Restorative & Implant Care
Single Tooth Implants in Jenkintown, PA
One gap, one implant, and the teeth either side left untouched.
A single tooth implant fills one space in the mouth. A post takes the place of the root and a crown is fitted on top of it. It is fixed, it stays in at night, and unlike a bridge it does not require anything to be done to the healthy teeth on either side.
Exceptional care for a lifetime of healthy smiles
The short answer
Single tooth implants at MVP Family Dental
A single dental implant and crown that replaces one missing tooth permanently, without preparing or altering the healthy teeth on either side of the gap.
A single implant is the most self-contained way to replace one tooth. It only involves the space where the tooth used to be. Nothing is clasped to the teeth beside it, and nothing comes in and out.
That is usually the deciding factor for patients choosing between an implant and a bridge. A conventional bridge is carried by the teeth on either side of the gap, which means preparing and crowning them — and if those teeth are healthy and did not otherwise need work, an implant leaves them alone.
What is involved
Planned from a scan, placed to a guide
The position of a single implant is decided before the appointment rather than at the chair. Scans of the area are taken and used to make a guide, so the implant goes in where it was planned to go.
- Assessment firstWe scan the space to see the bone and check whether the site is suitable for an implant.
- A guide is madeThe scans are used to produce a stent that guides the implant into the planned position.
- The post is placedA single surgical appointment under local anesthetic.
- The crown comes laterOnce the implant has integrated with the bone, a scan is taken and the crown is made for it.
How treatment works
From evaluation to a finished tooth
Dr. Mathew places single implants across a small number of appointments with a healing period in the middle. The sequence is mapped out for you at the consultation.
- Evaluation and scansWe look at the area that needs replacing and take scans to check whether it is a good candidate for an implant.
- Making the guideThose scans are used to make a stent, which acts as a guide for placing the implant.
- Placing the implantThe post is placed using the guide. You are numbed for the appointment.
- Healing and integrationThe implant is left to heal and integrate with the bone before it carries anything.
- Fitting the crownA scan is taken once the implant is ready, and the crown is made and fitted on top of it.
Comparing the options
Implant, bridge or partial denture
All three replace a missing tooth. They differ in what else they involve, and that is usually what decides it.
- Single implantAffects only the space where the tooth is missing. Fixed, and stays in at night.
- Conventional bridgeCarried by the teeth either side of the gap, which have to be prepared and crowned.
- Partial dentureReplaces the gap but comes in and out, and is generally less comfortable than a fixed option.
Worth bringing to your consultation
- Any X-rays or records from a previous dentist.
- How long the tooth has been missing.
- A current list of medications and medical conditions.
- Questions about the order of appointments and the wait between them.
Afterwards
Cleaned like a natural tooth
An implant crown cannot decay, but the gum and bone holding the post underneath it can be lost. So a single implant is looked after the same way your own teeth are: brushing, cleaning between the teeth, and keeping to your hygiene visits.
At your checkups we look at the gum around the implant, check the crown is still seated correctly, and make sure the bite has not shifted around it.
Two generations of dentists, one shared commitment to helping Jenkintown families eat, speak and smile with confidence.
MVP Family Dental · Jenkintown, PA
Single Tooth Implant Questions
- What is a single tooth implant?
- It is a way of replacing one space in your mouth. If you are missing a tooth, a single implant takes the place of the root and a crown is fitted on top of it.
- How does it differ from other replacements?
- It is permanent and fixed. Once it is placed it stays in place — it does not come out at night the way a partial denture does.
- What does the process involve?
- It starts with an evaluation of the area that needs replacing. Scans are taken to see how the site looks and whether it is a good candidate. Those scans are used to make a guide, the implant is placed using it, and after a healing period a scan is taken and the crown is made.
- Will I need a bone graft?
- Sometimes, and it depends. If the tooth has been missing for a long time, bone may need to be added to the area first. If the tooth was lost recently and there is enough bone there, a graft is not needed.
- How does it compare with a bridge?
- A bridge is carried by the two teeth either side of the gap, so those teeth have to be prepared. If they did not otherwise need crowning, that is work being done to healthy teeth. A single implant only affects the area where the tooth is missing.
- What is healing like?
- You are numbed for the placement itself, and the implant then needs time to integrate with the bone. Most patients are comfortable the following day.
- How do I look after it?
- The same way you look after your own teeth — brushing twice a day, cleaning between the teeth, and keeping to your hygiene appointments. The gum and bone around the implant are what need protecting.
- How do I find out whether I am a candidate?
- Book a consultation at our Jenkintown office. We will scan the area, look at the bone and talk through whether an implant, a bridge or a denture fits your case best.
Dr. Vineetha Thomas, D.M.D.
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Dr. Priya Mathew, D.M.D.
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