Immediate Dental Implants

Traditionally, before placing dental implants, compromised teeth were removed and the extraction sockets were allowed to heal with a waiting period of 3-4 months. This method of implant placement subjected patients to more surgical interventions and implant loading was delayed until after a conventional healing period to allow for osseointegration. For this reason, this concept has been challenged within the last decade which aimed at reducing the number of surgical procedures and thus shortening the treatment period. Therefore, a new protocol was developed, the concept of immediate implantation. Implantation may be divided into immediate, delayed and late implantation. In immediate implantation, when the insertion of implant is done into the empty alveolus when the mucosa is open, normally immediately or only few days after the tooth extraction. Ideal scenario involves an atraumatic extraction, stabilization of the implant within the confines of the prepared extraction socket so that it has maximal contact with the freshly prepared bone, placement of implant in proper angulation, primary clossure of the surgical flap,uneventful healing and restoration with a functional prosthesis.