Immediate Implants versus Delayed Dental Implant Placement
When you are having a tooth or teeth replaced you’ll be given a variety of different options. One popular option is a dental implant. If you decide on having an implant placed, you’ll also need to decide what type of implant you would like placed—an immediate implant or a delayed implant.
What Are Dental Implants?
Before understanding the difference between an immediate and delayed implant, it’s important to understand what dental implants are. Dental implants are dental appliances that involve the placement of a titanium rod or rods to hold a false tooth or set of teeth in place. This replaces the missing tooth or teeth and helps with a variety of different oral health dilemmas that arise when a tooth is missing.
What Are Immediate Implants?
Your dentist may give you the option of immediate implants or delayed implants. Immediate implants are exactly what they sound like—they are implants that are placed immediately after a tooth is extracted. While this sounds ideal, it is not a possibility in all situations, and it is not right for all patients – for example if there is an active infection present, typically a dental implant will not be placed immediately. If you are a candidate, though, you can leave the office with your new implant in place. Occasionally, a temporary tooth can also be immediately placed on the implant.
What Are Delayed Implants?
Delayed implants are the traditional implant procedure that involves multiple surgeries to place the implant. This involves a surgery to extract the tooth and possibly place a bone graft, a surgery to open the gums and install the titanium rod or rods, then a healing time. From there, the gums are reopened to place the abutments and eventually the false tooth or teeth.
Why Implants?
No matter which type of implant you go with, it’s important to have your tooth or teeth replaced to ensure your ongoing oral health. Implants help with a variety of different oral health issues, including:
- Teeth Crowding
- Jaw Bone Tissue Loss
- Dental Decay
- Gum Disease
- Impacted Teeth
- And More
While many people think of having a missing tooth as being a purely cosmetic issue, it is so much more than that. Instead, a missing tooth can cause a variety of oral health issues that can lead to more procedures down the line—and possibly even the removal of more teeth! Instead of risking your oral health, it’s better to have your missing tooth or teeth replaced.
What Type of Implant Is Right for Me?
As was stated above, not everyone is a candidate for immediate implants—or dental implants in general. There are a few considerations for immediate implants, such as the health of the gums, how many teeth are missing, the strength of the jawbone and more.
Even with delayed implants, there are certain requirements for an implant to be placed. If the jawbone of a patient has deteriorated, they may no longer be a candidate for the placement of an implant. Because of this, you’ll want to speak with your general or cosmetic dentist about whether you are a candidate for an implant or not. If you are a candidate, you can speak with your dentist about whether an immediate or delayed implant is right for you.
Wake Dental Care (in Cary, NC) is the areas leader in dental implant dentistry. Contact our office today to setup an appointment and see if dental implants are the right fit for you.
If you're interested in learning more about dental implants in general, here's some reading on what dental implants are and how they work.