Here at Fairbanks Periodontal Associates, we use a crown and implant to replace a missing tooth. Our qualified professionals use specialized tools and techniques to replace a lost tooth along with its roots. Single tooth replacement comes with an array of advantages over the placement of a bridge.Advantages
Besides functioning like a natural tooth and improving overall appearance, a dental implant can replace a tooth without impacting the health of the adjacent teeth. A single dental implant doesn’t work like other dental treatments such as bridges, where dental professionals have to grind the adjacent teeth to support the cemented bridge. Instead, a dental implant preserves the bone by replacing the roots of the diseased tooth. With a bridge, bones that previously surrounded the infected tooth are likely to start to deteriorate. In contrast, dental implants can integrate with the jawbone to help keep the bone intact and healthy even after the surgery.
Cleaning a single tooth implant can be easier and more aesthetic than a bridge in the long-term. Bridges also leave a visible defect when the collar of the bridge or the metal base becomes exposed, making gums recede around the bridge. Allowing bones to resorb beneath the bridge can result in an unattractive smile, and the chances are that the cement holding the bridge will get washed out, causing the teeth that anchor the bridge to decay.
How Our Dental Professionals Place the Implant
Our oral surgeons and dentists first place the implant, which looks like a cylinder or screw, onto the jaw. Then the bone and implant will be allowed to bond over the next two to six months to form an anchor for the placed tooth. Our qualified professionals can recommend wearing a temporary tooth replacement option over the implant site during this time. However, the second step of the dental implant procedure is necessary for attaching an extension and uncovering the implant.
Our qualified and skilled dental professionals will use this temporary healing cap to lay the foundation on which the implants will be placed. It will, however, take a couple of weeks for the gum to heal after the procedure. However, some implant procedures don’t require the placement of this temporary healing cap. Others come with implants with a piece of extension already attached to them. Our clinic will advise you on which dental implant system works best for you.
Our qualified dental professionals will then create a crown, which is a replacement tooth, and attach it to the metal post or abutment. It doesn’t take long before our patients gain restored confidence in the ability to speak and chew and smile. Dental implants feel and look natural, and our patients may even forget they ever lost a tooth. Every patient has a unique case, and our dental professionals will combine some of these procedures when your condition permits.
Our dentists and oral surgeons will work with you to determine the best oral treatment option for you. For more information about a single tooth implant or even a multiple tooth implant, contact us at Fairbanks Periodontal Associates at (907) 455-7100 today!