I was told by my dentist and the endodontist that one of my molars will need to be removed since it is decayed below the gumline and can not be saved. I’d like to get an implant once the molar is removed. How long do I need to wait to do this?
Sheri,
I’m glad you are considering a dental implant to replace your missing tooth. However, make sure that all the infection is gone and the socket has had time to heal before moving forward with this dental implant procedure.
Be patient during the implant process, because you will want to be sure the implant has had enough time to integrate with the bone. Placing the false tooth on the implant too soon could cause risk to the procedure. We recommend that patients usually wait several weeks. During this time you should wear a what is called a flipper. Flippers are merely a basic resin tooth mounted on pink acrylic. This will work well to temporarily hold the space until your implant has healed and it is safe to place the false tooth on the implant.
Some important information to be made aware of is when a tooth is removed, the adjacent teeth have a natural tendency to tip into the open space, which also leads to the opposing tooth to super-erupt into the open space. Our teeth were designed to naturally move this way so that they consistently touch their neighboring teeth and so that all of your teeth meet when you bite. This movement among your teeth can cause serious symptoms. Many people suffer from chronic headaches, bite discrepancies, and TMJ disorder. If treatment for these symptoms is prolonged, it could become very costly in the end.
Read more about dental implants and TMJ on our Naperville Dental Specialists website.
