Losing a tooth can be a real pain in the backside. Depending on which tooth you’ve lost, it can affect how you eat, speak, and even how you feel about your smile. So it’s reassuring to know you can get that tooth replaced in as little as a day.
Getting same-day dental implants sounds appealing. A single treatment that can deliver prosthetic teeth that look and feel like the real thing feels like a good fix. But the terms ‘same day’ and ‘one day dental implants’ are a bit misleading.
As the lead dental implant practitioner at Keppel Dental I’ve placed hundreds of single and full mouth implants. By giving you an overview of ‘same day’ and staged surgery dental implants I’m aiming to help you understand
- what teeth in a day really means
- the different routes to getting dental implants
- how dental implant treatment works in Australia.
Having this information puts you in a stronger position to know how ‘implants in a day’ might influence your treatment plan.
What teeth in a day really means
Let’s start with a bit of mythbusting.
Same day dental implant treatment doesn’t exist in Australia. It’s risky and likely to lead to implant failure. In fact, it’s impossible to place an implant into the jawbone, then immediately install the final zirconia crown in the same surgical procedure.
So what’s actually meant by teeth in a day? Because we can’t ignore the fact that lots of dental practitioners in Australia are using this phrase to refer to this service.
The 3 treatment paths to getting dental implants
None of the three treatment paths offers a complete start-to-finish implant treatment in a day. But one of them appears as if it does.
Treatment paths 1 and 2 are the most common and have some similarities. They both involve the implant being placed into the gum and not buried. Placing a temporary crown on a back molar, for example, is often considered an unnecessary expense, particularly if the tooth being replaced won’t be seen. But it’s not impossible. And some people still want something there rather than a gap. Both options take around 3 and a half months to complete.
Treatment path 1 – Two-stage surgery
In this scenario, the titanium screw that’s fitted into the jaw (the actual implant) is buried, and the gum sutured over the top. The mouth is then left to heal for around 3 months. If the person used a denture or bridge pre-implant treatment, they may continue to do so. Alternatively, they could live with a gap throughout the healing period.
Three months later, once the implant has stabilised and integrated with the jawbone, the patient has a small second surgical procedure (called second-stage surgery). The top of the implant is exposed, a scan is taken and a healing abutment is placed. Roughly 2 weeks after that, the permanent crown is fixed.
This route is best if:
- there are concerns around healing
- the volume or quality of the bone housing the implant isn’t ideal
- the implant needed extra support to integrate into the jawbone.
Treatment path 2 – Single surgery
In this scenario, the implant is placed into the jaw and a healing abutment is fitted on top. The mouth is then given time to heal (still around 3 months) and the person continues to use their existing denture or bridge, or they get by with a gap.
Three months later, a scan is taken, the final crown is made, and it’s fitted two weeks later.
Treatment path 3 – Implant with temporary crown
In this treatment, a temporary crown is placed on top of the healing abutment, rather than a gap being left. In the industry, we call this ‘immediate loading’ and it’s possible thanks to advances in digital dentistry.
Precise and highly detailed scans of your mouth are taken in mere minutes, so prosthetic teeth can be milled on-site. And ta-da! You’ve got an implant and a temporary tooth.
After the 3-month healing time, the temporary crown is removed, the implant site scanned and the final crown is milled.
Treatment 3 is the closest you’ll get to teeth in a day
When you read about getting implants and teeth in a day, it’s usually referring to treatment 3. Technically, it’s not wrong. You have the implant (or multiple implants) placed and you walk out with a prosthetic crown or bridge that will pass as a tooth for the healing period. But whatever you walk out with that day isn’t the finished article.
If that’s the case, you might be wondering what’s the point of immediate loading?
Benefits of immediate loading
By fitting a temporary crown onto the implant right away you:
- can still eat and drink (although a soft diet will be necessary for a while)
- won’t have to worry about gaps in your smile
- only have a single surgery day
- get your tooth immediately.
You’re a good candidate if
- You don’t smoke or vape.
- Your teeth and gums are free from disease or decay.
- Your health is generally good and you’re not undergoing any medical treatment or on medication.
- You don’t grind your teeth
Successful immediate loading relies on you having a healthy mouth and strong jawbone. A dentist can only verify the health of your mouth once they’ve looked at your teeth and gums, and scans and x-rays. This is all done during your first consultation. The results will decide whether immediate loading is a suitable option.
Immediate loading and temporary crowns can affect the cost
According to the latest fee survey information from the Australian Dental Association, the cost of dental implant treatment is $3,039-$7,175 for a single tooth and $19,000-$52,000 for full mouth dental implants. (Although it could be much more than this.)
Some surveys and reports indicate that same day dental implant treatment is more expensive. But it’s hard to know this for sure as there’s no single surgical line item for ‘implants in a day’ in the survey. And much of the process is the same whether there’s a temporary crown or not. In fact, rates charged will be largely dependent on:
- any extra dental work you need
- the implant size and placement
- the implant’s manufacturer
- your dentist’s experience and location
- how immediately you need the treatment.
Dental implant treatment from start to finish
To clear up any confusion about how dental implant treatment in Australia works, here’s a step-by-step overview of what we’d consider to be a straightforward treatment plan.
Step 1: Initial consultation. This is when x-rays and scans are taken to confirm if you’re a good candidate for an implant or not. This still happens if you have teeth in a day.
Step 2: Planning for implant surgery. This involves treating any gum disease identified at your initial consultation, taking detailed 3D scans of your mouth and printing a surgical guide. Each of these things is needed before single-day implant treatment.
Step 3: Fitting the implant. This is surgery day, when the titanium screw implant is placed into the jaw. A temporary crown, denture or bridge is made from polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)—a tough shatter-resistant plastic. And this can only be milled once the implant has been fitted and scanned in place.
Once milled, the prosthetic is fitted to the implant that same day, so you don’t leave the practice without a tooth or teeth. If your implant is replacing a back tooth that’s less visible, you might want to skip this bit. (Which can save you money.)
Step 4: Final tooth or bridge placement. It takes around 3 months for your bone and gums to fuse to the implants. Once this has happened, you can return to have your final prosthetic teeth fitted. Milled from zirconia ceramic, this material is stronger than acrylic and lasts longer. But the real benefit is that ceramic looks and feels more like natural teeth.
Step 5: Routine check up. Roughly two weeks after your final tooth is fitted we’ll invite you in for a check-up to make sure everything is healing correctly. This still happens if you have teeth in a day.
Delivering dental implant treatment and care in Central Queensland
See a dentist to get an assessment of your current oral health and discuss any steps that may need to be taken to ensure you’re ready for dental implants.
Whether you’re at the start of your dental implant journey or you’re ready to take the next step, Keppel Dental can help. We use the latest digital dentistry technologies and high-quality dental implant products to deliver the best dental implant care possible for patients in Central Queensland and beyond.
Contact us and our friendly staff will book your free first consultation with me, Dr Luke. We’ll discuss your concerns, the procedure, the timelines and the estimated cost for your treatment.
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