Replacing one or more missing teeth with individual implant-supported crowns

Problem

Single tooth gap

• Tooth extracted due to trauma, infection, failed root filling and/or root fracture
• Crown keeps falling out and/or not enough tooth left to attach crown
• Repeated infections
• Permanent tooth missing from birth

Solution

Implant-supported single crown

• Looks and functions just like a natural tooth
• No need to damage adjacent healthy teeth
• Continued use (loading) prevents resorption shrinkage of the underlying bone
• Implant-supported tooth prevents lateral movement (drifting) of adjacent teeth and over-eruption of opposite tooth
• Very high and predictable long-term success, of 98%, with conventional oral  hygiene dental care

Alternatives

Leave a gap

• Unsightly
• May impair eating, speech, confidence
• Bone and gum in the gap will shrink
• Positions of adjacent and opposing teeth will be distorted over time

Conventional bridge

• Healthy adjacent teeth need to be damaged to attach/support the bridge, thus compromising long-term health of these teeth
• Bone supporting the gum beneath bridge will shrink due to lack of use
• Extra stress on supporting teeth during chewing

Page compiled with assistance from Dr Waseem Noordin