Cheng H. Tai, DDS, offers the full scope of modern dental care to patients in and around Midtown Manhattan, New York. Dental implants are one of Dr. Tai’s areas of specialty, and our practice proudly offers a number of dental implant options, including immediate implants.
If you’re interested in dental implants but don’t want to come in for multiple steps, immediate implants might be the perfect way to restore your smile in just one visit.
Like all dental implants, immediate implants replace the root portion of your natural tooth with a small metal post implanted directly into your underlying bone tissue. The other end of the implanted post is connected to a dental crown, which replaces the visible surface of your natural tooth.
As the name implies, immediate implants are placed on the same visit when your tooth is removed. After your natural tooth is fully removed, Dr. Tai begins the implant procedure. You get to walk out of our office with a restored smile the same day.
Traditional dental implants require multiple office visits. Once the metal post portion is secured within your jawbone, a period of healing follows to allow your bone tissue to fully fuse with the implant. You then return to have a crown attached, completing the process.
With immediate implants, a temporary crown is attached the same day and is eventually replaced with a permanent crown once your bone tissue adheres to the implanted post.
The primary benefit of immediate implants is the ability to restore a healthy bite as quickly as possible. You won’t have to work around a missing tooth and an implanted post. Because the new post and temporary crown are placed on the same day, you should experience less gum sensitivity.
There’s also an aesthetic benefit. Few people want a visible gap in their smile, even when a tooth extraction is necessary to relieve pain. With immediate implants, you achieve your renewed smile on the same day. There’s no need to explain why you have a gap in your smile.
Immediate implants can also preserve healthy bone tissue. As soon as you lose a tooth, the underlying bone begins to slowly wear away. With an immediate implant, your bone tissue receives necessary stimulation within hours of your extraction.
As with all dental procedures, it’s critical that you share the full details of your health history with Dr. Tai before moving forward with an immediate implant. Most people are a good fit for this type of treatment, but there are some circumstances in which you may need to postpone treatment or explore other options.
Here are some issues that could alter your treatment plan:
In some cases, you can address one or more of these issues and still move on with a dental implant. For example, bone tissue can be built up through bone grafting, and an infection can be cleared through a course of antibiotics. Good communication with Dr. Tai will help determine if immediate implants are right for you.
When you’re ready to learn more, book a visit with Dr. Tai at your earliest convenience. You can call our New York City office at 845-640-3806 during normal business hours or use the online booking tool to schedule an appointment.
