Temporary Teeth During Implant Treatment

Q: I need a few teeth pulled and implants. I can’t imagine waking around without front teeth until I get the permanent teeth. What can I do?

A: I once had a patient who for months placed a wet Kleenex shaped like a tooth in his spaces.

The funny thing is, the Kleenex actually matched the shade of the rest of his teeth. I didn’t even notice it until he told me! (Plus, the added convenience of reaching for the tooth in case he sneezed.)

After tooth removal, bone grafts and implant placement. You will be without those teeth for anywhere from 4 to 9 months depending on your anatomy, location of implants, bone quality and other factors.

It is advisable to avoid attaching any temporary teeth directly to the implants as they heal in the bone. Removable devices have much less risk in causing the implants to fail, as they rest on the adjacent teeth, not the implant surgical site

Arby’s: “We have the beef!” Dr. J: “We have the teeth!”

The Nesbit and the Essix retainer are two removable appliance that have fake teeth on them. They look pretty darn good; better than any box of tissues that I have ever seen.