Dentists are now beginning to recommend to their patients that are considering dental implants to try and have them installed as soon as possible after loosing the tooth. Many UK dentists now offer a one step surgery where a decaying or damaged tooth is removed and the implant is added, with no need for waiting between the two. Not all patients interested in dental implants are good candidates for this one step surgery.
The bone beneath the gum where a tooth is attached is generally very close to the surface of the gums. But when a tooth is removed or lost, the jawbone naturally shrinks in that area and pulls away from the surface of the gums. This shrinking can make a successful dental implant more difficult. The less time that passes between the loss of the tooth and the surgery to install a dental implant, the more likely it will take, and the less time that is required for healing.
Patients who have been missing teeth for many years may be able to increase the quality and amount of bone available to anchor the implant. There are a variety of methods for grafting extra bone into the spot where a dental implant will be installed, creating a stronger and wider jawbone to hold the implant.