Immediate implant placement has increasingly enhanced the way dental practitioners conduct implants and provide patient care with predictable and aesthetic results. This method of implant placement offers an array of benefits for both the patient and the clinician, and can serve as a suitable solution for increased levels of patient satisfaction when clinically indicated.
The immediate implant placement is when an implant is placed immediately after the natural tooth is extracted. Keep reading to find out more about the benefits of immediate implant placement.
According to the traditional dental implant approach, implantation of a dental implant involves tooth extraction, temporary restoration, and if necessary, bone augmentation as well. In this procedure a number of surgical procedures are performed for each implant and at least two procedures per patient. Immediate implantation reduces treatment time to only one surgical procedure that can include extraction, bone regeneration, implant insertion, and restoring in the same procedure.
Immediate implant placement lessens the number of surgical procedures, shortens the duration of treatment and recovery, and eliminates the need for a temporary removable prosthesis. These factors directly and significantly reduce the pain associated with dental implants. Other benefits include less anaesthesia injections, less drilling, less pressure of the implant on the cortical bone, and less trauma to the tissue and the patient. This is a net profit for both the patient and the dentist.
In the past it was thought that immediate loading of implants could damage the stability of the implant. Therefore, in the traditional method, it is customary to place the implants and suture the gingiva, wait a period of 3 to 6 months, then expose them and wait another month or so for the gingiva to heal before loading the implant. Many studies from recent decades have proven that immediate implantation is a productive and quality procedure whose chances of success do not fall short of those of traditional implant procedures. Thus, the duration of treatment is significantly shortened without having to wait several months for recovery of the extraction site.
Studies conducted in recent years show us that inserting the implant immediately together with ridge preservation techniques actually prevents the natural bone resorption after extractions and also prevents resorption of the soft tissue, especially when performing flapless surgery.
Many patients shy away from a lengthy dental implant process that involves a removable denture and with results that will only be seen after many months. Naturally, reducing the surgical procedures to one session, shortening the treatment time, and reducing the pain after the treatment make it very easy for the patient to accept the treatment plan in a positive way. This is a very reliable and predictable procedure that is suitable for a diverse audience of patients.
One of the most notable disadvantages of the traditional dental implant method compared to an immediate implant is the need for a temporary removable restoration during the waiting months between implant insertion and loading. Removable prosthesis impairs speech, impairs the ability to chew, and for many patients even impair self-confidence and may cause damage to the hard and soft tissues. Fortunately, immediate implantation and immediate loading saves the need for a removable prosthesis and thus removes a significant barrier from potential patients.
The advanced technology and research knowledge we have today enables the high-quality and stable implant procedures to be possible, the results of which are maintained over time. All of these are achieved while reducing the number of surgical interventions and shortening the treatment time, which are manifested in the field in reducing the pain that the patient experiences after the treatment. This allows you to immediately load the implant and prevent the patient’s need for a removable temporary restoration.
