When you lose a single tooth, this could still mean serious trouble for your smile. To replace the lost tooth, we could recommend a dental implant and crown. In today’s blog, your Santa Rosa, CA, oral surgeons will discuss how we plan and guide the placement of an individual replacement option.
The Risks of a Single Missing Tooth
Losing even one tooth is a cause for concern, and a reason to schedule a visit with your oral and maxillofacial surgeons. When you lose one tooth, the gap could allow surrounding teeth to drift from position, causing misalignment and with it, a greater risk of tooth decay and gum disease. The gap in your smile could also complicate eating and speaking, and cause you to feel embarrassed about your appearance. As the jawbone around the lost root loses jawbone mass and density, this could increase the risk of further tooth loss. By replacing your lost tooth, you preserve the balance and appearance of your smile, and also prevent major complications from developing.
Placing Your Dental Implant
A dental implant is a small screw-like device made from titanium, a biocompatible material. When inserted into the jawbone, it bonds with the jawbone and stimulates the growth of mass and density, so your new root can last for decades to come, possibly even a lifetime. We use digital technology to plan and guide the placement of your new root, ensuring optimal positions and allowing your new tooth to last. Once the implant bonds with the jawbone through osseointegration, we move forward with the visible portion of your new tooth. This could take three to six months on average, but for some we could place and restore a new tooth in only one visit.
Creating a Dental Crown
The visible portion of your new tooth is a crown custom-made from strong and lifelike materials, such as ceramic. We color-match it to blend with your smile. The material can also act as a durable chewing surface too. When attached to the implant with an abutment, this provides a complete tooth. If you have multiple missing teeth, then we could also create and attach a bridge or denture to multiple implant posts too. If you have any questions about how we replace missing teeth with a natural-looking dental implant, then contact our team today. We would love to help you start your journey to a complete and full smile this summer!
Do You Have Questions About Single Tooth Replacement?
We want to help you enjoy a complete smile once again with a lifelike and durable prosthetic. To learn more about the implant process, then schedule a consultation by calling Santa Rosa Oral Surgery in Santa Rosa, CA, today at 707-545-4625.