Front Tooth Implants

What are Front Tooth Implants?

These implants are used to restore missing front teeth and have the same components as ordinary dental implants. These are:

• An implant screw is inserted into the jawbone.
• An implant abutment, a connector attached to the implant screw.
• An implant crown that is screwed onto the abutment. The screw goes directly through the back of the crown, and the hole is covered with tooth-colored composite resin so it is invisible yet allows us to retrieve the crown if needed for maintenance.

We can fit an implant front tooth into your upper or lower jaw. If you need a lower incisor replaced, we might use a special type of implant that is narrower than average and specifically designed to fit into smaller spaces.

Why Choose a Front Tooth Implant?

Many of the reasons for choosing an implant for a front tooth are aesthetic. A front tooth implant can restore a missing tooth with seamless precision.

It should look cosmetically pleasing and exactly resemble a real tooth. Your gum tissue will surround it, emerging from it just like a natural tooth, and the gum is contoured to create a cosmetically pleasing appearance.

Your implant will be strong and durable, with a biting strength comparable to that of a natural tooth. It protects the surrounding jawbone by mimicking a natural tooth root and preventing jawbone resorption.

A front tooth implant protects the neighboring teeth, and unlike a bridge, there is no need to reshape these teeth.

When is a Front Tooth Implant Necessary?

There are several reasons why front teeth can become damaged and start to fail, including:

• Severe tooth decay.
• Failed root canal.
• Congenitally missing tooth.
• Knocked out tooth.
• Severe fracture or break in a tooth.

Understanding the Treatment Process

The process for any dental implant procedure is broadly similar, but will be customized to provide you with the best possible treatment.

1. Consultation, Dental Exam, and Diagnostics

When you visit Dental Pearl, we can conduct a thorough dental exam and review your dental and medical history to ensure treatment is safe and appropriate. Digital diagnostics will include a cone beam CT scan and likely digital X-rays and photos.

The information is used to plan your treatment in detail. We will discuss your plan and your treatment goals in detail, including the costs. These can vary depending on the materials used to fabricate your dental implant front tooth.

2. Dental Implant Surgery

We plan and place every single implant using computer-guided surgery, where a custom stent is created from your treatment plan and used during placement to ensure your implant is accurately positioned with minimal incisions.

Placing a single implant is quite quick, typically an hour or less, so you may feel fine using a local anesthetic. Otherwise, we can discuss using sedation dentistry to ensure you feel completely comfortable during your treatment.

3. Temporary Tooth Placement

After your implant surgery is complete, we can provide a temporary tooth for use during healing. Sometimes this is attached to the implant. Alternatively, if we choose to cover the implant during healing, it may be a dental flipper, which is a one-tooth denture.

4. Implant Healing

After the local anesthetic wears off, you may feel mild discomfort, but it’s not unusual to feel none after a single implant is placed.

Before you leave our dental office, we provide clear instructions on how to look after your mouth, including how to keep it clean and dietary advice. You will likely need to avoid biting on the implant during healing, and any temporary tooth is purely for cosmetic purposes.

5. Final Implant Restoration

A dental implant can take 3 to 6 months to heal fully. Once it is healed, we can begin making your permanent front tooth replacement. This is carefully designed to look natural and feel entirely comfortable.

Long-Term Maintenance

Once you have your implant front tooth, we know you will want to look after it and protect your beautifully restored smile. It’s easy to look after a front tooth implant. Brush it at least twice daily and floss around it every day, just as you do with your natural teeth.

When you come to see us for your regular dental exams and hygiene appointments, we can professionally clean your front tooth implant and check that it is still strong and healthy.

Front Tooth Implant vs Alternatives

The two main alternatives are a dental bridge supported by natural teeth or a removable partial denture.

Dental Bridge

A fixed dental bridge requires our dentist to reshape the adjacent teeth. These teeth must be crowned, and they will support the replacement tooth between them, which is called a pontic.

Although a dental bridge can be aesthetically pleasing, it’s likely to mean the reshaping of perfectly healthy teeth. Removing any healthy tooth structure is always undesirable.

Additionally, a dental bridge will do nothing to protect the jawbone. Gradually, it will resorb; eventually, this could leave a space underneath the pontic.

Removable Partial Denture

You may receive a removable partial denture or a one-tooth dental flipper as a temporary restoration. This is their best use, as a partial denture is less stable and less aesthetically pleasing than an implant front tooth.

Why Implants Are the Best Long-Term Choice

In comparison, a dental implant can provide the most natural and longest-lasting results. It helps protect your jawbone and will not compromise other teeth. If you are interested in a long-term front tooth replacement, an implant is likely your best choice.

Make an appointment at our Dental Pearl Miami clinic. We will help you decide if front tooth implants are right for you and answer all your questions about this service.