Over the past 15 years I have had many patients ask me about the procedure “Teeth in a Day,” where by the Dentist replaces a missing tooth, several teeth, or all the teeth in the upper or lower jaws in a procedure on the same day. The patient presents to the office in the morning and by the end of the appointment has one or more new teeth that they can start eating on right away.
In a society seeking instant gratification, this procedure whereby they can replace their missing teeth quickly is quite attractive. Below I will address the GOOD, the BAD and the UGLY and give my opinion on such procedures. If anyone has any questions please feel free to email me and I will be happy to give my assistance.
The Good – Of having a tooth or multiple teeth replaced in a single visit
1) Very Fast – Can walk in and a short time later walk out with a new tooth or multiple teeth
2) Fewer Surgeries – Instead of having multiple surgeries by one or more Dentists, the surgery is normally done in 1 appointment by 1 Dentist.
3) Replacing a tooth or teeth immediately can in some cases benefit the overall Cosmetic appearance of the tooth/teeth and prevent some of the gum recession often associated with tooth loss.
The Bad – Of having a tooth or multiple teeth replaced in a single visit
1) The Implant “which is the artificial root put into the jaw bone,” is left exposed to the saliva in the mouth. The saliva in the mouth has many different Bacteria which can invade the bone around the surface of the implant, thus making the integration/healing of the implant questionable.
2) The Implant “Artificial Root,” is generally screwed into the jawbone after a pilot hole is made in the bone. The implant requires a minimum 3 months of un-disturbed healing in order for the bone in the jaw to grow onto the surface of the implant. With the implant exposed as in the “Tooth in a Day,” procedure, the Implant will receive pressure immediately from biting, tongue pressure, and this creates “Micro-movement” which can cause the implant to not heal correctly.
3) The Gum around the Implant is very important in providing a “SEAL”, around the implant as it emerges from the bone. Often, the Amount/Type of gum around the Implant is lacking and requires correcting before putting the crown on the Implant. This seal of gum normally requires 6 weeks to fully heal, before putting the crown on and starting to eat on the implant. This seal of the gum around the implant cannot be achieved when placing an Implant in one day.
The Ugly – Of having a tooth or multiple teeth replaced in a single visit
1) Generally in Implant Dentistry, “The faster you go, the Shorter the Ride,” is the Rule of Thumb. This means that if each step of the procedure is rushed, the likelihood of the Artificial Tooth lasting the rest of your life is greatly compromised.
2) If the Implant is placed, and a crown is put on the implant the same day, and the patient starts eating on the Artificial Tooth the same day, most of these implants will be lost due to complications within 5 years.
In conclusion, their are many steps in replacing a tooth or teeth with Dental Implants and these steps cannot be rushed. Some Complex Implant Procedures take 2 years or more to complete while some more straight forward cases only require 4-6 months. SO, if most Implant cases require between 4 months and 2 years, how can we expect Implants completed in one day to survive? THE ANSWER IS – We cannot expect them to survive and some will be problematic immediately, often requiring more surgeries, more time sitting in the dental chair, more expenses, more frustration, and lack of trust between the Patient and the Dental Team.
I strongly encourage you as the patient to ask your Dentist questions related to the above discussion so that you can achieve long term survivability of your Dental Implant Treatment.
Remember, sometimes we get there faster if we go slower.
Thank You all
Robert Taylor DDS FICOI
