Single Tooth Implants Salem OR

Diagram of single tooth implant with post from Oak Park Dental in Salem, OR

Losing one or many teeth significantly impacts our cosmetic appearance, oral health, and overall quality of life. It is essential to opt for one of the many tooth replacement treatments which will improve a person's chewing ability and preserve good health and structure of the gums and jawbone.

Dental Implants

A dental implant procedure involves the surgical placement of metal screw-like posts into the jawbone. The dental implant procedure is a lengthier and more complex procedure, but still, a dental implant is favored over dental bridges and dentures as it offers a stronger foundation for replacement teeth and preserves jawbone density in the long run.

Why Are Dental Implants Beneficial?

Dental implants are an excellent replacement for missing teeth roots. The implants fuse with the jawbone and stimulate it just like natural teeth roots do. In this way, atrophy and jawbone deterioration are prevented, which means that dental implants are effective compared to bridges and dentures in preserving bone and gum health.

Dental implants are used to replace one or more missing teeth and depend on healthy oral tissues and jawbone for their success.

Can I Get Dental Implants?

Many people have a jawbone that isn't thick or strong enough to support dental implants. In such a case, bone regeneration via bone grafting is an essential practice that strengthens the jawbone to hold an implant securely.

If you aren't suffering from chronic health issues that can affect bone healing, then you are a suitable candidate for dental implant surgery. People unwilling to wear dentures or bridges have an excellent teeth replacement option in the form of dental implants.

What Are the Benefits of Dental Implants?

Dental implants look and behave just like natural teeth. If you take care of your implants properly and maintain oral hygiene, the implants can last a lifetime.

The main takeaway is that dental implants prevent bone loss and keep the adjacent teeth stable and properly aligned. When the jawbone is protected from deterioration, the facial structure won't sag, leading to a collapsed smile and premature aging.

Dental implants do not require grinding or damaging surrounding teeth for their fixture, which protects surrounding gum and teeth health. It is easy to clean dental implant replacement teeth just like you maintain regular oral health.

What Are the Disadvantages and Risks of Dental Implants?

Every surgical procedure comes with a certain set of risks. Problems that can occur after the surgery include infection at the dental implant site or harm to nearby teeth, tissues, or blood vessels.

Sometimes the surgery can result in sinus problems or nerve damage, which happens when the implants protrude into the sinus cavities through the jawbone.

What Are Single-Tooth Implants?

Single-tooth implants refer to dental procedures in which a single dental implant is used to replace a single missing tooth. The titanium posts are drilled inside the jawbone and then serve as tooth roots for the attachment of the abutment and replacement dental crown.

The single-tooth implant replaces a missing tooth without compromising the health of surrounding teeth. It is a better and more comfortable alternative to fixed bridges, which involve grinding surrounding teeth to cement and support the dental bridge.

The single-tooth implant replaces the root of the missing teeth, which leads to bone preservation. The dental implants integrate with the jawbone to promote healthy and intact bone health.

Single-Tooth Implant vs. Dental Bridge

Conventional dental bridges are responsible for the intentional damaging or grinding of surrounding teeth. A dental implant procedure bypasses all of these procedures as the dental implants are placed at a precise angle into the jawbone, which assists placement of replacement teeth in such a manner that it holds and supports surrounding teeth and preserves teeth alignment.

Bone preservation is not possible in dental bridges. The bridge is set atop neighboring teeth, which means that there are no roots being replaced. Due to the absence of tooth roots, the jawbone starts resorbing minerals and deteriorates.

A single-tooth implant is easier to maintain and improves facial aesthetics better than dental bridges. When there is no stimulation of gums and jawbone by a dental bridge, these structures will start to recede and deteriorate, leading to the visibility of the dental bridge collar or base.

How Are Single Tooth Implants Placed?

Your dentist will conduct an initial dental evaluation, after which the treatment procedure is planned.

To place the dental implant, a screw-like post is placed into the jawbone. The bone is allowed to heal for two to six months, during which osseointegration occurs. The jawbone will grow around and fuse with the dental implant, resulting in a strong foundation that will not allow slipping or replacement of the tooth.

After healing of the jawbone around the dental implant, your dentist will make another small incision on the jawbone grown above the implant, then place an abutment. While your replacement teeth are being prepared, the dentist will attach a temporary healing cap that will protect the foundation and allow the gums to heal after the procedure.

Finally, a replacement tooth, also known as the dental crown, is placed atop the metal abutment. The single-tooth implant successfully replaces a missing tooth without harming adjacent teeth. This single entity, from roots to the crown, is essential in maintaining the alignment of surrounding teeth and increasing your confidence and ease of life.

Tooth Extraction

When the teeth that need to be replaced are extracted, the tooth removal can either be carried out separately or on the same day as the implant procedure.

Single-tooth implants have two variables, one-stage and two-stage dental implants. During one stage of dental implants, the healing abutment is placed atop the dental implant on the same day as the implant insertion. This connector, which protrudes from the gum into the oral cavity, prevents the need for a second surgery requiring another incision into the jawbone to replace the abutment later on. However, such an approach is only possible in ideal conditions when the bone quality is good and a successful implant procedure is guaranteed.

Contact Oak Park Dental for Your Single Tooth Dental Implants

At Oak Park Dental, Dan O'Leary DDS ensures that they guide their patients with proper instructions and treatment approaches related to dental implant surgery. Call us at (971) 600-0211 to schedule an appointment with us.