How Long Do You Go Without Teeth when Getting Implants?
Are you worried about being toothless while waiting for dental implants to heal? We understand your concern and the good news is, you don’t have to wait long before getting temporary teeth that will close the gaps in your smile.
Dental implants are metal posts surgically inserted into the jawbone to replace missing tooth roots. In some cases, you can have temporary teeth attached to the implants right after tooth extraction, so you’ll spend 0 days being toothless.
In most cases, though, you can expect to wait for 3-14 days after tooth removal, and up to 2-3 weeks (in rarer scenarios) before you can get your short-term tooth replacement.
To know if you’ll need to go without teeth when getting implants, please set an appointment to visit our clinic in East Grinstead (Crawley) or in Rochester. We’ll do a thorough evaluation to ease your mind and help manage your expectations for the treatment.
Length of toothless period when getting implants
- 0 days
In this case, you won’t even spend a day being toothless. The implant is attached to a temporary restoration the same day as teeth are extracted. This condition is only possible if the jawbone is thick and strong enough to secure the immediate loading of implants and a short-term crown or bridge.
- 3-14 days
This is the most typical timeline that allows the tooth extraction site to heal before an implant can be placed surgically into the jawbone. Without complications, you can have temporary teeth within 2 weeks.
- 2-3 weeks
The length of time being toothless will be longer for certain cases. It could take 2-3 weeks before you can get temporary teeth if your gums take longer to heal because of health conditions, or if complications come up unexpectedly during the healing phase.
Our goal here at Enhance Smiles is to keep the toothless stage as short as possible while the titanium root bonds completely with your jawbone.
There are the available options for closing the gap in your smile during the implant healing stage.
Temporary teeth restorations
- Flipper
This quick, lightweight restoration is often used to close small spaces in between front teeth. Dental flippers are conveniently removable but they’re not for long-term use, so they’re great for completing the smile during the implant healing stage.
- Dentures
More durable than flippers, they typically fill in the spaces caused by a few missing teeth. Just like flippers, dentures are removable for easy cleaning.
- Bridges
Unlike the first two options, these are fixed in place. They usually replace several teeth in a row, supported by neighbouring teeth while protecting them from shifting.
- Crown
This non-removable restoration replaces one missing tooth, and is used for immediate loading to an implant when suitable.
Dental crowns or bridges for short-term use will help you minimise a gap in your smile or avoid being toothless altogether when getting implants.
Why you need temporary teeth
- Aesthetics
Closing the gap made by tooth loss will immediately improve your appearance. This enables you to smile confidently without worrying how you look.
- Speech
Even one missing tooth affects the way you talk. By using a temporary tooth to close the gap, you can continue to speak clearly while you’re waiting for the final restoration.
- Eating
You can still enjoy your meals even if you don’t have the implant yet. Teeth replacements such as flippers or dentures fill in the toothless gaps so you can continue to chew properly and without pain.
- Maintenance
Your teeth can shift out of position if there are toothless spaces in between, but this can be avoided by putting temporary teeth.
Conclusion
You don’t need to worry about going toothless while waiting for implants to heal. Temporary tooth restorations are available so your smile looks healthy and works normally during the months-long wait for the titanium root to bond with your jawbone.
It’s time to reward yourself with a beautiful smile. Discover how dental implants can help you achieve that goal. Contact us now to set an appointment at our East Grinstead (Crawley) or Rochester clinic.
FAQs
1. Will I need to go toothless for long?
No. There are temporary teeth replacements you can use to make your smile look and feel complete while you’re waiting for the implants to fuse with the bone.
2. Why can’t the implant be attached immediately to the final restoration?
Because it needs to fuse with the jawbone first for a few months. The implant needs this time to fully heal and integrate with the surrounding tissue, so it becomes strong enough to support the permanent tooth replacement.
3. What is this healing process called?
It’s called ossointegration. This is the period when the titanium post fuses with the bone tissue around it, making the bond sturdy enough to hold the dental crown as a tooth restoration.
4. Can an implant be placed right after tooth extraction?
In some cases, yes. Depending on the condition of the jawbone and other factors, some implants can be inserted on the same day as the removal of teeth.
5. Will I look awkward with the temporary teeth?
No. They’re customised to perfectly blend in with your other teeth and facial features, giving you a natural-looking smile even during the implant healing stage.
6. Are they removable?
Flippers and dentures are, so you can take them out for cleaning. However, crowns and bridges are fixed in place until they need to be detached and replaced by the permanent restorations.
7. How do I clean the non-removable restorations?
You can do this by brushing and flossing around them, just like your natural teeth. By doing this regularly, you can get rid of food bits left over from mealtimes, helping minimise the risk of tooth decay and gum problems.
8. Are they as strong as the final restoration?
No. The permanent crowns or bridges are sturdier and built to last much longer than the temporary restorations attached to implants, even if they look similar.