Implant Dentistry - Single Tooth

In the "old days" of dental care, if you were to lose one tooth, your choices of replacement  were quite limited.  Now, with the possibilities available using implant therapy, your missing tooth can be replaced without having to deal with extra, bulky hardware in your mouth, as well as not having to have any other teeth modified or crowned.

Your single missing tooth can be replaced by these two methods that involve minimal reduction of your tooth enamel

The resin retained bridge, or "Maryland Bridge" is somewhat weak, and still requires some of your tooth structure to be removed

A partial denture, while a useful dental appliance for the replacement of many teeth, is extremely bulky just for the replacement of one tooth.

Another way to replace your single tooth is with the conventional fixed bridge, in which about 1 to 2 mm of tooth enamel is removed to prepare for high-strength crowns which will, in turn, anchor your bridge.	The conventional, "crown retained" bridge is currently the most common method used and is, in many cases, still the appropriate approach.	Once your bridge is placed, it looks and functions like your natural teeth.  The decision of whether use this kind of a bridge or an implant involves many factors, all of which can be discussed during your consultation.

Your implant is placed during gentle surgery;  a surgery that most people report is less involved than a tooth extraction.  The implant remains hidden in place for several months.

After the implant has had time to integrate (fuse) with the bone tissue, a second, even smaller, surgery is performed to connect the abutment to your implant.  Shortly thereafter, Dr. Zach makes a crown that fits the implant perfectly.

Your final implant retained crown (or "cap"...caps and crowns are really two terms for the same thing) exists in harmony with the rest of your teeth.  The appearance, feel, and function of your new crown is virtually identical to a natural tooth!

Implant	Implant Crown - Beautiful!
Before - Implant After - Implant  Crown

Implant	Finished Crown

Implant	Crown

Implant	Temporary crown
Final crown

Single Tooth    Front Teeth     Back Teeth   Overdenture   Total Replacement
** Implant dentistry usually involves a professional team including your Prosthodontist, who plans and oversees the entire procedure, and an Oral Surgeon or Periodontist who puts the implant into your jawbone.