While many dentists consider dental implants to be a staple of effective tooth replacement services, these restoration options are still relatively unheard of for most patients. If you’re missing one or more teeth, versatile dental implant supported tooth replacement plans may be just what you need. Dental implants are positioned below the gums to replace missing tooth roots and support replacement teeth. For a single lost tooth, this is relatively straightforward. An implant post is placed, and a replacement tooth is fixed to the top of the implant. When it comes to more complex tooth replacement plans, patients have questions. What happens if I have more than one missing tooth? Do I need a dental implant and dental crown for every lost tooth? In this post, we’ll discuss some of the basics of dental implant tooth replacement for patients missing multiple teeth.
How Dental Implants Work
For patients with more than one missing tooth, we will not likely recommend a dental implant post and dental crown to replace every single tooth. This would be costly and require extremely invasive surgical treatment. Instead, we will likely recommend the following:
- To replace two or more consecutive teeth, we’ll create a fixed bridge by fusing together a row of replacement teeth. Then, a dental implant posts will be placed on both ends of the fixed bridge to provide support.
- To replace several consecutive and nonconsecutive teeth, we will create a partial denture. Partials use gum colored base materials to support the replacement teeth, fitting snuggly between remaining teeth. We can usually use two to four implants to support these prosthetics.
- For a complete row of missing teeth, we’ll use four to six dental implant posts to support a full denture. Crafted like partials using a gum colored base material to support a row of teeth, dentures are fitted against the gum line and attached to implant posts, recreating natural form and function.
The Dental Implant Process
Regardless of how many dental implant posts you need, the process will be similar. During the first phase of treatment, we surgical position your implant posts. Then, a protective cap is attached to allow the implant to heal while maintaining space to attach the restoration. It can take three to six months for an implant to fully fuse with soft tissue. When this process is complete, you’ll come back to our office where we’ll design and place a custom tooth replacement prosthetic.
Meet Dr. Carmen
At the Norman dental office of Bobby J. Carmen, DDS, we are happy to offer dental implant supported tooth replacement plans for our patients. Whether you’re missing one tooth or a complete row of teeth, our skilled dentist and caring dentistry team will partner with you to fully restore your smile from the roots up. We look forward to helping you get back your healthy, happy smile. If you’re ready to get started or you want to find out more about your tooth replacement options, contact our caring team to schedule a tooth replacement consultation today. We’ll help you better understand your options and find the best treatment for your unique needs.