Is A Dental Implant Ever An Emergency Procedure?

Many people think of dental implants as more of a cosmetic procedure than an emergency one. But, there are several situations where an emergency implant represents the safest and best means of dealing with a dental situation:

What Can Lead to a Need for an Immediate Implant?

An emergency implant procedure works best in some of the following situations:

  • Crown fractures
  • Tooth cracks
  • Tooth breaks
  • Root fractures

These are the kinds of issues that will lead to inevitable tooth loss. In these cases, and a few others, there's a limited amount of time for you to have work done. Usually, that tooth will likely need pulling. Even if you receive work to keep the tooth intact for a little while longer, it's only a temporary solution.

If you wait to have the issue looked at, you will form abscesses and infections. If you do have the tooth pulled, you need the area properly prepared and preserved. Otherwise, the same issues can occur.

If you do have the tooth extracted, and do have the area preserved, then you risk loss of alveolar bone. A loss of bone density can make it harder for implants later. In some cases, it can make it almost impossible for you to receive an implant without a lot of additional dental work.

Instead of going through any of that, you can instead opt to have the tooth extracted and immediately follow that up with an implant. The dentist will extract the tooth, clean out damaged root, make sure you're free of any creeping infection, and go straight into preparing you for an implant.

Same-Day vs Emergency Implants

You can actually receive dental implants in a day. There are many techniques and different pieces of modern technology that make it possible. Same-day implants are not the same as emergency implants though. You schedule appointments for same-day implants and go through some orientation.

Emergency implants are just that, a part of an emergency procedure. In either case, implants are more available these days than ever before. While some dental emergencies can lead you to an implant, you should also consider them in general as a great option for keeping your smile intact.

If you have a dental emergency, make sure that you get in contact with a dentist that knows how to handle them. Not all places are equipped for handling emergency implants. Your dentist may have to send you to a specialist that can help make the implant procedure work within the time-frame you need.

To learn more, contact a company like Salem Family & Cosmetic Dentistry with any questions or concerns you have.

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