In this fast-moving world, we are always in a hurry. Everything needs to be done quickly. This is the age of instant gratification. The same thing applies to dentistry. Patients want treatment as fast as possible with the minimum number of visits.
In some situations, they can.
Dental implants and same-day crowns: What do you need to know?
In the case of single tooth implants, especially in the front region, a surgeon can try to fix the crown on the implant on the same day of the surgery, or within 24 hours of implant placement. These are known as immediate-loading dental implants.
Immediate loading requires close cooperation between the surgeon, prosthodontist, and the lab technician. Their skill and experience go a long way in ensuring the success of the surgery.
Advantages of immediate crowns if you're getting dental implants
1. Instant results!
The first and obvious advantage of getting a crown on the same day your dental implant is placed would be he instant gratification it provides to the dentist as well as the patient. A patient can walk into a dental clinic with a missing tooth and walk out with a fixed tooth on the same day or even a few hours.
2. Reduced number of visits for the patient
Giving a crown over an implant on the same day a dental implant is placed reduces the number of follow-up visits for the patient. Conventional implants call for healing time, and placing a healing cap followed by an abutment in the next visit, over which the crown is fabricated. Immediate crowns eliminate the need for healing caps and the subsequent waiting period.
3. Better aesthetics
Conventional techniques come with a risk of the loss of normal scalloping shape of the gums, especially after the second stage surgery. This can compromise the final outcome due to the presence of a "black triangle" between the teeth at the completion of the treatment. Immediate crowns help maintain the normal architecture and shape of gums, thereby increasing the overall aesthetics of the final result.
4. Patient comfort and compliance
Conventional loading of implants is done four to six months after the surgical phase. During this time, your dentist might give you a temporary prosthesis that's not really functional. These can be cumbersome to wear and maintain. Also, ill-fitting dentures can damage the underlying gums and interfere with healing.
Loading the implant immediately with a crown can help the patient avoid these temporary dentures.
Disadvantages of immediate crowns after dental implants
1. Case selection
The quality of the bone and the amount of primary torque and stability achieved during implant plays a big role in determining whether the implant can be immediately loaded or not. In general, teeth in the front region can be safely loaded immediately as they are subject to minimal chewing forces.
2 Implant failure
With advances in implant design as well as the techniques to place them, the success rate of immediate loading implants is usually as good as conventional implants. It is, however, necessary to keep the chewing forces to a minimum when giving an immediate crown.
Inadvertent and continuous chewing forces on an immediately loaded crown can prevent the implant from integrating with the bone leading to its ultimate failure.
Can all implants be restored with crowns on the same day?
The patient should be in good health with no uncontrolled risk factors like diabetes or hypertension. Also, the patient should not be a heavy smoker. Parafunctional habits like bruxism and clenching of teeth can increase the chances of failure as well.
What should you know about aftercare if you're getting immediate crowns?
After any oral surgical procedure, maintaining proper hygiene is a must. Any food particles stuck around the crowns can interfere with the healing of the gums. In more severe cases, it can cause infection around the implants. Care should be taken to avoid chewing or biting on any hard substance over the immediate crowns. It can dislodge or chip the crown.
Conclusion
We are at a stage in dentistry where teeth can be extracted, implants placed, and crowns placed on the same day. This was not considered possible not too long ago. Not every implant case can be treated in this manner, though, and this is where communication with your dentist will help.