Immediate vs Delayed Implant Placement

Choosing Between Immediate or Delayed Implants

When to replace missing teeth? Immediately following an extraction or after a period of healing?Who doesn’t want to replace their missing teeth faster? When weighing the differences between immediate and delayed implants, it’s no surprise that patients choose fewer procedures, fewer appointments and an overall minimised appointment timeframe.However, it’s not always possible to place a dental implant immediately after extraction - simply because, in some cases, immediate placement won’t have a strong chance of long-term stability and success. The decision of when to place the implant depends on multiple factors that are all perfectly aligned, and we’d only be able to explore it after a consultation.To begin to understand the differences between immediate and delayed implants, you need first to know what they are:

Placing dental implants immediately after extraction:

• Have a tooth removed and an implant immediately placed in the empty socket
• Experience little interference and shorter treatment times
• Incision-free with no scar tissue
• Possible with Teeth in a Day to have crowns fitted immediately, too

With immediate dental implant placement, when extracting your tooth, the dentist also places the dental implant screw at the same time so that they can heal together.When placing dental implants using this method, the total recovery time is around six months when the implant fully fuses with the jawbone.The faster turnaround is undoubtedly a benefit to patients, and it is something our implantologist can offer - but we have to ensure it will work for you.

When it’s possible:

• Where there is no active infection or gum disease
• The implant shows strong initial stability when placed in the socket
• There’s enough healthy bone volume and quality to support the implant
• We can place the implant at the right angle and depth - if nerves, sinuses or adjacent teeth are too close, immediate placement might not be ideal
• The dentist is confident it can withstand minimal biting forces
• Your gum tissue is in good health to promote proper healing

Dental implants have a 98% success rate for a reason - dentists like us do extensive pre-planning during the consultation, which takes an in-depth look into your bone structure, density, critical nerves, blood vessels, and sinus position to see if you’re immediately viable.Deciding whether you’re a candidate for immediate dental implants requires multiple factors, including whether you fit certain criteria.

Disadvantages of immediate implants

With immediate implants versus delayed implants, there’s a risk of implant failure because simple activities like chewing afterwards can cause issues. There’s also the chance that patients can develop gum recession around the treatment site and a loss of bone volume.Typically, patients with limited soft tissue available are not eligible candidates, as implant dentists will require a substantial amount before patients can qualify for an immediate procedure.

Delayed implant placement - is it better?

As delayed dental implants are drawn out over a longer process, they often lead to better results with precise placement and improved healing, making them the better choice for long-term success.With clinical evidence and studies suggesting that delayed implants have a slightly higher success rate, implantologists like us in London prefer them.Plus, by choosing delayed implants, patients also reduce the risk of instability or infection.

Unlimited benefits of delayed implant placement

• Better bone healing and overall long-term stability
• Lower risk of infection, rejection or complications
• Recommended for patients with insufficient bone volume
• Allows for more predictable osseointegration

However, with delayed implants, the disadvantage is in the name.Patients must wait for their extraction site to heal before dental implants can be placed, which will take a minimum 10-week recovery period.