Implant Treatments
Replacing Missing Teeth
A dental implant is a titanium screw that is put into the bone in the place of a missing tooth. Once healed, a crown is put onto this implant and it behaves like a natural tooth.
Dental implants are currently the best way in dentistry to restore a missing tooth. Implants are used when a patient wishes to have a tooth replaced or a denture stabilized and the following criteria are met:
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The patient is healthy enough to heal well from the procedure.
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There is enough space in the site in question to place an implant.
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There is enough bone in the site in question to support an implant.
If an implant can be placed, it is more desirable than having a dental bridge as the teeth on either side of the space do not need to be altered (see “The process” for dental bridge) and the end result is the most like a natural tooth.
*If the teeth on either side of a missing tooth could benefit from the crown-like coverage of a dental bridge, then a dental bridge may be a more economical and practical solution to replacing a missing tooth.
The Process
Placing a dental implant is a minor surgical procedure that is done in the dental office. A small incision is made and space is made in the bone to receive the dental implant. After the implant is placed, the area is closed with sutures and the site is left to heal for 3 to 6 months. There is minimal discomfort after the procedure. There is usually only minor short-term, discomfort associated with the healing of a dental implant, if any.
After the healing phase, another appointment is booked to uncover the implant and to place a healing collar on the implant. This allows the gums to form a nice transition from the implant to the crown, just like a natural tooth. This healing phase is about two weeks.
After the gums have healed nicely, an impression is taken for the crown to be made. The crown takes about two weeks to be made by the lab. If the implants are to stabilize dentures, then the denture attachments are placed at this appointment and the dentures are ready to be fitted to the implants.
Once the final crown is completed, the healing collar is removed and the crown is attached to the implant permanently. It is then ready to function just as a natural tooth.
Stabilizing a Denture
Upper dentures cover the palate of the mouth, altering taste and tongue feel in the mouth. Lower dentures are often difficult to use as they are seated in an environment that is constantly in motion. Motions of the tongue and cheeks during talking, laughing, and eating can cause a lower denture to move around – a situation that is often tolerated due to lack of any other option to replace the lower teeth. Dental implants, once healed, can act as an anchor for upper and lower dentures, removing the palatal coverage from upper dentures and making “floppy” lower dentures a thing of the past. A snap-like fastener is placed on the implants and the denture “snaps” into place for a more natural tooth-like function. A person’s existing dentures can often be retrofitted with these snaps to avoid the cost of a whole new denture.
Should You Get a Bridge Or An Implant?
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