"Same-day implant" sounds as though the whole job is finished in one visit, and it is not. What can happen in one appointment is that a tooth is removed, an implant is placed in the socket and, if the implant is firm enough, a temporary tooth is fitted so you do not leave with a gap. The implant still needs several months to bond with the bone before the final crown goes on. For people who are suitable, the shorter timeline does not appear to come at the cost of reliability.
Two separate shortcuts
The phrase covers two steps that can be combined or used on their own.
Immediate placement means the implant goes into the socket at the same appointment the tooth is removed, rather than waiting for the socket to heal first. Immediate loading (sometimes called immediate restoration) means a temporary crown is attached to the implant straight away. That temporary is shaped so it stays clear of heavy biting while the implant heals.
Whether a tooth can go on the same day depends on primary stability, which is how firmly the implant is held by the bone at the moment it is placed. The dentist measures this during surgery. If the implant is not firm enough, a temporary is not attached to it, and the implant is left to heal undisturbed. Our dental implant cost guide covers the wider steps and typical costs.
What the research shows
A Cochrane review by Esposito and colleagues (2013), pooling randomised trials, found no convincing evidence of a clinically important difference in implant or prosthesis failure over the first year between implants loaded immediately and those loaded after a conventional healing period. The authors noted that many trials were small or at risk of bias, and the patients in them were carefully selected.
For single teeth in the visible front part of the upper jaw (from premolar to premolar), a 2023 systematic review by Wittneben and colleagues (Clinical Oral Implants Research) looked at implants placed into fresh sockets and loaded straight away. Survival of the implants was about 99% at one year, 97.5% at three years and 95.8% at five years. The authors described the approach as predictable for suitable cases.
Those figures apply to people who met the selection criteria for the studies. They are not a promise for any individual implant.
How the two timelines differ
| Conventional timing | Same-day approach | |
|---|---|---|
| Implant placement | Often after the socket has healed | At the same visit as the extraction |
| In the meantime | A removable plate or other temporary option | A temporary crown fixed to the implant, if it is stable enough |
| Healing before the final crown | Several months | Still several months |
| Eating while healing | Usual care around the site | Soft foods, and keeping the temporary out of heavy biting |
| Who it suits | Most people who can have implants | A narrower group with good bone, healthy gums and a firm implant on the day |
Who tends to be suitable
The best candidates generally have enough healthy bone around the tooth being replaced, no active infection or gum disease at the site, and good general health. Smoking, diabetes that is not well controlled, significant bone loss and heavy grinding can all make it harder for an implant to settle in, and they may mean a staged approach is safer. Our article on who is a candidate for dental implants covers these factors in more detail.
If the bone is thin or part of the socket wall is missing, bone grafting may be needed, and in many of these cases a staged approach, with the implant placed after the site has healed, is the safer choice. A 3D X-ray before surgery helps show this in advance.
Living with the temporary tooth
A same-day temporary is mainly there for appearance and comfort. You will usually be asked to stick to softer foods for a while, avoid biting directly on the temporary, and keep the area very clean as your dentist directs. Over the following months the implant bonds with the bone. Once healing has been checked, the temporary is replaced with the final crown, often made from a digital scan.
The real trade-off is this: you avoid a visible gap from day one, and in return you take extra care with eating during healing. Your dentist can help you weigh this up for your own tooth.
Questions about same-day implants
Will I definitely leave with a tooth?
Not definitely. It depends on how firm the implant is once it is placed. If it is not stable enough, the dentist will usually let it heal without a crown attached and give you a different temporary option, which protects the long-term result.
Is a same-day implant less reliable than a standard one?
In suitable patients, the research suggests failure rates are similar, although many of the trials were small. The difference is that the same-day approach has stricter conditions before it can go ahead.
Is it more painful?
Not usually. The procedure is done under local anaesthetic, and combining the extraction and placement can mean one surgical visit instead of two. IV sedation is available at Lumi for implant surgery if you are anxious, and our IV sedation page explains how it works.
Can a back tooth be replaced the same day?
Sometimes, but molars have larger sockets with several roots, which can make it harder to get the implant firm on the day. Your dentist will advise based on the scan and the tooth involved.
Exploring your options
Dental implants are placed at Lumi, and a free implant consult is a good place to start if you are missing a tooth or facing an extraction. You can find details on our offers page and book at our Melrose Park practice, or compare implants with bridges and dentures in our missing tooth guide.
