What Is an Extraction?
It is a dental procedure for permanently removing a tooth from your mouth. Tooth extraction treatments rid your oral cavity of problematic teeth that may threaten the health of the surrounding tissues and adjacent teeth. Some of the factors that may prompt a dentist near you to recommend a tooth extraction are:
- Impacted teeth – feature teeth that erupt improperly, remaining partially or wholly stuck underneath the gums.
- Crowded mouth – a dentist may recommend removing one or more of your teeth to create extra space in your jawbone for the rest of your teeth to align properly.
- Severe dental decay – can necessitate tooth removal, particularly if it significantly compromises the tooth’s structure.
- Severe toothache – one of the ways to permanently cure a toothache is by extracting the problematic tooth.
- Periodontitis – is the most severe stage of gum disease, featuring an infection serious enough to cause premature tooth loss.
What Are Dental Implants?
They are tooth replacement oral appliances, featuring screw-like metal posts. The metal post requires an erection in the jawbone, replacing the roots or teeth first. After that, a dentist near you would need to perform a different procedure to crown the implant. Crowning can employ different oral appliances, including dental crowns, bridges, or dentures.
Must You Replace Teeth with Implants?
Admittedly, dental implants are not the only oral appliances available for replacing missing teeth. However, our dental team at Dental Zone delights in using implants for tooth replacements because of the many benefits they present. Some of them are:
- They look and feel like natural teeth – because they have both a root and a crown, similar to a natural tooth structure.
- They are biocompatible – although implants feature metal, the metal does not cause allergic reactions. Titanium is biocompatible, making it the perfect material to integrate well with your natural bone tissue.
- Implants restore bone health – dentists insert tooth implants in the jawbone, preventing bone loss.
- A permanent solution to tooth loss – you get to keep your implanted teeth for a lifetime without needing retreatment.
- Versatility – oral implants are ideal for single and multiple tooth replacement, depending on the oral appliance for crowning.
When Should You Get Oral Implants After Tooth Loss?
Many dental experts recommend waiting about ten weeks after extraction before considering another procedure. The reason is that a tooth extraction is already an oral surgery. Undergoing another surgical procedure soon after a tooth removal can prove overwhelming. Besides, ten weeks is ample time for your body and mouth to recover post-surgery. A typical tooth extraction procedure takes between 7 and 14 days for the soft tissues to heal. However, it takes longer for the jawbone to fully recover and be ready for another surgery.
Must You Wait for 10 Weeks?
Ten weeks is the generally agreed-upon period for recovery after tooth loss before you replace it. Ideally, waiting longer than that predisposes you to new dental complications. One major problem with waiting too long is that the bone tissue disintegrates. The reason is that the jawbone is inactive, so the body reabsorbs the tissues. This challenge can bring about a new complication when you decide to get oral implants. Your oral surgeon will require that you undergo a dental surgery called one grafting to restore your jaw’s health before getting implants.
Besides, waiting too long allows your teeth to start shifting, attempting to fill the present space. The shifting over time will create a new orthodontic problem that may necessitate wearing braces for several months to realign your teeth.
Can You Get Implants Immediately After Tooth Extraction?
On the flip side, some people are unwilling to spend a single day without teeth. Such patients often prefer getting tooth implants on the same day as their extraction procedure. Immediate implantation procedures have been done severally before and have been successful. The dentist will use the existing socket of the lost tooth to place the titanium metal post. However, not every patient qualifies for such a procedure. The dentist will have to thoroughly evaluate your body and oral health. Further, the dentist must consider the health of your jawbone regarding healthy bone tissue for supporting a tooth implant.