Single Dental Implants

The implant, which is made of titanium, is placed in the upper or lower jawbone.

The abutment (supporting the lateral pressure of an arch), made of titanium, is attached to the implant with a screw. This part connects the implant to the crown. It is shaped like a natural tooth that has been cut down to receive a crown.

The restoration (the part that looks like a tooth) is a crown. It usually is made of porcelain fused to a metal alloy (PFM). It also can be all metal, all porcelain or zirconium. The crown is screwed or cemented onto the abutment. If the crown is screwed to the abutment, the screw hole will be covered with restorative material such as tooth-coloured filling material (composite)

Advantages of single implants over removable partial dentures or conventional bridges are:

• Aesthetically superior
• Maintenance of jawbone integrity
• Preservation of healthy adjacent teeth
• Healthy gum tissue without pressure sores or irritation caused by dentures
• Maintenance of facial profile by preventing bone loss
• Easy maintenance and cleaning
• Much more convenient as there is no fear of clicking sounds or denture slipping while eating or speaking

Your dentist will do a comprehensive examination. During the exam, he or she will review your medical and dental history, take X-rays, and create impressions of your teeth and gums so that models can be made. In some cases, the dentist also may order a computed tomography (CT) scan of your mouth. This scan will help your dentist determine how much jawbone is available to hold the implants in place. It also will show the location of structures such as nerves and sinuses (located above your upper teeth) so they can be avoided during surgery.

If the X-rays show that your jaw does not have enough bone to hold an implant, the dentist can discuss options for building up the bone. These may include bone grafting. Grafting involves taking bone from another source and adding it to your jaw.

A single implant is placed in several steps. An incision is made in the edentulous area (area without teeth) and a titanium screw is placed in the jawbone. The screw is left there to develop a bond with the jawbone (Osseo integration) and complete the healing process (usually 3 to 6 months). The next step is the placement of an extension (abutment) on the implant screw which serves as a foundation for the artificial crown. Finally, the crown is attached to the abutment.

If you need one of these procedures, it will take about 4 to 12 months for the bone to be ready for the implant.

A crown can be made wider to close a space. Studies so far have shown that these implants can last as long as 25 years.