07 Apr How Long Do I Have to Wait After Tooth Extraction to Get Dental Implants?

Every patient is different and each case is decided upon on its unique merits and clinical situation. Sometimes you can have an immediate implant placed right after the tooth is extracted.

Other times, it is best to wait 3-6 months for the site to heal and regenerate before the implant is placed. Some factors that would influence this would be:

• Skill and experience of the dental surgeon
• Presence of any pre-existing infection in the surgical site
• The extent and severity of such an infection if present
• Whether extensive bone and soft tissue grafting Is required at the surgical site
• The level of aesthetic concerns of the patient.
• The financial budget of the patient

How Do I Know If My Dental Implants are Osseointegrated?

If there is osseointegration failure, typically how it presents itself is that the implant is loose, no longer firm in the gum or bone. Otherwise, the implant is wobbly and it happens sometimes due to an infection.

So we always look out for swelling, pus, or abscess, anything that could indicate an infection in that area. If the surgical site is infected and osseointegration occurs then I’m afraid the immediate implant has to be removed and we have to start all over again.

We remove the immediate implant, maybe put a bone graft in, and then we transfer the case to a delayed implant. So if the immediate implant fails the first time, I will always have the second attempt be a delayed implant if the first one fails.

Are Dental Implants Painful?

The truth is there are many variables that might contribute to whether or not a patient experiences pain when undergoing dental implant surgery. Some examples of these variables are:

• Subjective pain threshold of the patient.
• Medical health status of the patient.
• Whether or not the planned surgery can be done in a minimally invasive way to minimize surgical trauma (for eg: computer guided keyhole surgery).
• Whether or not there are anatomical risks near to the dental implant site, for example: major nerves, blood vessels or the maxillary sinuses.
• Whether or not extensive bone grafting and/or gum grafting is needed in conjunction with the dental implant surgery.
• Whether or not the patient is known to have a resistance to local anesthesia.
• Whether or not the patient has extreme dental fear and anxiety.
• Whether or not multiple implants are planned in one surgical procedure.
• The skill and experience of the dental surgeon.
• The interplay of these 9 variables makes it hard for any dental surgeon to promise with a 100% certainty that the surgery will be absolutely painless 100% of the time for 100% of all patients.

However, from my years of experience, the only way I would guarantee a pain free procedure 100% of the time is by offering intravenous sedation or full general anesthesia. 

These sedation options are commonly chosen by my patients, and there are instances when I would not proceed with dental implant surgery unless the patient agrees to sedation.

Any post-surgical pain and discomfort can be easily managed with effective medication and adequate rest. Again, the risk of post surgery pain and discomfort is also influenced by the variables above.

Generally speaking, the easier and less traumatic the surgery, the less the pain should be. And this may sound clichéd, but the skill of the surgeon is probably the most important factor!

Will Dental Implants Feel Different from Other Teeth?

It might feel a bit strange at first, but you will soon get used to it just like how a new pair of shoes may feel strange in the beginning.

How Long Do Dental Implants Last?

If maintained well and if the patient has a good balanced bite with no parafunctional habits, dental implants can last a lifetime!