Dental implants are the best way to replace missing teeth. They can be used to replace one tooth or multiple teeth. The implant itself is a standalone structure anchored to the jawbone like a tooth root. The implant is then used to support a crown which looks and acts like one of your natural teeth. Implants have a proven track record of long-term success. When you take care of your implant and keep it clean it can last for many years just like your natural teeth.
The tooth will be removed and a ridge preservation bone allograft will be placed immediately after removal. This is the easiest, most predictable, and most cost-effective time to place the bone graft. A bone allograft is a cadaver derived bone graft which your body will use as a scaffold and signal system to replace the graft material and build back its own native bone. This area will then need to fully heal before the site can be evaluated for dental implant placement.
Three to five months after the extraction of a tooth and ridge preservation graft the site can be evaluated for implant placement. At this visit we will take a 3-D X-ray and a digital impression of your teeth. This new technology allows us to create a virtual version of your mouth. Next, we digitally place the replacement tooth in an ideal functional and esthetic position. From there we will work backwards to plan the implant location, the foundation for your new tooth. With this incredibly accurate planning software we are able to reduce the need for additional bone grafting and easily communicate with your dentist who will be responsible for making the crown. Once the implant position is finalized, we use 3D printing technology to fabricate a precise guide which will be used on the day of surgery to accurately translate the virtual plan to the clinical world. This detailed planning process allows us to be confident that we place your implant in a long-lasting and healthy position with a minimally invasive surgical procedure that results in less soreness and faster healing.