Conventional treatment options for tooth replacement, crown & bridge and full or partial dentures, address the short-term cosmetic problem of the missing teeth, but do nothing to stop the bone loss. Crown & bridge also requires that two or more healthy teeth be ground down to serve as abutments (anchors) for a bridge, leaving them at a much greater risk for cavities and endodontic failure. With implants, however, healthy teeth are not compromised. Plus, dental implants, like natural teeth, transmit chewing forces to the jaw, stimulating it and halting the bone loss. This is why many leading dental organizations recognize dental implants as the standard of care for tooth replacement.
An implant may be used to replace almost any missing tooth, provided there is adequate bone at the site. If not, procedures can usually be performed that regenerate bone to safely place an implant. The implant is placed in the bone below the gum tissue. A temporary abutment may be placed on the implant until the healing phase is complete and a cosmetic temporary crown can often be made to fill the missing space.
After healing, the final abutment is attached to the implant. It will hold a custom-made crown that the dental laboratory will mold and match to your existing teeth. In the final step, the custom crown is cemented onto the abutment. The tooth has been replaced without disturbing the healthy teeth next to it and bone loss has been eliminated.
Implants can also be used to replace several teeth, eliminating the need to grind down healthy adjacent teeth to serve as posts for traditional crown & bridge therapy. The implants are placed in the bone below the gum tissue. Like single tooth replacement, temporary abutments may be placed on the implants until the healing phase is complete.
Many social functions involve food and eating.
After healing, the final abutments are attached to the implants. They will hold a custom-made bridge that the dental laboratory will mold and match to your existing teeth. In the final step, the custom bridge is cemented onto the abutments. The teeth have been replaced without disturbing the healthy teeth next to them, and bone loss has been halted.Implants are indicated whenever at least one tooth is missing. If the missing space is not filled, the teeth surrounding the space often drift, and the opposing teeth in the other arch will erupt further into the oral cavity (hypereruption) which can change your bite, lead to possible bone erosion in the area, and even affect your speech.
Implants are designed to replace the root of a missing tooth and can be used to support crowns, bridges, or dentures.
Implant supported dentures have gained popularity in recent years thanks to innovations in techniques and materials used for the procedure.
The root-form implant is the most common type and basically consists of three main components:
