We wanted to share an interesting implant case at Creative Smiles with you this week!
A middle-aged gentleman came to see us as he had fractured his upper right central incisor tooth, which happened to be holding in a bridge! He was quite concerned, as he did not want to be going around with no front teeth!
The upper right central incisor tooth ended up being removed due to a large root fracture. Bearing in mind that this was holding on a bridge, the patient was now missing both an upper right central and lateral incisor tooth!
We started off this case by extracting the upper right central incisor tooth, and an immediate temporary acrylic denture was fitted on the same day so that the gentleman would have his two front teeth back as a temporary measure until he was ready for a more permanent solution. This also gave our patient time to make an informed decision and get the best treatment to suit his individual needs.
The permanent choices for this patient were as follows:
- To have an accurately fitted titanium denture to replace all upper missing teeth.
- Placement and restoration of two dental implants to replace the upper right central and lateral incisor teeth.
Our patient decided to go with Option 2. We carried out implant surgery on both the two missing anterior teeth and also on the two missing pre-molar teeth that he had lost some time ago. The patient’s treatment has been very successful!
Advantages of Dental Implants Over Dentures or a Bridge:
Every way you look at it, dental implants are a better solution to the problem of missing teeth.
- Aesthetic: Dental implants look and feel like your own teeth! Since dental implants integrate into the structure of your bone, they prevent the bone loss and gum recession that often accompany bridgework and dentures. No one will ever know that you have a replacement tooth!
- Tooth Saving: Dental implants don’t sacrifice the quality of your adjacent teeth like a bridge does because neighbouring teeth are not altered to support the implant. More of your teeth are left untouched, which is a significant long-term benefit to your oral health!
- Confidence: Dental implants will allow you to speak once again and eat with comfort and confidence! They are secure and offer freedom from the clicks and wobbles of dentures. You can once again smile with confidence!
- Reliable: The success rate of dental implants is highly predictable. They are considered an excellent option for tooth replacement.