Sometimes when a tooth isn’t restorable, we are left with no alternative but to extract the tooth. An implant is used to replace the missing tooth without having to drill on the adjacent teeth.
Example A demonstrates the similarity between a natural tooth and an implant. The root of the tooth is fixed in the jaw bone and the top of the natural tooth has been prepared to receive a crown. Similarly, the implant is fixed within the jaw bone and replaces the root of the natural tooth. The post attached to the implant is similar to the top of the prepared tooth. It too, is ready to receive a crown.
The process of making a crown on a natural tooth and an implant is very similar. Impressions are required of the mouth and models are made, upon which the crowns are fabricated. Crowns on natural teeth or implants can be made of metal and/or porcelain, and are fabricated to replace the size, shape and color of the natural teeth. Example B demonstrates how the crowns fit over the prepared natural tooth and over the implant post in the same way. The crown on the natural tooth is cemented in place. On the implant it is either screwed or cemented in place. An implant supported crown is almost like having your natural tooth back!
The X-ray image, Example C shows the implant positioned in the jaw bone. A post will be attached to the implant, upon which the final crown will be placed to replace the missing tooth.
The final crown (cap) has been fabricated and cemented onto the post which is attached to the implant. A small bonded restoration was also placed on the other front tooth to provide a balanced esthetic result. This implant supported crown provides a beautiful aesthetic replacement for the missing tooth.
