Every month the gap sits empty is a month you were going to wait anyway.
The healing time is fixed. What is not fixed is when you start it. That is the entire argument for placing at the time of extraction, and it is why we do it whenever the site allows.
Which one is your situation
One tooth, a few in a row, or a whole arch
These get talked about together because all three involve implants. In practice the timelines fall into two groups — a single implant and a bridge both wait for integration, a full arch usually doesn't — and confusing them is where most disappointment comes from.
The honest part
What we can't promise you
We cannot guarantee a fresh extraction site will take an implant
Until the tooth is actually out, nobody knows for certain what the socket looks like underneath. Infection, a wall of bone that turns out to be thinner than the scan suggested, or a socket that simply will not give the implant the stability it needs — any of these can mean the implant should not go in that day.
When that happens, the more predictable and potentially healthier answer is to graft the site, let it heal, and place the implant later. It adds months. It is still the right answer, because an implant placed into a site that cannot hold it is not a shortcut, it is a failure scheduled for later.
So: we are typically able to place at the time of extraction, and that is what we plan for. We will not promise it before we can see the site. Anyone who does is more likely overly optimistic.
Who does the surgery
Sometimes Dr. Carr, sometimes a surgeon we work with
It depends on the case and the patient
Dr. Carr performs many implant cases start to finish here. On some others he coordinates with a surgeon — because the anatomy calls for it, because the case is overly complex, or because it simply may increase the odds of a better outcome for that patient.
Either way the planning and the final restoration stay here, so the crown or the bridge is designed by the same person responsible for how the rest of your smile looks. What we will not do is send you away and lose track of you, or keep a case in-house that would go better somewhere else.
Our goal is to customise the treatment when it needs customising, and get to an end result that makes everyone happy and healthy.
Getting started
How the first visit works
01
Imaging and planning
A 3D scan shows the bone volume, the nerve position and the sinus. That determines whether same-day placement is realistic, whether grafting is likely, and what the whole thing will cost — in writing, before anything is scheduled.
02
Surgery day
Extraction if the tooth is still there, then placement if the site cooperates. Grafting material where it is needed. You will know the plan and the fallback before you sit down.
03
Restoration
Three to four months later for a single implant or a bridge, or the same and next day for a loaded arch. This is where the aesthetic work happens, and it is done here.
Questions
Before you book
Why do I have to wait three to four months for one tooth or a bridge, but not for a full arch?
A single implant, and a bridge on two implants, each has to carry chewing force largely on its own, so it needs the bone to grow onto it before it can take a crown or bridge. The immediate-loading exception is specific to four or more implants splinted across a full arch, which spreads the load across all of them and stabilises each one. Different physics, different timeline.
Does it hurt?
Many of our patients tell us implant placement was easier than they expected — and some say it was easier than the extraction. It is done numb, and sedation options are available if the thought of it is what has kept you away.
Am I too old, or is my bone too thin?
Age on its own is rarely the barrier. Bone volume can be, and that is what the 3D scan is for. Thin bone often means grafting first rather than no implant at all.
How long do implants last?
Implants themselves commonly last decades. The crown or bridge on top is a normal restoration and may need replacing over that span. What threatens an implant most is gum disease around it and uncontrolled grinding, which is why the cleaning schedule and a night guard matter afterward.
Does it matter if I'm on osteoporosis medication?
It can. Certain osteoporosis medications — bisphosphonates and similar drugs — are linked to slower jaw healing, and that risk tends to rise the longer someone has been on them. If you're taking one, or your doctor is about to start you on one, tell us at your first visit. Depending on the specific medication and how long you've been on it, sooner can be a meaningfully easier path than waiting years. We coordinate with your prescribing doctor before finalizing anything.
Does insurance cover implants?
Coverage varies a great deal and is often partial at best. Some plans treat implants as a covered restorative service, others exclude them outright. We check your specific plan and give you the real number before anything is scheduled.
Where exactly are you?
2072 E Southern Ave, A103, Tempe, AZ 85282. This building has three dental offices total — A101, A102, and us at A103 — so double-check the suite number if you're using GPS.
Implant learning center
Guides we're building out next
Narrower questions, each getting its own real answer rather than a paragraph. Nothing below is live yet.
What's inside an implant — post, abutment, crown, explained Planned
My tooth has been missing for years — can I still get an implant? Planned
Do I need a bone graft before an implant? Planned
Can I walk out with temporary teeth the same day? Planned
For general information beyond what's here: MouthHealthy.org (American Dental Association), and the Arizona State Board of Dental Examiners, where you can verify any dentist's license.
Book
If a tooth is coming out, ask about this first.
The decision about placing an implant is best made before the extraction, not after.
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