Dental implants in one day: technology that can shorten treatment times

Losing a tooth can change everyday habits almost without you noticing. You may start chewing on the opposite side, avoid harder foods or even alter the way you smile. What starts as a minor inconvenience can gradually become part of daily life.

Many people postpone going to the dentist because they fear a lengthy treatment. They worry about pain, the number of appointments involved or having to spend time without a tooth. However, implant dentistry has advanced considerably in recent years. Digital diagnostics and new crown-manufacturing systems have shortened procedures that once required several visits.

Caring for this type of patient involves more than clinical expertise. For people who visit the dentist outside their home country, it's particularly important to understand the diagnosis, know what each stage of treatment involves, have clear answers about timescales and costs and feel supported throughout the process. For this reason, the group has developed an approach based on multilingual care, advance planning and personalised coordination.

Clínica Dental La Campana, in Nueva Andalucía, has incorporated these technologies into its implant treatments. The clinic uses intraoral scanners, 3D X-rays, guided surgery and CEREC technology. These tools allow the team to assess each case in detail and plan the different stages of treatment before work begins.

Losing a tooth can also affect the teeth that remain. Neighbouring teeth may gradually move into the empty space, while the patient's bite can change. Bone loss can also occur progressively in the area. When several teeth are missing, chewing difficulties are often more noticeable.

Dental implants replace the root of a missing tooth and provide support for a crown or prosthesis. They are made from biocompatible materials and become integrated with the surrounding bone. Once treatment is complete, the patient has a fixed replacement tooth that can be used in much the same way as a natural tooth.

Before placing an implant, the team at Clínica Dental La Campana carries out a comprehensive assessment of the mouth. This includes checking the condition of the gums, bone availability, the patient's bite and the health of the surrounding teeth. The patient's medical history and habits also inform the choice of the most appropriate treatment.

This initial assessment helps determine whether an implant is the right option and which procedure is most suitable. In some cases, only one tooth needs replacing. In others, several teeth or an entire dental arch may need restoring. If the patient has experienced bone loss, a bone graft or sinus lift may be required before treatment can continue.

The clinic uses Straumann implants, produced by the Swiss company that is one of the leading names in the international implant dentistry market. The company has a long history of developing implant solutions and uses materials designed to support implant integration with the surrounding bone.

The phrase ‘dental implants in one day’ can be confusing. For patients who meet the necessary conditions, a dentist may be able to remove a tooth, place the implant and attach a temporary prosthesis during the same appointment. The patient leaves the clinic with fixed teeth, avoiding a visible period without them.

This technique is known as immediate loading. It can replace a single tooth or be used as part of more extensive rehabilitation. To carry it out, there must be sufficient bone, and the implant must achieve good stability when it is placed.

Immediate loading has particularly improved the experience of patients who need full-mouth rehabilitation. Instead of wearing a removable prosthesis while the implant integrates with the bone, some patients can have fixed temporary teeth from the outset.

The way dental crowns are made has also changed. The traditional process involves taking impressions of the mouth, sending them to a laboratory and fitting a temporary crown while the permanent one is being made. This usually means arranging a second appointment several days later.

Clínica Dental La Campana has the CEREC system, which allows certain crowns to be designed, manufactured and fitted during a single appointment.

The dentist starts by taking an intraoral scan. Within minutes, this produces a three-dimensional model of the mouth without the conventional impression materials. The dentist designs the crown using this digital model, carefully adjusting its shape and relationship to the neighbouring teeth.

The clinic then manufactures the restoration from a ceramic block. It is subsequently tested in the mouth, any necessary adjustments are made and it is fitted. When the case characteristics and restoration type allow, the entire process can be completed in one day.

CEREC can be particularly useful for patients with limited time or those who want to avoid multiple appointments. It can also reduce the time spent wearing temporary crowns and allows the final restoration to be accurately adapted to a digital model of the mouth.

Digital technology also forms part of the orthodontic treatments offered by Clínica Dental La Campana. The clinic uses Invisalign, a system of custom-made clear aligners designed to gradually move teeth into position.

Patients can remove the aligners to eat and brush, and their discreet appearance has made them a popular option among adults who want to correct tooth alignment without conventional braces.

Treatment is planned using a digital assessment of the mouth. Patients can see the planned tooth movements and receive an estimated treatment duration before starting. Follow-up appointments monitor progress and provide the next set of aligners.

While technology has shortened some treatment times and made it possible to combine several stages within a single appointment, diagnosis remains key. At Clínica Dental La Campana, each treatment plan is developed after assessing the condition of the patient's mouth and explaining what results they can realistically expect from the outset.

More information:

Address: Calle Quevedo, Nº5, Portal 6, 29660, Nueva Andalucia (Marbella).

Phone: (+34) 951 55 66 44.

Web: https://clinicadentalacampana.com/en/