Single Tooth Replacement with Dental Implants
The loss of a single tooth is often thought to be no big deal, especially if the tooth is lost at the back of the mouth, out of view when you smile. However, even losing a single tooth can significantly impact your entire life. Replacing even one missing tooth is essential. ROOT™ Periodontal and Implant Center can help with single tooth replacement with dental implants.
What is a Dental Implant?
Traditionally, a single tooth is replaced using a dental bridge. The most common type of bridge is a fixed bridge, a restoration that consists of a false tooth with two dental crowns. The crowns, one on each side of the false tooth, anchor the restoration into place on the adjacent teeth.
Today, we provide an alternative to a traditional bridge with a single tooth dental implant. An implant is a small titanium post that is surgically placed into your jawbone to support your replacement tooth or crown. Your jawbone fuses to the post as you heal, a natural process called osseointegration. This process turns the post from simply a post into a strong, stable replacement root that secures your dental crown firmly in place. A single tooth implant can replace just one missing tooth, or it can be used to replace multiple individual teeth, whether they are near one another or they are in separate areas of your mouth.
Getting Your Single Tooth Implant
To get a single tooth dental implant, you need to undergo surgery. Surgery is performed under local anesthetic and sedation. The local anesthetic ensures that you do not feel any pain during your procedure while sedation enables you to feel calm, comfortable, and relaxed.
Surgery begins with a small incision in your gums, which provides us with the necessary access to your jawbone. Next, a special drill is used to drill a small hole into your jawbone. The titanium post is placed directly inside of the hole. Your gums are sutured closed, and a temporary crown is placed.
Healing from surgery can take several weeks to complete. Follow up visits are integral for monitoring your healing and ensuring that your jawbone is fusing to your implant post properly. We are also able to make certain that you are not at risk for developing, or that you have not developed any complications. Once you have fully healed, we begin the process of placing your final crown. This process generally takes two appointments. During the first appointment, the temporary tooth is removed and an abutment, or connector, is placed. We then take an impression of your mouth. The impression is sent to a dental lab, where a technician uses this impression to design and fabricate your final crown. Once the crown is ready, which can take up to two weeks to complete, the crown is checked for fit, bite, and a natural appearance, and is screwed into place on the post.
Benefits of a Single Tooth Implant
A single tooth provides multiple benefits.
| • | Your smile is perfectly restored. The ceramic crown perfectly mimics your natural teeth. |
| • | The implant feels and functions just like a real tooth. |
| • | Your restoration is much more comfortable. The crown is supported by your implant post, rather than your adjacent teeth. |
| • | The post restores the stimulation to your jawbone, which helps to stop and prevent bone loss in your jaw. This helps to keep your jaw strong and healthy, while also maintaining the shape of your jaw and face. |
Replacing even a single missing tooth is essential. For more information, and to find out if a dental implant is a right solution for you, call ROOT™ Periodontal and Implant Center at Carrollton: (972) 662-8660 or Flower Mound: (469) 444-1515 or Denton: (940) 566-7021 today.
