Single-tooth implants are normally applied to patients who have lost a tooth or two. An implant is inserted using a surgical procedure into a space created in the bone socket of your mouth by your dentist. Once the implant and your bone socket have merged, it becomes a new base or “root” to hold the crown that will stand in place of your lost tooth. A crown which shares the same physical appearance as an original tooth is fixed to the implant and completes the gap created in the mouth as a result of the lost tooth.
For this surgical operation to be a success, there has to be a sufficient amount of bone present in the jaw —the bone must be tough to be able to keep the implant in a firm and steady position. If the number of bone is not sufficient, you might need to undergo a surgical process known as bone grafting. Meanwhile, the original teeth and assisting tissues around where the implant will be positioned must remain in an excellent working condition.
A tooth replaced with an implant is made up of various parts.
The period undertaken to ensure the total completion of the implant and crown rests on various aspects. When the unconventional process of installing an implant is applied, it takes about five months to finalise the installation of an implant in the jaw at the bottom and about six months to do the same in the jawbone at the top which is the fastest period possible —this is together with the surgical operations and fixing the permanent crown. Meanwhile, the procedure can be carried out for more than a year, especially if the bone has to be allowed to solidify before anything else.
Whereas in another method, implants are installed together at the exact moment with the healing caps. In a situation where the dentist is making use of mini implants, he will make sure the mini implants are installed together with the crown, bridge or denture during a particular course of treatment.
When using the unconventional process, two operations are needed, with the second operation happening within 3 – 6 months after the first. In the course of the first operation, the dentist will make a small cut in the gum for the implant to be installed. After which the implant is inserted into a hole bored in the jawbone, and the cut is sewn back on.
After complete healing, the second operation resumes. This operation is done by making a fresh cut in the gum to reveal the implant. A collar also is known as a healing cap, and it is attached to the upper part of the implant using a screw — this aids in the healing process of the gum tissue located around the implant. The collar is then extracted after a couple of weeks after which the abutment is attached to the implant using a screw to hold the crown in a steady position.
In some occasions, a one-stage operation is conducted for implants —this operation involves fixing the implants, abutments and a temporary crown or bridge together in a single appointment.
Endeavour to get in touch with The Harley Street Dentist today to get recommendation on the most effective treatment for your missing tooth to help you smile again with confidence. Give us a call on 02071830903 to book an appointment.
Before commencing any treatment procedure, the first thing is to schedule an appointment with a prosthodontist or a dentist who is qualified in the installation and revival of implants. In this case, a thorough inspection will be carried out by your dentist; during this process, your medical and dental history will be evaluated —X-rays conducted and a well-defined measurement of your mouth and teeth are taken to build models.
Sometimes, the dentist may request for a complete computed tomography (CT) scan of your mouth. This scan aids your dentist know the number of jawbones left to support the implants. It also goes further to reveal the position of structures like the nerves and sinuses, which is found at the top of your mouth, to avoid being tampered with, in the course of the operation.
If the X-ray results reveal that there are no sufficient bones in your jaw to support an implant, alternative ways of restoring the bone; like bone grafting or bone distraction will be passed across to you by your dentist. Bone grafting is the process of obtaining a bone from a different location which could come from any part of your body and attach it to your jaw —other sources may include treated cadaver, cow or pig bone or a synthetic material like hydroxyapatite or calcium phosphate. Bone distraction, on the other hand, involves carrying out surgery on a particular location requiring additional bone. It results in the generation of extra bones in the body by gradually expanding the present bone with pins and screws.
If you need any of these operations, it will require a period of within 4 – 12 months for the bone to heal completely before installing an implant.
It becomes mandatory to book an appointment to undergo the first surgical operation immediately you possess sufficient amount of bones to support an implant. The procedure is carried out by installing the implant in your jaw carried out by a periodontist, oral surgeon or general dentist with the right qualification. This procedure is further conducted with the help of a plastic surgical guide created by your prosthodontist or general dentist in which the guide stays across the entire region of your available and lost teeth to reveal the exact positions to accommodate the implants.
The most common type is a root-form implant that is made to function as the base of the tooth, which is inserted between the gap formed by the lost tooth in the jawbone.
At the end of the first operation, the dentist will allow the implants to merge with the bone for a period of 4 – 5 months if installed in the jaw at the bottom, and a period of 6 – 7 months if installed at the jawbone at the roof of your mouth.
You can eventually book a second surgical operation after the implants must have joined properly to your jawbone. Before commencing the second operation, your dentist will carry out an X-ray scan to check if the implant is okay. Usually, the second operation is more straightforward compared to the first —the dentist makes a fresh cut to reveal the top of the implants.
A collar also is known as a healing cap —is inserted on the top of the implant that has been revealed to ensure that the tissue surrounding the gum heals appropriately. The collar is a metallic material of round shape that secures the gum tissue from the top of the implant, staying in position for a period of 10 – 14 days. If you once possess a detachable partial denture, you may need to get your dentist to take a look at it so it could be worn within this period.
The tissue surrounding the collar is extracted, and an abutment is attached to the implant using a screw, after which a corresponding measurement of the abutment for every tooth is taken.
An abutment and crown to be worn temporarily are installed on the implant. The abutment is attached to the implant using a screw to ensure that it stays firm. After which, the crown to be worn for the meantime is inserted on top of the abutment. Sometimes, the abutment and crown are provided after covering on the implants must have been removed in the course of the second operation, in which a healing cap will not be necessary.
The crown worn temporarily will be allowed to stay for a period of 4 – 6weeks for the surrounding gums to merge properly taking the same resemblance as the surrounding gums of your natural teeth. Usually, the crown worn permanently is harder compared to the temporary crown —this is because the soft material present in the temporary crown aids in securing the implant from any force exerted on it from chewing, thereby strengthening the jawbone.
A crown to be worn permanently will be constructed for you during the period you are still with your temporary crown. Creating the permanent crown may last for a period of about 2 – 3weeks or maybe lesser, taking a sample measurement of your teeth and surrounding gum tissue together with your abutment.
Note that the crown can be attached to the abutment using a screw or by glueing both together.
In most cases, glueing crowns to an abutment might give a preferable appearance because you do not see a bored hole in the crown and it is usually less complicated for your dentist to detach your crowns to gain access to the implant or surrounding gum tissue when joined using a screw.
How you maintain your implants is no different from the way, you retain your natural teeth. Therefore you should endeavour to brush twice daily and floss regularly. Whenever you encounter issues with your implants, make sure you visit your dentist on time.
An X-ray reveals a photographic image of the implant inserted into the bone, the abutment and the crown. It provides your dentist with an opportunity to see the correct combination of the implant, abutment and crown to prevent any issues.
Together with the various risks associated with undergoing a surgical operation, an implant can also stop functioning. A situation where an implant stops functioning can happen if it becomes infected, which does not occur often, or an instance where the way your teeth clasp on each other is not correctly aligned. Furthermore, grinding your teeth can as well exert too much force on the implant, damaging the bone and the implant.
Also know that in a case of putting implants in exchange for your lower teeth, a nerve passed into the jawbone will in some instances be wounded when a hole is made in the bone in an attempt to install the implant, this may result to numbness or tingling of the downside of the lip and chin or a side of the tongue — the numbness may not last during the healing of the nerve, or it can last for a very long time. In many situations, it is not typical for the nerve to get wounded that is why your dentist carries out X-rays, and computed tomography (CT) scans to find the nerve and reduce any risk of damaging it.
Whereas in the jaw at the top of the mouth, there is a chance of injuring one of your sinuses or nasal cavity while making a hole pass through the bone in your jaw, which may result in an infection to prevent this, an X-ray scan is conducted before commencing any surgical procedure to find out the position of your nerves and sinuses.
Single-tooth implants take the same physical appearance and functions like your natural teeth. In some cases, it takes a tremendous amount of work to ensure that the implant resembles your natural teeth — sometimes your implant will not be positioned in a straight manner but instead on an angle inside the bone due to the number of bones available and that which is required to hold the implant correctly.
Usually, a crown can be constructed to occupy a larger width and research has revealed that the lifespan of an implant takes about 25 years.
In as much as surgeries are carried out to install dental implants records success stories, there are still specific steps required to make sure your implant stays for an extended period.
How long your implants will stay is determined by how well you take good care of them. Make sure you see your dentist whenever you encounter any problems with your implants. You can contact The Harley Street Dentist in Harley Street, London to inspect your implant. Or you can place a call to us on 02071830903 to book an appointment.
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