If your dentist offers same day dental implant service along with traditional implants, the choice may sound appealing. But before you decide on either option, here are some questions to ask yourself.

Cost, Time, vs. Reliability: Where Do You Stand?

The biggest thing that will come into play is where you stand in terms of long-term or short-term thinking. Same day implants can certainly be a better choice when you think of short-term rewards. For one, same day dental implants are much less expensive. They require fewer visits to the dentist. On the other hand, traditional implants may cause fewer problems down the road. Their greater reliability is what draws many people to the procedure despite the availability of a same day option.

Do You Have Any Relevant Health Conditions?

There are some health conditions that might pull you towards getting same day implants. For one, if your immune system is compromised, then you might want to opt for the more shallow same day implant procedure. Dental implants in the traditional process require an oral surgery that takes weeks to heal. Although you'll be prescribed antibiotics to help, there is some risk involved if you can't take antibiotics or you have an underlying immune condition.

Another thing that can make dental implants difficult is the need for anesthesia. If you have had problems with anesthesia in the past, your doctor might recommend that you get same day implants to reduce your risk. That procedure only requires local anesthesia.

Your bone health is another factor. Bone grafting may be necessary for dental implants if you have a weak jaw.

How Would You Handle a Dental Implant Failure?

You may want to think about your back-up plan in case a same day implant failed. Since the procedure is very short, the implant doesn't have much time to form a connection with your jaw when it is implanted. Sometimes, that connection never develops. This can make a same day implant vulnerable to being pulled out by the force of chewing or an impact. If that happened, would you be able to afford another type of tooth replacement or would you be in big trouble?

Choosing same day dental implants isn't the no-brainer that it sounds like at first; there are many factors that go into choosing the correct tooth replacement. Your dentist may have more insights into each process for you and be able to walk you through each procedure more thoroughly.