Should I Consider Having Immediate Dental Implant Placement After an Extraction?

Knowing that you need a tooth extraction can create concerns about having a gap in your smile and choosing a tooth replacement option. An immediate dental implant is a replacement tooth root that an oral surgeon places immediately after tooth extraction. Placing a dental implant in the same appointment as an extraction helps protect your oral health and restore your smile, but only if you qualify for immediate treatment.

How Does Tooth Loss Affect Your Jawbone?

Biting and chewing help tooth roots stimulate the jawbone, so the stimulation stops if you lose a tooth. Jawbone resorption—a decrease in bone density and volume—will result, causing teeth to shift out of place gradually.

How Can You Prevent Jawbone Resorption?

You can prevent jawbone resorption with dental implants, which act as replacement tooth roots that stimulate the jawbone and keep it intact. Dental implants are the optimal solution because other options only replace a tooth’s crown, the portion above the gumline. By replacing the roots, dental implants are the only option that prevents resorption.

What Are the Benefits of an Immediate Dental Implant?

Getting an immediate dental implant after extraction allows jawbone stimulation to continue uninterrupted, providing the following benefits:

• Preserves teeth alignment – A dental implant fills the space from a missing tooth from root to crown, preventing nearby teeth from drifting out of alignment.
• Supports tooth function – Replacing a missing tooth supports chewing efficiency and clear speech.
• Minimizes the need for a bone grafting procedure – Immediate dental implant placement can prevent the need for a bone graft later due to jawbone shrinkage.

Do You Qualify for Immediate Dental Implants?

Not everyone qualifies for immediate dental implants. However, you may be a candidate if the following is true:

• You have enough bone volume to support a dental implant. Otherwise, you may need a second appointment for a bone graft and a third appointment for dental implant placement.
• You are free of uncontrolled gum disease. A dental implant needs healthy gum tissue to surround and support it for proper healing. If you have gum disease, it must be well-controlled before dental implant placement.

Learn More About Immediate Dental Implants

If you need a tooth extraction, the doctors at SF Oral Surgery invite you to consider the benefits of immediate dental implant placement. You can support healing after the procedure by following post-surgical instructions, including temporarily adjusting your diet, avoiding activities that can damage a dental implant, and keeping follow-up appointments. Learn more about immediate dental implants and how they work.