Dental Implants for Multiple Teeth

Nobody ever expects to prematurely lose a tooth, but when it does happen, it can deliver an immediate and devastating blow to your self-esteem. Unfortunately, when a person loses one tooth, it is not uncommon for another tooth to follow closely behind.

Having a missing tooth from your mouth not only leads to unattractive gaps and spaces in your smile, but it can also cause the remaining teeth to start to drift and migrate into the vacant spot. Addressing this space left behind from a lost tooth can not only greatly improve the appearance of your smile, but it can also help prevent further tooth loss.

When you are missing several teeth, we here at Tieken Smiles Dentistry can help you determine if you are a good candidate for dental implants for multiple teeth.

How We Use Dental Implants for Multiple Tooth Loss

Understanding how dental implants for multiple teeth work first requires that you get a good grasp of the concept of dental implants and the procedure that places them. Dental implants are comprised of three main components: the implant itself, the abutment, and the restoration. The implant is made of titanium, a type of metal that is chosen for the implant because the body does not reject it. Instead, your bone material fuses over the titanium implant in a process known as osseointegration. This helps keep the implant sturdy and strong in your mouth.

Placing the implant does require surgery, where we will first use a combination of local anesthetic and possibly intravenous anesthetic to keep you from experiencing discomfort. We will start by placing an incision in your gum to expose your bone, then drilling carefully into your jaw.

Finally, we will place the titanium screw into the jaw, then suture the surgical site closed. It will heal, and as it heals, osseointegration will occur. Once it is healed, we will place the abutment to the implant, then finally the restoration. The restoration is the crown or the part that resembles a tooth.

When you are missing one or two teeth, we can place one titanium implant directly in your jaw, but attach two restorations onto it. This gives you an attractive and natural-looking appearance. If you are missing several teeth in a row, we may consider fitting you with an implant-supported bridge. This works similarly to a traditional bridge, but instead of using your teeth to support each side of the bridge, we will use one or two implants (depending on your degree of need) to support the bridge. This helps take pressure off your remaining teeth and also looks like your natural teeth.

Finally, for patients who are missing an entire arch of teeth, they may be good candidates for implant-supported dentures. This requires just four implant posts on each arch; then we place the restoration (the denture) directly onto these posts. Unlike traditional dentures, this is a permanent replacement for missing teeth, giving you back your attractive and confident smile!

We Can Help

If you are missing multiple teeth, then you have many different options to help you replace them. To learn more about your treatment options, or to set up an appointment with us here for a consultation, please give us here at Tieken Smiles Dentistry a call at (281) 942-0444 today!