At Placentia Oral Surgery, our aim is to give you the highest quality of oral care so that you can have our help with any dental issues that may arise. From sports injuries to broken joints, we are here to take care of you as comfortably and painlessly as possible. One common issue we see in our patients is tooth gaps or spacing where natural teeth used to be. When it is only one space, we suggest single tooth implants as an appropriate solution for restoring your smile.What Is A Single Tooth Dental Implant?
A dental implant is a titanium post that we use as a platform for an artificial tooth. We affix this to your gum line so that we can utilize the strength of your jawbone to prevent unexpected movement. Once we use a small drill to remove a piece of bone, we can place the implant in this spot so that the jawbone can heal tightly and naturally around the implant. After this is completed, we can then put your replacement tooth snugly atop the titanium post. This new artificial tooth will look just like the one you used to have, so this is a great way to fill a space in your mouth in a way that looks natural.
Dental Bridge Or Dental Implant?
While dental bridges have been used for years to support replacement teeth, if you have only one space in your jaw, we recommend the use of single tooth dental implants instead. Because a fixed bridge has to attach to two or more of your teeth, the risk of damage to these adjacent teeth is always present. In order to provide proper support for the bridge, the dentist often has to cut away a portion of the healthy teeth nearby. By contrast, a dental implant is affixed to your jawbone and has no effect on adjacent teeth. With these factors in mind, we encourage you to consider using a single tooth dental implant over a dental bridge, particularly if you are only replacing one tooth.
Dental Implant Surgery
Once you have decided on single tooth replacement with an implant, it is good to get a sense of what the surgical procedure will be like when you come in. Since we are dealing with only a single tooth, the treatment could take as little as 30 minutes to complete. Your jawbone has minimal pain receptors, so we will only need to numb your gum line as we work the implant in. The hole that we create in your jawbone is also incredibly small. Consequently, a simple ibuprofen or acetaminophen is often enough to manage any pain you might experience.
The Recovery Process
After we have finished the procedure and you have received your brand new replacement tooth, we want it to last for as long as possible for you. The jawbone will need time to grow around the implant, and this often takes six weeks to six months. If you experience any continuing or increasing pain in the area, you should make sure to contact us so we can help you address it. Otherwise, continue to observe your normal dental hygiene routine of brushing and flossing at least twice a day so that your single tooth dental implant lasts for quite a long time.
If you think that a single tooth replacement with a dental implant might be the right choice for you and you would like to learn more, call us today at (657) 216-1617.