What does “same-day implants” actually mean?
The phrase is used for two different procedures, and it helps to know which one you are being offered:
- Immediate placement: the tooth is removed and the implant is placed into the socket in the same operation. A consensus report of the International Team for Implantology (ITI) (Hämmerle et al., 2004) distinguishes this from early placement, after the gum or bone has partly healed, and late placement into a fully healed site.
- Immediate loading: a tooth is fitted on the implant shortly after it is placed. A Cochrane systematic review defines immediate loading as loading within the first week after implant placement.
The two are independent. An implant can be placed on the day a tooth is removed and then left to heal without a tooth on it, or a temporary tooth can be fitted on the same day to an implant placed in healed bone. Either way, a tooth fitted on the day is temporary.
How does immediate loading compare with waiting?
The Cochrane review (Esposito et al., 2013) groups loading times as follows:
| Loading | After implant placement |
|---|---|
| Immediate | Within one week |
| Early | Between one week and two months |
| Conventional | After two months |
Looking at 26 randomised trials with 1,217 participants, the review found no convincing evidence of a clinically important difference in prosthesis failure, implant failure or bone loss between these loading times. The average implant failure rate across the trials was 2.5%. However, the authors rated the evidence as very low quality, and noted that a high insertion torque (at least 35 Ncm), meaning a firm hold in the bone at placement, seems to be one of the prerequisites for successful immediate or early loading.
With the conventional approach, the implant is left to bond with the bone first. Cleveland Clinic says this takes anywhere from three to nine months, and Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust says you usually need to wait at least three months before the implant can support replacement teeth.
Who may be suitable for an implant on the day a tooth is removed?
The 2004 ITI report lists the advantages of immediate placement as fewer surgical procedures, a shorter overall treatment time and the use of the bone still present at the extraction site. It also reports that the survival of implants placed immediately after extraction is similar to that of implants placed in healed bone.
Not every socket is suitable, though. According to the report:
- If the remaining bone does not allow the implant to be held firmly, it should not be placed at the time of extraction.
- If the thin bone wall on the lip or cheek side has been lost, placing the implant at the same time is not recommended.
- With thin gums, the risk of that bone wall shrinking and the gum receding is high, so additional bone grafting at the same time is recommended.
The report also notes that the shape of the socket can make ideal implant positioning harder and that the procedure is technique-sensitive.
Can I get a temporary tooth on the day for a single gap?
A systematic review prepared for the 2018 ITI consensus conference (Gallucci et al., 2018) looked at placement and loading timings together. For implants placed at extraction and loaded immediately, the weighted cumulative survival rate was 98.4%. The review classed this approach as “clinically documented”, while immediate placement followed by conventional loading was classed as “scientifically and clinically validated”. In other words, there is less evidence for combining immediate placement with immediate loading than for waiting before loading.
From the patient’s point of view, the 2018 ITI consensus statements found no difference between an immediate temporary tooth and conventional loading in patient-reported outcomes, but noted that the evidence for immediate temporaries is limited. They recommend that such temporaries do not touch the opposing teeth when you bite or move your jaw.
For upper front teeth, the 2023 ITI consensus report gives more detailed criteria. It describes the approach as predictable in carefully selected sites, with most failures occurring in the first six months, and lists factors such as:
- an intact or only minimally damaged bone wall on the lip side
- enough bone to hold the implant firmly in the right position
- healthy neighbouring teeth
- the gum tissue and gum line, gum disease, your bite and habits such as clenching or grinding
The report strongly recommends a CBCT scan alongside a periapical X-ray, and advises that the temporary tooth is prepared before the extraction and that the procedure is carried out by clinicians experienced in both implant surgery and restoration.
Can I get fixed teeth within days for a whole jaw?
When all the teeth in a jaw are missing or cannot be saved, a fixed bridge can be supported by several implants. The 5th ITI consensus conference concluded that immediately loading implants in the upper or lower jaw with a one-piece fixed temporary bridge is as predictable as early or conventional loading. The benefits it lists are fixed teeth straight away, less discomfort than with a removable temporary denture and a shorter overall treatment time.
The same statements stress two conditions:
- Each implant must be firmly held: before immediate loading, the primary stability of every implant must be confirmed. Most of the studies reviewed used criteria such as an insertion torque of at least 30 Ncm.
- Grafting at the same time needs caution: the need for bone grafting or a sinus lift in the same operation is considered a relative contraindication to immediate loading. In that case the implants may be left to heal without load.
How full-arch treatment is organised over two trips is explained on our full-arch implants page.
Is the same-day tooth permanent?
No. A tooth or bridge fitted on the day, or within a few days, is a temporary one that covers the healing period. The permanent crown, bridge or denture is made after the implant has bonded with the bone, from new scans. Because the gum and bone change shape during healing, the temporary may need adjusting along the way.
While the implant heals it must be protected from heavy forces, so your dentist will tell you how long to stay on soft food and which foods to avoid.
What does this mean for your trips to Türkiye?
A temporary tooth on the first trip means you do not have to go home with a gap, but it does not remove the healing time. Implant treatment for international patients usually involves two trips: one to place the implants and one, several months later, to fit the final teeth. As a general guide only, our dental implants page gives around five to seven days for each trip; grafting, several implants or both jaws may need longer.
Ask before you book your return flight: after bone grafting or a procedure near the sinus, your dentist may advise waiting longer before flying. Leave a spare day before the flight home in case an adjustment is needed. Our page on planning your visit explains how a stay is organised, and aftercare and follow-up covers the healing months at home.
When is it better to wait?
According to the sources above, placing the implant in a healed site, or letting it heal without load, may be the better choice when:
- the bone wall on the lip or cheek side has been largely lost
- the remaining bone does not hold the implant firmly
- bone grafting or a sinus lift is needed in the same operation
- there is a draining sinus (fistula) at the tooth to be removed, or the infected tissue cannot be fully cleaned out
- you clench or grind your teeth, or your general health needs further assessment
The 2023 ITI report on upper front teeth also notes that a planned same-day implant and temporary tooth cannot always be completed during surgery. The implant is then left to heal without load, or placed later once the site has healed. If a same-day tooth is planned for you, discuss this back-up plan before the operation.
What should you ask before you book?
- Is the plan to place the implant on the day the tooth is removed, to fit a temporary tooth on the day, or both?
- What does the CBCT scan show about the bone walls and the amount of bone?
- If a same-day tooth is not possible, what will I wear during the healing months?
- What can I eat with the temporary, and for how long?
- When will the final teeth be made, and how many days should I plan for each trip?
How do we plan same-day teeth at Rönesans?
Implant planning at our clinic starts with an examination and a cone-beam CT (CBCT) scan, which shows the height and width of the jawbone and its distance from structures such as the sinus and nerve canal in 3D. We carry out bone grafting, sinus lifts and other oral surgery at our clinic, and treatment can also be done under general anaesthesia when needed.
For a single implant, a temporary tooth can be fitted during the healing months depending on your case; whether this is possible depends on your bone and the position of the implant, and is discussed at the examination. For full-arch treatment we place fixed bridges on four or six implants. In many full-arch plans a temporary fixed bridge is attached within a few days of surgery, so you do not go home without teeth; whether this is possible depends on how firmly the implants are held by the bone, which is checked during treatment and cannot be promised in advance.
Before treatment starts, you receive a written treatment and cost plan listing each tooth with unit and total fees. The make and model of your implant are written in your treatment plan, and the batch number on the implant card you receive after treatment. Airport transfer from Istanbul and accommodation are included in the treatment cost, and we plan the appointments around your travel dates. You can send recent X-rays and photos on WhatsApp for a preliminary assessment; during opening hours we reply to messages in English and German within 15 minutes.