Same Day Teeth Replacement

Our Canterbury dental clinic offers the opportunity to have new teeth in just one day

One factor which can put some people off some dental procedures is the time taken, from start to finish, before they can really benefit from their new smile. In some instances this is unavoidable.

Orthodontic treatment, for example, requires a lengthy treatment period as you simply can’t force teeth quickly into position. Our almost invisible orthodontics help to negate some of this issue however.

Dental implants is another treatment that requires a little patience too. For an individual implant to be effectively functional, it is necessary to allow a period of around 3 months, following placement, before you can really use the tooth to its fullest effect. This is in order to allow the new implant to fuse fully with the bone it is placed into. In some cases, implants can be placed in a single day; a procedure known as ‘same day implants’ or ‘immediate loading implants’ allowing you to have new teeth in just one visit to Bradley and Partners Dental & Implant Clinic.

Uses for same day implants

Dental implants can be used to replace multiple teeth or individual ones. They can be used to replace teeth that have been missing for some time but can also be used to immediately replace a tooth that needs to be extracted in some cases, hence the ‘immediate loading’. Individual implants usually have to undergo the approximately three month osseointegration period and patients will need to be careful to eat very soft foods for a while whilst this process takes place. Where a number of implants are used to replace several missing teeth by attaching a fixed bridge of teeth, patients can eat almost immediately, though we do still recommend softer foods for a short while, largely for patient comfort.

The following are some scenarios where same day implants might be used

Aesthetic reasons

Whilst there are a number of cosmetic options for improving the appearance of teeth, such as a teeth whitening procedure or veneers, there are some instances where a tooth is simply ‘too far gone’ to do this. For example, it might already be heavily filled. In cases like this, it may be possible to extract the tooth and immediately replace it with an implant on which a temporary crown can be fitted.

Bone preservation

One advantage that implants have over dentures is that they replace the root part of the tooth and not just the crown part as dentures do. This means that the bone surrounding the root will remain in place and not be reabsorbed by the body as is the case when dentures are used. Bone preservation is important as bone loss can cause the face to change shape a little and can result in an ageing appearance.

Eating choices

When a tooth or teeth need replacing, one key reason for patients choosing implants over dentures is that they don’t want to be limited in what they can eat. Although you can, in theory, eat what you want when wearing dentures, most users find that chewing certain  foods presents a significant challenge and a nice steak might be replaced with salmon, for example, purely because it is easier to eat. Once implants have fully fused with the bone, they will be as strong or stronger than natural healthy teeth and you will not be limited in your diet as you might be as a denture wearer.

The steps to having same day implants placed

Implant placement is a complex treatment and care needs to be taken to ensure that the implant will offer the strength and stability that it should do. This means that certain steps need to be taken.

Suitability

Not everyone will be a suitable candidate for this procedure. The x-rays and scans that we take will determine whether the bone structure is healthy enough to immediately place an implant into.

Extraction

Not everyone will need this stage, but where a tooth needs to be removed, it can be extracted and an implant immediately placed into the same location. This will depend on a number of factors including bone health.

Implant placement

A dental implant will be placed into the jawbone. Where multiple teeth need to be replaced, this can be done by placing usually four or six implants at strategic points and a fixed bridge of teeth attached to them. While both will need a period of time to integrate with the bone, multiple teeth replacement with a bridge, also sometimes referred to as an ‘all on four’ usually allows the patient to eat naturally more quickly. In individual tooth replacement treatments, a temporary crown will be attached until it is replaced once the integration period is complete.

Healing

We will provide guidance to help you through the next few months while the osseointegration period takes place. This will include eating and cleaning advice. It is important that you follow the instructions given to you by our Canterbury dentists as failure to do so could lead to issues such as periodontitis or peri-implantitis which could potentially cause your new implant to fail.

Dental implants are an increasingly popular way of replacing missing teeth and our experienced team can help to guide you through this procedure. If you would like more information or would like to book yourself in for a consultation with our implant dentist, please call Bradley and Partners Dental & Implant Clinic today on 01227 463529.