Can My Tooth Be removed on the Same Day as Implant Going in?

One of the most frequent questions we hear in our consultation room is: "Can you just take the tooth out and put the implant in today?"

The answer is yes, but with a few important caveats. In the world of high-end dentistry, we categorize this into two concepts: Immediate Placement (placing the implant) and Immediate Loading (placing a temporary tooth on top).

Here is why this "all-in-one" approach might—or might not—be the best strategy for your smile.

The Convenience Factor: Fewer Surgeries, Less Time

The traditional "delayed" method involves removing a tooth, waiting three months for the bone to heal, and then performing a second surgery to place the implant. By opting for Immediate Placement, we combine these steps.

Time Saving: You can often reach your final result 3–4 months sooner because the socket heals and the implant integrates simultaneously.

Reduced Trauma: One surgical visit means one round of anesthetics and one recovery period rather than two.

The Aesthetic Advantage: Saving Your "Gum Architecture"

When a tooth is removed and left to heal, the gum line often collapses or changes shape. In the "smile zone" (your front teeth), this can be a major aesthetic challenge.

By placing the implant and a temporary tooth immediately, we use that new tooth as a "scaffold" to support and maintain your natural gum shape.

This allows us to recreate a result that looks exactly like the tooth you were born with, rather than trying to rebuild the gum line from scratch later.

The "Vanity Tooth": A Warning on Immediate Loading

If we place a temporary tooth on your implant the same day, it is critical to understand that this tooth is for decoration only.

No Contact: The temporary tooth must not touch your lower teeth when you bite.

The Baguette Risk: If you accidentally bite down on something hard, like a crusty baguette, even a tiny amount of movement can cause the implant to fail. If that happens, we lose the implant, the bone graft, and the time invested—taking us back to square one.

When "Slow and Steady" is Better

Immediate placement isn't always the safest choice. We generally recommend the traditional, slower route if:

There is an active infection: Placing an implant into a site with a significant infection is risky. It is often better to remove the source (the tooth), let the area clear, and start with a "clean slate."

Gum Recession: If your gum line has already receded, we may need to change the gum position during the healing phase to get the best aesthetic result.

Back Teeth: For molars, where aesthetics are less of a priority, we often leave a gap or use a temporary bridge to avoid the risk of accidental biting during the healing phase.

The "All-on-4" Exception

The ultimate version of this is the All-on-4 treatment, where a full set of failing teeth is replaced with a fixed bridge in a single day. Because the implants are connected together by the bridge, they "share the load," making it a highly successful and life-changing option for those needing full-mouth reconstruction.

If you would really like to take a deep dive, check out some of the hundreds of videos I have on my YouTube Channel (but you wont find this series on there).

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Speak soon!

Gurs

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