How long do I have to get an implant after an extraction?

March 21, 2010 – 5:32 pm

One of my molars needs to be taken out. The endodontist my dentist referred me to says it has rotted below the gumline, and there is no way to save it. After the tooth is removed both my regular dentist and the specialist have advised me to get an implant to replace the tooth. At best, this procedure is going to cost me a little over $1,500, and my dentist has warned me that it could very well be more. I do not have dental coverage, and am on a fixed income. I know this is important, but it will take me some time to save up what I need for the implant. How long can I wait between the extraction of the tooth, which needs to happen quite soon, and the surgery to place the implant?

Gemma in Portland

Dear Gemma,

A dental implant is certainly the best choice to replace your missing tooth. With an infection present in the tooth and socket, you would have to wait for the area to heal before any surgery could be performed to place the root surgery. The root form also needs time to integrate with the bone before the crown can be placed on top of the root form.

You really do not have very long to get some kind of replacement tooth in place after the extraction of your infected tooth. Within a few weeks, the teeth surrounding the empty socket will start to “drift” into the space. If you allow this situation to continue, your dental issues will get a lot more complicated, and a lot more expensive to fix. If you do not do something to replace the missing tooth, the resulting teeth movements could lead to bite alignment issues, which could in turn result in TMJ disorder, and headaches.

Your dentist will need to fit you with a flipper, which is a temporary partial denture, to help maintain the current spacing of  your teeth. While a flipper is not meant to be permanent, it could work to keep your teeth from moving too much while you save up what you need for the dental implant surgery. The same flipper can be used after the root form has been placed, while you are waiting for the area to heal before the placement of the crown.