An immediate flipper goes in on the day of the extraction, when your dentist plans it and the mold is taken before the tooth comes out. Otherwise most people start wearing a flipper after the first one to two weeks of healing, once the socket has closed.
Your dentist decides the timing for your mouth. What we can say is how the gum changes under the plate and what that means for the fit.
| Time | What the gum does | What it means for the flipper |
|---|---|---|
| Day 0 to 3 | Clot forms, swelling peaks | Only an immediate flipper fitted by your dentist, worn as told |
| Week 1 to 2 | Socket closes over | A flipper from a fresh mold seats well, soft food |
| Week 3 to 8 | Gum and bone shrink and flatten | The plate can feel looser, adjustments are free for 30 days |
| Month 3 to 6 | Ridge settles into its long term shape | A reline or a new flipper from a new mold gives the final fit |
A flipper sits on the gum, and the gum over a fresh socket shrinks for months. A plate made in week two is made for a ridge that keeps changing until month four or so. Most people get through that with a couple of adjustments. Some need a second flipper from a new mold once the ridge is stable.
Here the first 30 days of adjustments are included, and a second flipper from the saved model is 30 percent off with Mold Once. See the remake policy for what counts as a remake.
If you want the flipper ready for the day of the extraction, take the mold before the appointment, while the tooth is still in, and tell us which tooth is coming out. Our technicians remove it on the model and set the replacement. Clear this plan with your dentist first.
If the tooth is already out, wait until the socket has closed, usually one to two weeks, then take the mold. A flipper tooth from $319 reaches you in 6 to 10 business days door to door, 3 to 6 with rush.
Yes, when your dentist plans an immediate flipper and the mold is taken before the extraction. Taken at home, that means molding before the appointment and telling us which tooth is coming out.
Most people start after one to two weeks, once the socket has closed. Your dentist decides for your mouth.
Yes, that is the most common use. A flipper holds the space and the smile for the months between the extraction and the implant crown.
Usually a little. Adjustments are free for 30 days, and a second flipper from the saved model is 30 percent off.
A new plate on a healing socket can rub. Stop wearing it if it hurts in one spot and send a photo, the fix is an adjustment, not a new mold.