What Are Same-Day Dental Implants?
Same-day dental implants allow a person to have several teeth replaced without waiting months to get a new smile. When people use the term same-day dental implants, they are usually referring to full arch dental implants (also known as 4-on-1 full arch, teeth-in-a-day, full mouth dental implant), which allow a person to get an entire arch of new teeth in a single visit.
Dental implants are the most effective way to get a new smile that will last a lifetime and allow you to eat any foods you want. With dental implants, you’ll enjoy new confidence that your new teeth look great and have the same stability and security as natural teeth.
The actual dental implant is a small screw made of titanium placed into small holes drilled into the jawbone. Over 3 months of healing, the jawbone will fuse securely to the dental implant, in a process called osseointegration. Osseointegration makes the titanium implant work as an artificial tooth root. Dental implants are the only type of tooth replacement that prevents bone loss in the jaws.
Can Dental Implants Be Done In A Day?
Yes, whether you need a single dental implant or an entire arch of teeth, dental implants can be done in one day. In the dental implant process, a doctor removes any remaining teeth that need to come out and opens the gums at a pre-planned location where the underlying bone tissue is dense and stable. The doctor then drills small holes into the bone and places small titanium screws into the holes. These titanium screws work like natural tooth roots and will provide a firm support for replacement teeth.
Can a Dental Implant Be Done the Same Day as Extraction?
Dental implants can be done on the same day as an extraction. This is one of the features of same-day dental implants that distinguishes them from the traditional implant process, which requires 2 to 3 months for the socket to heal before placing the implant.
Types of Same-Day Dental Implants
Immediate Load Implants
Immediate load dental implants allow a person to go home with a new smile on the same day their implants are placed. In the immediate load implant procedure, the doctor removes any of your remaining teeth, opens the gum tissue at the implant site, and places the dental implants into the jawbone.
After the implants are placed, you will be given a temporary set of teeth to wear until your permanent teeth are ready and your jawbone has healed completely.
During the approximate 3 month healing process, osseointegration takes place. In this process, the bone tissues around the implant screw fuse with the dental implant, making it as steady and secure as a natural tooth. Once osseointegration has finished, you’ll return to your doctor for your permanent dental bridge to be fixed onto your implants.
At America’s First Dental Implant Centers, we only use zirconia dental crowns and bridges for permanent teeth. Zirconia is a strong, durable material that resists cracking and chipping. Unlike dental crowns made of acrylic, zirconia dental implant crowns can last a lifetime.
Mini Dental Implants
Mini dental implants attempt to achieve a similar goal as same-day dental implants; however, there are some significant differences that make mini dental implants a poor choice.
First, mini dental implants are made in one piece instead of the three piece design of a regular dental implant (post, abutment and crown). Mini dental implants are about the size of a toothpick and are placed into small holes drilled into the jawbone. Mini dental implants do not use an abutment; instead, they use an O-ring to hold the implant crown in place.
Mini dental implants have a much higher failure rate than regular dental implants. The rubber O-ring wears out rapidly and the smaller implant screw often fails to integrate into the jawbone firmly and securely. These drawbacks in cause mini dental implants to fail completely within a few years of their placement. Nowadays, very few offices offer mini dental implants given their terrible quality.
4-on-1 Full Archs
4-on-1 Full Arch dental implants (also known as 4-on-1 Full Arch, full arch, full mouth, and teeth in a day) replace an upper or lower row of teeth with only 4 dental implants per arch. 4-on-1 Full Arch dental implants use full-sized titanium posts that are inserted into small holes placed into the jawbone by your oral surgeon. These titanium posts work just like natural tooth roots.
Over the next three months, the process of osseointegration causes the jawbone to fuse to the implant post, making an 4-on-1 full arch full arch restoration as solid and secure as natural teeth.
4-on-1 Full Archs are also accurately called teeth-in-day because after the surgical dental implant placement is done, you’ll be given a temporary set of teeth to wear home on the day of surgery, and so you’ll have a full smile right after surgery.
4-on-1 Full Archs are the best option when a person has many missing or damaged teeth on an arch. Instead of approaching tooth replacement one at a time, an 4-on-1 full arch restoration replaces all the missing teeth on one arch in a single procedure, making 4-on-1 full archs more cost-effective and efficient.
At America’s First Dental Implant Centers, we offer our 4-on-1 full arch dental implants priced at $14,950/arch. This is an all-inclusive price that includes all appointments and imaging needs (3D CT scan, X-ray), surgery to extract teeth and place dental implants, IV sedation, temporary teeth, and final zirconia teeth. Our price is so competitive that we are able to offer our lowest price guarantee.
Who Is An Ideal Candidate for Same-Day Implants?
The majority of people looking for the best replacements for damaged or missing teeth are candidates for same-day implants. Some candidates may be more immediately suitable for same-day implants, but generally, most people can have them.
Good Candidate
A good candidate for same-day dental implants will:
- Want a great solution for missing teeth as soon as possible
- Be in good general health
- Have a thick enough jawbone for the dental implant
- Have healthy non-infected bone
- Have good current oral health
- Practice regular good oral hygiene
- Not grind their teeth excessively
Bad Candidate
A less than ideal candidate for same day dental implants will:
- Have an impaired immune system or impaired healing
- Have active or untreated oral disease
- Have thin jawbones**
**It’s important to know that people with thin jawbones can still have dental implants, although the same-day dental implant process may not be the ideal procedure. An oral surgeon can perform a bone grafting procedure that increases the thickness of a person’s jawbone, allowing them to get dental implants.
Key Differences Between Normal Dental Implants and Same-Day Dental Implants
Both same-day and “normal” (i.e., single) dental implants are made of a dental crown or bridge placed on top of a titanium post that has been surgically implanted into a person’s jawbone. Normal dental implants require a single crown to be supported by one implant. If you needed an entire arch of teeth replaced, the traditional approach would require up to 14 dental implants placed.
With same-day dental implants, you only need 4 dental implants to replace a full arch of teeth.
Procedure Time
The same-day dental implant procedure requires a consultation visit, a visit for the implants to be placed, and a final visit for the permanent bridge to be fitted onto the implants.
When using the regular individual implant process to replace a full arch of teeth, a patient will have 5 visits—at a minimum—to the doctor. First, the patient will have a consultation visit with the doctor to determine a treatment plan. At the second visit, any remaining teeth will be extracted. After healing from the extractions, which will take 2 to 3 months, the dental implants will be placed into the jawbone. Healing will take 3 to 6 months.
At the fourth visit, the patient will return so the doctor can make impressions. These impressions allow the permanent dental implant bridge to be constructed.
Once the permanent dental implant crowns are ready, they are placed onto the dental implants at the fifth visit.
Healing Time
Same-day dental implants are placed into the jawbone during the same visit in which any remaining teeth are pulled, and the tooth sockets prepped. Your gum tissue will recover in about 2 weeks or less, and the osseointegration process that permanently joins your implants to the jawbone is around 3 months.
For regular dental implants, healing time is much longer since the procedure is broken up into several steps and that as having many dental implants placed takes more time to heal. More gum tissue has to be opened and more implant sites have to be drilled, which increases the time it takes for tissues to recover.
Time to ‘Normal’ Tooth Function
Using the same-day dental implant approach, you will go home with a temporary set of teeth on the day of your implant surgery, meaning you won’t go a single day without teeth. You’ll be eating soft foods for about 3 months while the implants completely fuse to your jawbone. Then, your permanent dental implant crowns will be placed, and you’ll be able to eat any foods you want.
For a normal dental implant procedure to replace a full arch of teeth, expect roughly a year from the beginning of the process to normal tooth function. During that time, a person will be without teeth, which will impair a person’s health and nutrition.
The Same-Day Dental Implants Procedure
Consultation
The first step in getting same-day dental implant is the consultation. The consultation involves meeting with your doctor to discuss the entire procedure and what you can expect. Your doctor will also answer any questions you might have. During the consultation, your doctor will take detailed digital images of your jawbone, including X-rays and 3D-CT scans. These scans allow the doctor to identify the densest areas of bone in the jaws, which ensures your dental implants will have the firmest and most secure anchor.
Surgery
The surgical procedure for same-day dental implants is straightforward. In the first step, all remaining teeth that may be present are removed. Next, your doctor will surgically open the gum tissue at the implantation site to expose the bone. After drilling small holes into the jawbone, your doctor will place titanium metal posts the holes and close the gums.
When the same-day dental implant procedure is carried out by an oral surgeon, the process only takes 2 to 3 hours. That’s because oral surgeons are trained to administer IV sedation, which allows patients to sleep comfortably through the surgery. Dentists cannot give IV sedation, making the procedure much slower, as additional injections of oral anesthetic will be required.
At America’s First Dental Implant Centers, we only employ oral surgeons who have performed thousands of dental implant procedures.
Fitting
When you have same-day dental implants, you’ll be fitted with your new temporary teeth during the same visit as your implant surgical procedure. The fitting procedure requires no additional surgery and is painless.
Recovery / Healing
Overall recovery and healing times are much shorter with the 4-on-1 full arch same-day dental implant process. After two weeks, you should have no pain and little if any tenderness in the gums. Swelling will also have gone down.
Can You Start Eating Immediately?
When you have same-day dental implants, even though you will have a temporary set of teeth, you’ll still need to take it easy when eating. On the first day after your implant surgery, you will need to stick to liquids or very soft foods, like:
- Smoothies
- Soups (broths or cream-based).
- Ice cream or frozen yogurt
- Applesauce
- Yogurt and pudding
- Premade protein shakes (like Boost and Ensure)
During the initial two-week healing period, avoid foods that are:
- Spicy
- Crunchy (foods like chips and popcorn)
- Chewy or sticky
- Hard (including nuts, hard candy, and ice)
- Acidic foods (fermented foods like pickles, strong coffee, and tomato-based sauces)
During the 3-month healing period in which you’ll be wearing your temporary teeth, avoid very hard foods, or fibrous, tough foods. After your permanent teeth are fitted, you can immediately eat any foods you want.
Final Checkup
At your final checkup, you’ll be fitted with your permanent zirconia teeth. The fitting does not require surgery and is painless.
Should Everyone Get Same-Day Dental Implants?
Same-day dental implants can be a great choice for people who are looking to replace more than a couple of teeth. They’re also a good choice for those who are mindful of saving money. An 4-on-1 full arch full arch is much less expensive than a comparable number of individual implants; see cost comparisons.
Limitations of Same-Day Dental Implants
Same-day dental implants do have some limitations, and there are a few hurdles in having the same-day dental implant procedure. Same-day dental implants:
- may not be a good choice for people who are undergoing chemotherapy or other complex medical treatments;
- are surgical procedures, and like all surgeries, carry some level of risk, albeit a low degree of risk. Albeit traditional dental implants carry the same risk.
Benefits of Same-Day Dental Implants
Same-day dental implants are the only approach to replacing damaged or missing teeth that replicates the look, feel, and function of natural teeth.
Same-day dental implants:
- Deliver immediate, same-day results
- Look, feel, and work just like natural teeth
- Return a person’s bite force to normal
- Allow you to eat any foods you want
- Prevent bone loss in the jaws
- Restore natural facial contours
- Restores confidence
- Improves self-esteem
- Are a permanent solution to missing teeth.
Costs of Same-Day Dental Implants
The national average cost of same-day dental implants ranges from $25,000 to $40,000 per arch At America’s First Dental Implant Centers, our price is $14,950 per arch (12-14 teeth per row), all-inclusive of all visits, procedures, digital scanning, temporary teeth, and customized permanent teeth made of zirconia.
Same Day Dental Implant FAQs
Do Same-Day Dental Implants Hurt?
If same-day dental implants sound ideal to you but you’re uncertain about discomfort from the procedure, there’s no need to be concerned if you use an oral surgeon. Oral surgeons are trained and able to use IV sedation, which ensures you will be comfortable. When same-day dental implant procedures are performed by general dentists, there can be some discomfort due to the need for injections of oral anesthetic. Dental implants are always painless at America’s First Dental Implant Centers. We only work with oral surgeons who administer IV sedation.
Are you put to sleep for dental implants?
If you choose an oral surgeon to perform your dental implant surgery, you will receive IV sedation, which allows you to sleep during the entire process. Only oral surgeons have the training and experience to offer this type of sedation, which makes getting dental implants a comfortable experience, with no anxiety or discomfort. If a dental implant procedure is performed by a dentist, no IV sedation will be available, which results in being awake and in discomfort for the procedure.
How Many Dental Implants Can You Have at Once?
In the 4-on-1 full arch dental implant procedure, you will receive 4 dental implants at once (per arch/jaw), all in the same office visit; if you need both arches replaced, you will receive 8 dental implants during this visit. You’ll also leave the office with a temporary set of teeth that day.
