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Reviewed by a licensed dentistTreatment: ImplantCode: D7140 · D6010Question: Timing after an extraction

Can the implant go in the same day my tooth comes out?

The short answer

Sometimes. Putting the implant in at the same visit the tooth is removed is called an immediate implant. It works well when the bone is healthy and there's no active infection. Otherwise, the socket heals first, and the implant goes in weeks or months later. Both approaches are common and both have good track records.

More detail

The three usual timelines

  • Same day (immediate): the tooth comes out and the implant goes in at the same visit.
  • After a short heal (early): the gum heals over the socket first, usually for a couple of months, then the implant goes in. A small graft is often added at that visit.
  • After full healing (delayed): the socket heals for several months, often with a socket graft to keep the bone, and the implant goes in after that.

Whichever timeline you're on, the implant still needs a few months to bond with the bone before the final crown goes on.

Same-day implant vs. same-day tooth

These sound alike but aren't the same thing:

  • Same-day implant means the post goes in the day the tooth comes out. You may still wear a temporary replacement, or have a gap, while it heals.
  • Same-day tooth means a temporary crown (or a full set of temporary teeth) is attached to the implant right away. This needs the implant to be very steady in the bone on the day it's placed, and you'll usually be asked to avoid chewing hard on it while it heals.

Ads for “teeth in a day” usually mean a same-day temporary tooth, not the final one. Ask which you're getting.

When same day can be a good fit

  • The bone around the tooth is healthy and thick enough to hold the implant steady
  • There's no active infection or swelling at that tooth
  • The gum is healthy, and in a front-tooth spot, thick enough to hold its shape
  • A 3D X-ray (cone-beam CT) shows the bone can support it

When waiting is usually better

  • The tooth has an active infection or an abscess
  • The bone around the tooth is thin, or part of it has been lost
  • Some front-tooth cases, where the gum can shrink back after a same-day implant and affect how the tooth looks
  • Your health or medicines call for a slower approach (see How your dentist decides)

Pros and cons

Same day

  • One fewer surgery
  • Shorter total time to a finished tooth
  • Can help keep the gum shape in some cases

Things to know

  • Not every tooth is a good candidate
  • Research suggests a slightly higher chance the implant doesn't take than when the site heals first, though long-term success is similar overall
  • In front teeth, a higher chance the gum shrinks back
  • The plan can change during the visit if the bone isn't what the scan suggested

Waiting adds time and usually one more procedure, but gives the dentist a healed, more predictable site to work with. Research comparing the two hasn't found a clear winner. Both are reasonable choices in the right case.

Will insurance pay differently?

The codes and coverage for each step are the same either way: the extraction, any graft, the implant, the connector, and the crown. Timing can still matter. Steps spread over months may fall in different plan years, which can help with the annual maximum. A same-day approach puts more of the cost in one visit. See What should it cost?

Questions to ask

  • Am I a good candidate for a same-day implant? Why or why not?
  • Is the bone healthy enough here? Can you show me on the scan?
  • If we do it the same day, will I get a temporary tooth on the implant, or something else while it heals?
  • What happens if the bone isn't strong enough once the tooth is out?
  • How long until I have the final crown?
  • Before we schedule, can I get my cost in writing? (A predetermination if I'm using insurance, or a good faith estimate if I'm paying myself.)

When a second opinion makes sense

Reasonable if you're told a same-day implant is the only option and you're not sure it fits your case, or if you're told you must wait and want to understand why.

Related questions

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