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Dental implants have changed, and advanced teeth-replacement procedures have changed. Most people have lost one or more teeth and need a long-lasting and effective replacement option such as dental implants. A single-tooth implant helps replace a missing tooth.
Whether you need to replace one or two, or more teeth or wear dentures, implants can help restore your natural teeth function, look and feel.
Dental implants are titanium screws surgically placed into the jaw bone to replace missing teeth. Implants allow a dentist to fix replacement teeth on them when in place. Your new tooth, a dental crown, will look and feel like your natural teeth.
Some people do not consider dentures and traditional bridges a good option due to the discomfort they cause, lack of tooth support or adequate bone, poor oral hygiene, or gagging.
The traditional dental bridge also needs to attach the adjacent teeth., but with implants, you don’t need to prepare or file down the adjacent teeth to hold the new teeth in place.
You can get implants if you have the following:
A periodontist, oral and maxillofacial surgeon or prosthodontist can perform dental implant surgery. Some general dentists also get additional training to place dental implants. The advanced knowledge needed and other factors make dental implants more expensive than other tooth-replacement options. Many dental insurance providers cover less than 10% of its cost.
Two basic types of dental implants are available.
Most dental implants are surgically placed directly into the jawbone. After the surrounding gum tissues heal, you can have a second surgery to connect a post to the implant and then attach an artificial tooth to the post. This may be a crown, denture or bridge.
They are implants for patients with insufficient healthy bone. The dentist will fit a metal frame onto the jawbone below the gum tissue. As the gums heal, the metal frame fixes to the jawbone. The post attached to the frame will protrude through the gums. Like endosteal dental implants, the dentist will mount the artificial teeth on the posts.
Missing teeth can cause oral health issues or result in self-consciousness when smiling, talking or eating. Dental implants are a good solution for improving your dental health and confidence.
A dental implant permanently replaces a missing tooth. The dentist will surgically place the implant in your jawbone, and when the implant fuses to the jawbone, it serves as the new tooth root. The next step is attaching the crown, also known as a cap, to replace the missing tooth.
Before you can get dental implants, your jawbone must have sufficient strength to support the implant. The nearby teeth and surrounding teeth must be healthy. If the bone to hold the implant isn’t enough, you will have a bone graft.
The dentist will review your medical history and conduct a dental exam. Some medical conditions can prevent getting dental implants. They include severe bleeding disorder, liver disease and diabetes.
A single-tooth implant has the following parts:
This part is made of titanium, shaped like a post or screw, and placed into the jawbone.
It can be gold, porcelain or titanium and attached to the implant, connecting it to the crown.
Made of all-porcelain, all-metal or porcelain fused to metal (PFM). The crown will match other teeth and is attached to the abutment.
An entire single-tooth implant procedure can take severe months. If the dentist confirms your jawbone is not strong enough to hold the implant, the first step will be a bone graft. A bone graft involves taking a bone from another body part or synthetic material to add to the jaw to make it stronger. The jaw may need 4 – 12 months to heal before implant placement.
A dental implant requires oral surgery, usually under local anaesthetic. The surgeon will cut into the gum to expose the hole, then drill holes into the bone to place the meta post. After this procedure, the gap in your mouth will remain, but the dentist can make a temporary solution to close the gap.
The dentist may place a healing cap after the implant fuses with the jawbone. This helps your gum tissue heal properly, usually for about two weeks. After gum tissues heal, the dentist will remove the cap and screw an abutment on the implant. You will get a temporary crown while your gums heal around the abutment.
The dentist will take your final impressions to make your crown which they will screw or cement to the abutment to keep it in place permanently. You can care for your implant tooth like natural teeth with regular flossing and brushing.
The dental implant procedure may vary because each single-tooth implant procedure is unique but may have some of the steps above.
An implant has a slight risk of failing if infection occurs, but this rarely happens or if your bite wasn’t properly adjusted. In addition, grinding or clenching your teeth can put much pressure on the implant. This may result in bone loss and make the implant fail or break. Lack of regular preventive professional care and poor oral hygiene can also cause an implant to fail.
When you replace lower teeth with implants, there is the risk of a nerve injury which may cause tingling or numbness. It may be temporary until the nerves heal or permanent. However, CT scans and X-rays can help the dentist locate the nerves, reducing the risk of an injury.
Sinus problems may result from placing a dental implant in the upper jaw if the implant protrudes into one of the sinus cavities, but this is rare.
While dental implants may not be the fastest or easiest procedure, they help restore your oral health.
You can get your single-tooth implant at McKennell Dental Practice to replace your missing tooth. Visit our dental practice today or call 020 7834 8802 to book a consultation with our dentist.
020 7834 8802