Let’s deal with the most common misconception about dental implants…
Implants are wonderful, yes, but they work a little differently than you may think. For some patients, only one tooth is missing, either congenitally or due to a trauma. In this case, if the bone is strong and healthy, and there is enough of it, one single implant can be placed. Once the bone fully heals to that implant, a crown can be placed on the implant to give the appearance and function of a natural tooth.
For some patients, several teeth may be missing in a row. Instead of a nice tidy row of little implants, side-by-side to replace several missing teeth, the implants are placed strategically in the bone to anchor a restoration. A bridge of several teeth can be made to look and function like natural teeth, and this bridge is anchored, or attached, to the fully healed implants. The bridge is fixed in place, and careful home care will include brushing and flossing, as well as professional hygiene appointments every 4 to 6 months for maintenance.
Or for a patient with few or no healthy natural teeth, a denture is fabricated to look and feel like natural teeth, but instead of the denture coming out to be cleaned or while sleeping, this type of denture is fixed in place. There is maintenance to do at home, such as brushing twice a day, and you’ll still want to see your hygienist every 4 to 6 months for maintenance. These fixed appliance are much more comfortable for eating than removable appliances such as a partial or traditional denture.
If you are missing teeth, let us discuss your best, and most comfortable long-term options.
