Well, I will answer that by saying Yes and No. First of all, every implant case is different so it is important to get a real answer based on your individual needs and goals. A consultation would be needed to,see what can be done for you. We use Implants for various reasons and they are used to accomplish different goals based on your individual situation. That said, the majority of these commercials patients are asking about are the ones where people are getting all of their teeth pulled, implants placed, and teeth replaced all in the same day. Then the commercials show happy patients walking in a park, golfing, bowling, or whatever else shows them with a happy look on their faces.
One thing our patients will learn about us is that we will tell you the truth from the start. Can this be done in one day? Yes...sort of. There are preliminary appointments before the big surgery day, so it isn’t done the FIRST and ONLY day you come in. I think most patients would expect some consultation, x-Ray, impressions, and implant planning appointments before the big day. So, I’m not going to count those appointments as part of the “in one day” description.
Now for the big misconception people get from the commercials...yes you can get teeth pulled, implants placed, and a temporary denture screwed into the implants. YES, I said TEMPORARY denture. Much planning goes into making these temporary dentures fit right and look good, but we just can’t make a final, ideal set of teeth until the swelling has gone down, the bone from extractions has healed, and the implants have fully integrated into the bone. All of this takes time.....months. We can’t make the final set of teeth for some time.
So is it in a day? Yes, a big part of it is in a day, but no, it isn’t fully completed in a day. As I said, we will be honest so here is some more info you don’t get from the commercials. That day of surgery, as well as the days afterward, most patients aren’t feeling great as this is a big surgical procedure and discomfort is normal as would be expected. You won’t want to go bowling, golfing, fishing, or for a bike ride immediately afterwards as the commercials seem to imply. Even more, there are strict limitations on what you can eat during the various phases of healing. You will be on a very soft, even puréed food, diet for some time. The whole procedure usually takes six months to close to a year to complete in most patients. So, it isn’t really done in a day.
Finally, most of the commercials don’t mention it, but these are very expensive treatments that would scare most patients away if they advertised the price. However, we spend money on disposable items like cars all the time, so why not at least consider spending on your health? These procedures can greatly improve your health by allowing you to chew food better as well as to eliminate oral infections that may exist. There are many connections between various health problems and oral infections,
All of this said, these are extremely rewarding treatment options once the final prosthetics are completed. They aren’t for everyone, but for the many that have completed this procedure, the greatest reward comes with the ability to actually chew your food without pain, the elimination of infections that can have systemic effects on other organs in the body, or something as simple as being able to smile with a healthy set of teeth.
While the big companies are advertising it, they aren’t the only ones doing it. This wonderful procedure is available at most dental offices, including ours. If you really want to find out about it in detail, give us a call to set up an appointment to learn more. Maybe it is something for you, or maybe there are other options you aren’t aware of. We can go more into detail about what it really is, the challenges to treatment, the limitations, and of course the financial barriers. We work hand in hand with our experienced dental labs and implant surgeons to come up with a solution that best fits your needs. And we will also discuss the financial barriers and ways we can help make treatment possible through third party finance companies. Give us a call if you have any more questions.