Avoid a Lengthy Wait With Same-day Smiles

Most patients who have lost an entire arch of teeth want to replace them as quickly as possible. Indeed, there are many benefits to restoring a smile in a short timeframe, such as improved self-esteem and restoring some of the smile’s functioning (such as chewing).

Same-day smiles can help these patients restore their smiles in a single appointment with an implant dentist.

Same-day smiles involve the placement of a small number of dental implants, typically four, with the implants being loaded with a prosthetic arch that same day.

The term “same-day smile” is a bit of a misnomer, as the actual treatment does involve several weeks of planning by the implant dentist. The process begins with an evaluation, which may involve a visual examination by the implant dentist and dental impressions, along with a cone beam CT scan, which produces a three-dimensional image of the jaw. That technology gives the implant dentist an almost lifelike setting in which to plan the procedure.

The subsequent implant placement is completed in just a matter of hours. Because the dentist is able to plan so carefully for the procedure, including the exact site of implant placement, the surgery can be finished in a shorter period of time, and it is minimally invasive. Some patients may need only a local anesthetic for the surgery.

Patients will receive the prosthetic arch on the same day that they get their dental implants, so that appliance is crafted in a dental laboratory in advance of the scheduled appointment.

The prosthetic arch can be designed to mimic the shade and shape of the patient’s natural teeth to create as lifelike an appearance as possible. Patients can use the process of getting a same day smile as an opportunity to improve on a natural smile that they found lacking.

Edentulous patients don’t have to wait for months anymore to get a completely restored smile. If you want a short treatment timeline, talk to our team at North Shore Restorative and Implant Dentistry about same-day smiles.