Immediate Dental Implant in Dublin

Immediate placement describes the timing of the implant, not the timing of the finished tooth. The damaged or failing tooth is removed as carefully as possible and, if the socket is suitable, the implant is placed into it during the same appointment. This differs from a staged implant, where the extraction site is allowed to heal before implant surgery takes place at a later date.

After extraction, the socket naturally remodels and can lose substantial width during the following months, with the thin buccal or facial bone plate particularly vulnerable. Immediate placement may limit some dimensional change and help maintain the socket contour, but it cannot completely prevent bone and gum remodelling.

The approach is particularly relevant to an upper or lower front tooth because the gap is visible and the thin bone and gum in this area influence the eventual appearance. Positioning must be planned both for a sound biological foundation and a natural-looking crown. The implant is generally positioned towards the palatal aspect while engaging suitable apical and palatal bone to achieve primary stability without placing avoidable pressure on the facial plate.

An immediate implant is also different from an immediate final crown. A temporary tooth may be provided during healing, but the definitive crown is normally fitted only after the implant has integrated with the bone and the gum has stabilised. In selected circumstances a temporary crown can be connected to the implant without putting it into normal biting contact; in other cases a removable or tooth-supported temporary option is safer.

Assessment begins with a free first dental consultation. Dr. Aliwi reviews why the tooth cannot be retained, the health of the neighbouring teeth, the bite, smile line, gum condition and medical history. The tooth should not be extracted on the assumption that an immediate implant will always be possible. Planning also includes how the temporary tooth will look and how pressure will be kept away from the healing implant.

A CBCT 3D scan, priced at €150 when required, can show the width and height of bone, the shape of the root and socket, and the relationship to nearby structures in three dimensions. This information helps determine a safe implant position and whether enough bone is likely to provide initial stability. Imaging supports planning, but the final decision can only be made after the tooth is removed and the socket is inspected directly.

Suitable patients generally need healthy, maintainable gums, enough bone in the correct position and a socket in which the implant can achieve adequate primary stability. An intact facial socket wall and a thicker gum phenotype are favourable; thin tissue or limited facial bone may require augmentation or make staged treatment more predictable.

Active infection with significant bone loss, substantial damage to the socket wall, insufficient bone, poor gum health and heavy smoking can make immediate placement less suitable or increase complications. General health, medicines, tooth grinding and the ability to follow cleaning and temporary-tooth instructions are also considered individually.

At the treatment visit, local anaesthetic is used before the tooth is removed with a tissue-preserving technique and the site is assessed. If the facial plate remains intact and stable placement is possible, the implant is inserted in the planned three-dimensional position. When there is a gap between the implant and socket wall, grafting material may be considered to support the contour. Any additional grafting or site-management treatment is discussed and priced before you agree to it.

You should not feel sharp pain while the area is numb, although pressure, movement and vibration may be noticeable. Soreness, swelling, bruising or slight oozing can occur afterwards. The team provides individual instructions about pain relief, eating, cleaning and activity. Avoid biting with the temporary front tooth and do not test or disturb the implant while it is healing.

The temporary-tooth design depends on the implant's stability, bite and appearance required. It may be a non-functional temporary crown connected to the implant, a customised healing abutment, a small removable tooth or a temporary tooth supported independently of the implant. A provisional crown or anatomical healing abutment can help maintain the gingival margin, support the papillae and guide development of a natural emergence profile.

The provisional restoration is shaped to support tissue without excessive pressure and is normally kept out of biting contact. A same-day visible tooth does not mean it can be used like a final tooth, and it does not mean the implant has already integrated with the bone.

After placement, review appointments are used to monitor the gum and implant. The implant then needs a healing period to integrate with the jawbone. The exact duration cannot be set from a webpage because it depends on the extraction site, implant stability, bone and gum condition, any additional site treatment, and individual healing. During this phase the temporary tooth may need adjustment as the tissues change.

Modern tissue-shaping approaches use the contours of the provisional crown or a convergent customised abutment to guide soft-tissue adaptation and create a stable seal around the restoration. These principles are sometimes described in implant dentistry using terms such as the Zero Bone Loss Concept or biologically oriented prosthetic design. They are treatment concepts rather than a guarantee of zero remodelling or bone loss.

Once healing is satisfactory, the restorative stage begins. A scan or impression is used to plan the emergence profile, shape, colour and contact points of the definitive front-tooth crown, while the bite is checked to limit harmful forces. The single screw-retained crown with Ti-base costs €750 – €950 and is separate from the implant surgery fee. The gum contour may continue to mature, and perfect symmetry with the neighbouring natural tooth cannot be promised.

The full pathway is therefore consultation and imaging where needed, extraction with immediate placement if conditions permit, temporary-tooth management, healing and reviews, followed by the definitive crown. If the socket is unsuitable at extraction, the safer pathway may instead be extraction and healing or site preparation first, then implant placement later, another healing phase and finally the crown.

Immediate implants share the risks of implant surgery, including pain, swelling, bleeding, infection, gum recession, loss of supporting bone, damage to adjacent structures and failure of the implant to integrate. In the front of the mouth, recession or loss of the gum papilla can expose metal or create uneven gum levels that affect the appearance. A temporary or final crown can chip, loosen or require adjustment, and additional treatment may be necessary if healing does not proceed as planned.

There is also a specific possibility that immediate placement must be abandoned once the tooth is removed. Infection or unexpected damage may be more extensive than imaging suggested, or the implant may not achieve adequate stability. In that situation Dr. Aliwi may clean and manage the socket, provide a temporary-tooth solution and arrange staged implant treatment after healing rather than take an avoidable risk.

Follow the personalised instructions, keep the area clean without disturbing it, avoid smoking and attend reviews. Contact the clinic promptly if bleeding does not settle, pain or swelling worsens after initially improving, there is fever, pus, a bad taste, persistent numbness, or the temporary tooth or implant feels mobile. Heavy bleeding, rapidly spreading facial swelling, difficulty breathing or swallowing, or feeling acutely unwell requires urgent emergency care.