Immediate Placement of Implants

When a single tooth is missing, the two most common treatment options are:

• A traditional tooth-supported bridge (3-unit bridge)

• An implant-supported crown

When a tooth-supported bridge is used to replace one missing tooth, the adjacent teeth are cut down or ground down into peg shapes so the bridge has a support system. This process unfortunately destroys natural enamel and tooth structure, but must be done in order to fit the new cemented bridge in place. Even though a 3-unit tooth-supported bridge can be functional for many years, the compromised teeth (those healthy teeth cut down to support the bridge) frequently develop decay, periodontal bone loss or need root-canal treatment. This often leads to future problems that will be more expensive and complicated to treat later. So even though the immediate problem of a missing tooth is remedied with a tooth-supported bridge, future problems with adjacent teeth are created.

An implanted-supported crown is far superior to a traditional tooth-supported dental bridge:

• Adjacent natural teeth are preserved – not destroyed

• A dental implant looks, feels and functions like a natural tooth

• Dental implants are designed to remain aesthetically pleasing for a lifetime

• The bone is upheld, preventing a visible bony defect

• Cleaning is easier and more hygienic 

• Implants do not decay and you will never need a root canal

Immediate implant placement of dental implants into fresh extraction sockets was shown to be a predictable and successful procedure when proper protocols were followed. Placement into infected sites has been considered a relative contraindication. However, data from animal research, human case reports and case series, and prospective studies showed similar success rates for implants placed into infected sites compared to implants placed in non-infected or pristine sites.

Implants can be placed into sites with per apical and periodontal infections. The sites must be thoroughly debrided prior to placement. Guided bone regeneration is usually performed to fill the bone-implant gap and/or socket deficiencies.