Extraction to Implant to Crown in 2 visits
Q: Dear Dr. Josephs: I read your columns sometimes in disbelief. I had to go through seven appointments just for the replacement of one tooth with an implant and crown. Your columns make me feel that this is a ridiculous amount of visits for just one tooth. How is this possible?
A: I know, right?! I don’t believe in the Rube Goldberg approach to dental treatment. You should not need a mouse to eat the cheese, which then lets a pendulum swing into a hammer, which then hits a bell that scares a cat attached to a string into running, while pulling your tooth out.
Our practice philosophy is the use of new technology to limit the number of appointments and the duration of the appointment. Especially in today’s times. The longer you are in the chair, the more anesthesia is needed, the more you will be.
You can have a tooth removed, an implant placed and a new crown in two visits. How? You must use an office that has several pieces of technology and is well versed in certain techniques to “make it happen”.
Visit #1:
- Removal of a tooth and immediate placement of a special type of implant, instead of waiting three to four months.
- Testing of the implant with Osstell which bounces sound waves off the implant to verify enough bone solidity to avoid waiting another three to four months to make the crown. 3: The immediate placement of a Biomet Encode healing cap or Hahn scanning post plus healing cap, which often eliminates the need for stitches and incisions and prevents the gum from healing over the implant, forcing a second surgery to uncover it. 4: iTero: A digital impression scanner that allows an impression to be taken on the same day the implants is placed and eliminates the use of gagging, goopy molds.
Visit #2: Crown and abutment anchor is attached to the implant. DONE!