What Are Immediate Load and Delayed Load Implants?

Hi, Dr. Anand here from Warragul Dental Care.

If you have a missing tooth and are considering implants, I’m sure you have wondered whether you can get a new tooth placed straight away or if you need to wait first to heal before your implant gets put in. Well, there are 2 options and the best approach will depend on your individual case.

So, let’s talk about immediate load vs. delayed load implants. What’s the difference?

You see, an immediate load implant is when we place the implant and attach a temporary tooth straight away. A delayed load implant is when we place the implant first, let it heal for about three months, and then fit the final tooth.

Now, why would we delay the load?
Well, if we put pressure on a healing implant too soon, it might not integrate properly. That’s why for back teeth, which take a lot of chewing force, we usually prefer a delayed load to make sure the implant is fully healed before it’s put to work.