“TEETH IN A DAY” has become a popular phrase with the main-stream media. There are organiza-
It’s Your
Smile
tions and individuals promoting this treatment modality but many people do not fully understand
what this means. The most common question: “Is it really teeth in a day?” The short answer is no.
Teeth
in a Day?
By Dr. Jernell Escobar
Dr. Escobar has been practicing
dentistry in the Bay Area since
2006. She took over Dr. Palmerlee’s
practice when he retired in 2012.
She is passionate about providing
exceptional oral health care in
a patient centered environment.
Dr. Escobar participates in
continuing education seminars with
other leading clinicians in exploring
new and innovative methods and
materials for restoring smiles.
T
he replacement of missing or broken
teeth with a dental prosthesis (your
new teeth) in one visit is the essence
of the definition of “teeth in a day.” This
process typically involves the utilization of
dental implants to secure the dental prosthesis.
However, the process leading up to this day
can require multiple trips to both the restoring
dentist as well as the surgeon. In order to
properly prepare for “teeth in a day,” the dentist
and the dental surgeon must determine if
you are even a candidate for the surgery. This
involves dental records and x-rays. In many
cases, 3D or tomographic x-rays are requested
to evaluate the quantity and the quality of bone
available for restoration as well as determining
the proximity of vital structures, such as nerves,
to the proposed surgical site. In circumstances
where there is insufficient quantity or quality
of bone necessary for the procedure, additional
treatments, such as bone grafting may be
suggested before you can proceed with your
“teeth in a day” surgery. As you can see, “teeth
in a day” has now become “teeth in many
days.” It cannot be overemphasized, however,
that it is imperative that you do not cut corners
in this pre-surgical phase.
After reading this, if you decide that you
are ready for “teeth in a day,” let’s break down
what a typical series of appointments might
look like leading up to the day of surgery.
Your first appointment will usually be with the
general or restoring dentist. At this appoint-
ment, the dentist will do a full exam and x-rays
to determine your current oral condition. At
this point, you and the restoring dentist need
to have a question and answer session about
the treatment and a discussion about your
expectations at the conclusion of treatment.
This will give the dentist the opportunity
to explain, based on his/her findings, if they
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016
believe that they can meet or exceed your
expectations. Your second appointment will be
with the surgeon. The surgeon will do a full
exam and will order any additional x-rays he/
she feels are required to complete the surgery.
The third appointment will be with the
restoring dentist. At this appointment, all
necessary records will be taken, in order to fab-
ricate your prosthesis. The fourth appointment
will be the day of surgery and the delivery of
your “teeth in a day.” After the delivery of
your new teeth, it is important to mention that
you are typically not receiving the final but an
interim or temporary prosthesis. The interim
prosthesis typically looks very good and will be
a dramatic change for the patient. The reason
for this is that when teeth are removed, the jaw
structure changes. In the absence of teeth, the
jaw has the tendency to shrink and it is impos-
sible to predict how much. In addition, when
implants are utilized to secure the prosthesis,
there is a period of time known as integration
when the implants become even more firmly
anchored in bone. Once this occurs and the
jawbone stabilizes, new records are taken and
the final prosthesis is fabricated and delivered.
Therefore, from the first appointment
with the restoring dentist to your “teeth in a
day” surgery, the time lapse could be two to
four weeks. However, from your first visit to
the delivery of your final restoration the time
lapse could be five to eight months. It is also
important to mention that regular visits to
your dental professional are still necessary to
maintain your