Same here—honestly, I get so anxious about complications that I usually lean toward waiting. Last time, I waited a few months after extraction and noticed less swelling than some immediate cases I’ve seen. It felt more predictable, but the downside was dealing with the flipper for longer... not the most comfortable thing, but at least I wasn’t stressing about implant failure.The risk of rushing the implant always made me pause.
I totally get what you mean about the flipper being annoying—mine never fit quite right, and eating was a pain. Still, I was way more comfortable waiting than stressing over healing with an implant already in. I’ve heard some people swear by immediate placement for convenience, but I just can’t imagine dealing with that extra swelling and risk of infection.
Did your dentist mention any bone loss concerns while you were waiting? Mine brought it up, but honestly, I’d rather have a bit of extra healing time than rush things and regret it later. Curious if anyone’s had issues with the bone shrinking too much during the wait...
Curious if anyone’s had issues with the bone shrinking too much during the wait...
Yeah, my dentist mentioned bone loss too, but honestly, waiting worked out fine for me. I was worried about extra costs if I needed a bone graft, but it didn’t end up being a problem. Did your insurance cover the flipper at all? Mine barely chipped in and that thing was not cheap for what it was.
I’ve seen some patients have noticeable bone loss if there’s a long delay, but honestly, it varies a lot person to person. I had one guy wait almost a year and he barely needed any grafting, while others needed a bit more after just a few months. Insurance and flippers are always tricky—sometimes it feels like they cover the bare minimum and call it a day.
I’ve seen some patients have noticeable bone loss if there’s a long delay, but honestly, it varies a lot person to person.
That’s interesting, because I’ve actually read a bit about “immediate” vs. “delayed” implants and the data seems a little all over the place. From what I understand, immediate placement can be great for preserving bone, but it’s not always possible if there’s infection or other complications. On the flip side, waiting sometimes lets things heal more predictably, even though there’s that risk of bone loss.
I waited about six months after my extraction before getting the implant. My oral surgeon was pretty adamant about letting everything settle, partly because my extraction was messy. I did lose a little bone, but nothing major—didn’t need grafting. I kind of liked having the extra time to save up for the out-of-pocket costs, since, like you said,
Insurance and flippers are always tricky—sometimes it feels like they cover the bare minimum and call it a day.
If you’re a techie like me and tend to research everything, it’s almost frustrating how much seems to depend on luck and individual healing. There’s no “one-size-fits-all” answer, which honestly makes the whole process feel like a bit of a gamble.