Single Tooth Replacement
Immediate Implants
When both the tooth and root are damaged, the best permanent replacement is a dental implant in conjunction with a ceramic crown. This solution both looks and functions just like a natural tooth. It also preserves bone in the compromised area and helps maintain the surrounding dentition.
In many cases an immediate implant can be placed the same day your tooth is extracted. When indicated, this procedure can greatly decrease the amount of time needed before a final restoration is placed. Bend Oral Surgery works with both you and your general dentist to achieve a wonderful cosmetic result that you can be proud of.
Immediate Implants:
- Excellent esthetic result
- Life long, stable solution
- Functioning teeth that do not decay or break
- Preserve surrounding bone
Immediate Implants: Installing the New Tooth Step by Step
The course of treatment described here is one of several options available. Consult your dentist to find out what the best solution is for you, given your specific condition.
- Before the procedure: The dentist makes a first examination and takes one or more x-rays of the area to prepare for the procedure.
- Installing the implant: The implant is installed. At this time, a temporary tooth is provided that allows you eat and function like normal almost immediately. The implant will need a few months to integrate with the jawbone before the next step is taken.
- Attaching the new crown: The final step is the placement of the permanent ceramic tooth. The new tooth is installed for life. No additional treatment is needed.
- End result: You should expect the new tooth to fit and function just like a natural tooth. Do your usual dental hygiene to keep the tooth and gum around it clean and healthy.
Alternatives to an All-Ceramic Crown On Implant
While all-ceramic crowns offer excellent aesthetics for single tooth replacement, alternatives may be considered in cases of high bite force, teeth grinding, limited space, or budget constraints.
A traditional bridge involves grinding down adjacent teeth to support the bridge. It is a stable solution with good esthetics and function that is fairly easy to install. However, this alternative has two main disadvantages: continuous bone resorbtion in the edentulous area, and sacrificing healthy teeth on behalf of the bridge.
This is not a permanent alternative to a lost tooth. It is unstable and loosely attached, which affects both function and comfort. A removable partial denture is made of plastic – a material that can’t create the same esthetic result as a ceramic crown. The benefits are few but do exist: adjacent teeth aren’t affected. It is easily and quickly installed and relatively cheap.
This alternative has some clear advantages: it is quickly installed, functions well and, since it is made of ceramic, it gives a high esthetic result. Moreover, natural healthy teeth aren’t affected. But it is not very permanent. The resin-bonded bridge will eventually come off – probably after just a couple of years – and will then have to be reinstalled.
Get In Touch With Us!
This procedure normally includes four visits to the dentist. You should expect to be able to work the day after having the implant installed.
Single tooth replacement with a dental implant involves placing a titanium post into the jawbone at the site of a missing tooth, allowing it to fuse with the bone, and then attaching a custom-made crown that matches the color, shape, and size of your surrounding natural teeth. Unlike a traditional dental bridge, a single implant does not require altering or grinding down the adjacent healthy teeth that would otherwise serve as anchors. Learn more: https://bendoralsurgery.com/dental-implants/single-tooth-replacement/
A dental implant is the most tooth-like replacement available because it addresses both the visible crown and the underlying root. A bridge, by contrast, spans the gap by permanently modifying the healthy neighboring teeth, which can weaken them over time and still does not prevent the bone loss that occurs beneath the empty space. An implant preserves bone volume, maintains the natural spacing of surrounding teeth, and does not compromise adjacent structures in any way.
The timeline varies based on individual healing, bone density, and whether preparatory procedures such as bone grafting are needed. In general, the implant is placed and allowed to integrate with the bone over several months before the final crown is attached. In cases where guided surgical techniques are used, the process may be completed more efficiently. Dr. DeLisi will outline a specific timeline during your consultation based on advanced imaging results and your overall oral health.
