You can’t open a newspaper or magazine lately and not run across advertising touting “DENTAL IMPLANTS IN A DAY!”  Considering the traditional dental implant process can take anywhere from two months to two years to complete, it’s easy to understand how patients would be interested in walking out with a new set of dental implants in just one day.  But is this just marketing hype?  And more importantly, would it work for your patients?

First, let’s take a look at the traditional two-stage dental implant process that involves both an oral surgeon and a general dentist.  During the first surgery, an oral surgeon places the implant and it is left for the bone to heal and grow around it.  Once the dental implant is stable in the jawbone, a second surgery is completed to surgically uncover the implant.  The patient is then sent back to his or her general dentist for crown placement.

Single Stage Surgery
Technological advances have allowed for single stage surgery, which requires only one surgical procedure. The patient comes in to have the implant placed and a tall cover screw is used to keep the implant from submerging.  After a four month healing period for the bone to grow onto the implant, the abutment post is placed and the patient is ready for the dental crown – no additional surgery is required. The Single Stage Surgery procedure offers a quicker recovery, less time off of work and in the oral surgeon’s office, and minimal pain and overall discomfort.

Dental Implants in Day
The latest evolution in dental implants shortens the process even more.  During the “dental implants in a day” procedure, an oral surgeon extracts the tooth, places the implant and coordinates with the patient’s general dentist for fabrication of a temporary crown all in the same day. This procedure still warrants several months of healing before fabrication of the permanent crown.  On the day of implant surgery, a patient will leave the office with a temporary crown attached to his or her implant. Once the patient has healed, usually four months, the permanent crown can be attached.  The same-day dental implant process offers improved aesthetics, faster results, and the peace of mind of not having to wear a removable replacement tooth.

Dental Implants in a Day – Not for Everyone
Certain conditions must be met in order to receive dental implants in a day.  Patients who require significant bone grafting due to bone loss, have uncontrolled diabetes, are post-irradiation for cancer and are extremely heavy smokers are not candidates for the dental implant in a day procedure.  But for many patients, the same day dental implant procedure is a viable option.

When your patients require dental implants, referring them to me is the best choice.  I have successfully placed over 6,000 dental implants.  Additionally, I placed the first temporary anchorage device (TAD) in the world in 1983. This procedure generated a profound paradigm shift in how skeletal anchorage could be used for dental implantology and was the basis for many of the procedures used today.

When you refer your patients to me I can assess their unique situations to determine which dental implant procedure is the best for them.  Contact Southwest Oral & Implant Surgery today to schedule a consultation and use our online referral form to speed the process.

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