A dentist will exhaust all measures to save a tooth, however sometimes the damage is too severe and a tooth cannot be restored. No matter how the tooth is lost, whether it is from trauma, lack of proper oral care or infection, it should be immediately replaced. The professionals at Integrated Dental by Espire offer several tooth replacement solutions at their dental practice located in Greeley, CO. The two main solutions are a fixed dental bridge or a dental implant supported crown.
Why Choose a Single Dental Implant?
While there are several options available, an implant supported crown is the most natural solution available to replace a tooth with. It will provide more benefits compared to other options. The biggest concern after a tooth goes missing is bone loss. An implant will actually help to prevent this by replacing the missing tooth’s root. A dental bridge will not prevent bone loss. Over time, the underlying bone will begin to slowly atrophy. This bone loss will affect your facial features by altering the shape of your mouth and chin areas as well as cause unwanted wrinkles.
A dental bridge also requires reducing the adjacent teeth to accommodate the bridge. You will essentially be damaging two healthy teeth to replace one tooth. A single dental implant will not affect the structure of the surrounding teeth and will also look and feel more like a natural tooth.
Replacing a Single Tooth
Dr. Brandon Rinker is a dentist with Integrated Dental by Espire in Greeley, CO that offers complete services for dental implants. While having your tooth replaced with a single dental implant is more intricate, it is considered the best option for your oral health and offers better aesthetics.
Dr. Rinker will need to examine your mouth and review your medical history to determine if an implant supported crown is the right solution for you. If you qualify, our helpful staff will get you scheduled for your implant placement procedure.
At your next appointment, Dr. Rinker will surgically place the implant in the jaw bone at the location of the missing tooth. For some patients, the dental crown can be placed immediately. Others may need to wear a temporary crown while the implant heals and fuses with the bone in the jaw. It typically takes about three to six months for the implant to completely integrate with the jaw bone.
The next step is to attach a small piece called an abutment. The purpose of the abutment is to act as the connector part from the implant to the crown. Next, our helpful staff will take impressions of your teeth and a custom dental crown will be made to fit seamlessly in your moth. The last step is to restore the implant with the dental crown.
While the cost of an implant secured dental crown is more initially, the advantages are greater. For patients that qualify, Dr. Rinker will recommend a single dental implant over a fixed dental bridge. To learn more about dental implants, schedule a consultation today at our Greeley, CO dentist office.