Not too long ago, getting cosmetic dental implants was a long and difficult process. You had to make multiple visits to an oral surgeon or dentist. You needed one visit for the surgery 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 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. 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 Novocaine to numb the mouth, as well as nitrous oxide 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. Your sockets are less exposed to dirt and the elements because we do the implants so quickly. You enjoy immediate restoration. You don’t leave our office until 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.
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, 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.
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. 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. 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.
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 with enough density 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.