling that may last longer than if you had gone the traditional route. All of these issues, however, depend on the person, the extent of the tooth replacement, the condition of your jawbone, etc.
Same day dental implants are not possible for everyone. For instance, if you already have an unhealthy jaw, which could be the result of so many things – from lifestyle choices to health issues – you’ll need a dental bone graft. Dental bone grafting is a fairly simple procedure that isn’t very painful at all, but it does require months of healing, because bone tissue is the slowest type of tissue to grow or regenerate.
Cost of Same Day Dental Implants
We’ll level with you. Even traditional cosmetic dental implants aren’t cheap. And same day dental implants tend to be a little more expensive because they require several processes in tandem. Nevertheless, many of our patients say it’s the best money they’ve ever spent. The comfort, appearance, and function of dental implants are second to none. And the ability to have the entire dental implant experience completed on the same day is like a dream come true.
A single tooth implant can cost about $1,000 to $3,000 with coverage. An implant crown must be placed on top of it, costing an additional $1,000 to $3,000. The entire tooth replacement can run you $6,000 — and that doesn’t include additional procedures like dental bone grafting or a sinus lift. We make every effort to work around insurance plans and use a unique approach to anesthesia costs to make same day dental implants more affordable. So it’s a good idea to consult with our oral surgeon, Dr. Puckett, if you are considering dental implants.
Are You a Good Candidate for Same Day Dental Implants?
The truth is that same day dental implants aren’t for everybody. You need a quality jawbone that has enough density to fuse to an implant, and that’s free of infection. You’ll also need adequate bone depth. Implants can be no smaller than 10 millimeters. We cannot place an implant if there is not enough bone to fuse the implant. We could try other approaches such as fusing the implant to the cheek bone, but this is not a same day dental implant procedure.
The same day dental implant will also need to be done on a tooth in such a way that it is not undergoing a great deal of force. This can be challenging depending on the location of the tooth and the specific arrangement of your bite. Same day dental implants are an amazing achievement of oral medicine, but to be honest, they are a specific type of procedure that requires several variables to come together to make it a safe and effective process. We always do everything we can to get our patients the best and most efficient care possible, but we never sacrifice comfort or health, and it’s important to have an oral surgeon who considers all those things before proceeding with any type of oral surgery.
