Dental Implant Temporary Tooth
A dental implant is a tooth restoration that looks and functions just like a natural tooth. It starts with a tiny titanium post surgically placed in your jawbone with an artificial dental crown on top to replace the missing tooth. The dental crown is designed to match your natural teeth perfectly.
A frequent concern for those considering a dental implant is that they will be left with a gap during the dental implant process. This can be a valid concern if you are missing a front tooth. Fortunately, there are a few different options to address this during implant the healing process.
The Dental Implant Procedure
The process of placing a dental implant takes several steps, and usually requires several procedures. During your first procedure, your dentist surgically drills a small hole into your jawbone where the tooth is missing. Next, they insert the tiny titanium post, and suture it closed allowing it to heal. There is a period now where you wait for the area to heal before continuing the second procedure. During this procedure, your dentist fits an abutment or extension onto the implant post, and then attaches the crown to the abutment. Once the crown is attached, you get to enjoy your new dental implant that looks exactly like a natural tooth. Here is a summary of the steps:
* Assessment- A thorough examination must be done to evaluate the jawbone integrity to see if a dental implant is suitable. Sometimes, bone grafting may need to be added before an implant can be placed.
* The implant surgery- The titanium post is surgically placed into your jawbone.
* Healing time- This step is particularly important and will take several months. The jawbone and post must bond or fuse together for it to function like an artificial root.
* Placing the abutment- After successful healing, the post is exposed, the abutment can be placed. The abutment is necessary to attach the titanium post to the dental crown.
* Placement of the dental crown- The last step is attaching the dental crown to the abutment.
Why is the Healing Time so Long?
It is important for the success of the implant to allow enough time for the jawbone to grow and fuse around the post. It must be secure and stable in the jawbone to withstand the forces of biting and chewing and have long-term success. The exact time it takes to heal can vary from patient to patient.
Temporary Tooth-Replacement Options
You may want to know your options for a temporary tooth during these procedures, while you wait to receive your final dental implant. If the tooth being replaced is in the back of your mouth, it is not as much of a concern as it cannot be seen. If the restoration is located at the front of your mouth, you may choose to use a temporary tooth to fill the gap. There are several options available. You can choose a dental flipper, which is like a temporary denture that has a false tooth attached. A second option is a retainer to cover your teeth that will hide the gap. The best solution is to speak with your dentist about which option is best for your personal situation, but there are still more options available, such as a temporary crown. In this situation a temporary crown is placed on a base and your dentist will give you specific instructions about what to eat or drink until the permanent implant is placed.
* Flipper denture- Also called an acrylic removable partial denture. It looks much like a retainer but has an artificial tooth attached that will fill the gap.
* Essix retainer- A transparent plastic retainer that fits comfortable over the top of your natural teeth and has an artificial tooth filling the space.
* Temporary bridge- This is most often made from acrylic. It uses the two adjacent teeth to bridge the space with an artificial tooth suspended in-between.
* Immediate temporary crown- Sometimes an immediate temporary crown can be placed on the day of or immediately after the placement of the dental implant. This option is not available for everyone.
Each temporary tooth option comes with some different benefits and disadvantages as well as costs. If your missing tooth is in the back of your mouth, you could easily decide that a temporary replacement is not necessary. If you are moving from a denture to a dental implant, your current denture can be worn during the healing process. You will want to discuss your options with your dentist to produce a treatment plan that is best for you and your lifestyle.