Your front teeth are quite vulnerable to dental injuries, and dentists frequently need to treat patients who have knocked out or damaged a front tooth by accident or during sporting activities. You can also lose front teeth because of infection and decay. The loss of any tooth is unpleasant, but losing a front tooth is particularly upsetting for many people because we frequently draw much of our self-esteem and self-confidence from appearance.
Luckily, a front tooth implant can provide an excellent, long-term solution. When a front tooth is beyond saving, a dental implant is an option frequently suggested by experienced NYC implant dentist and periodontist, Dr. Navid Rahmani of NYC Dental Implants Center.
What is a Dental Implant?
Very briefly, a dental implant artificially restores the entire tooth, consisting of a small post or screw which is made from titanium alloy or zirconia, and which is surgically inserted into the jawbone. The implant post integrates with the jawbone during a process called osseointegration and which takes about three months to complete. Once osseointegration is finished, an abutment is attached to the post and protrudes just above the gumline. The abutment supports the implant crown.
Why Choose a Dental Implant Over Other Ways to Replace a Front Tooth?
Alternative choices for replacing a front tooth include a one-tooth denture or a flipper, and which is only really a temporary solution. Another option is to choose a dental bridge, and which is fitted over the teeth adjacent to the gap. These teeth must be substantially reshaped, removing a lot of their original structure so the can be crowned, and the crowns are attached to the replacement front tooth which is called a pontic. If your remaining front teeth are strong and healthy, a dental bridge is not ideal because the adjacent teeth are significantly ground down and will always need to be protected with dental crowns. Removing dental enamel from these teeth increases the possibility of infection and decay in these teeth in the future. The pontic of a dental bridge will only rest on the gums, and over time, your gum tissue and the bone underneath will gradually resorb so you could end up with an unsightly gap underneath the pontic.
Unlike a dental flipper or bridge that only rests on the gums, a front tooth implant provides a solution that looks and feels like a real tooth. A front tooth implant emerges from the gums just like a natural tooth. Even the gum around the tooth is carefully shaped to provide an optimal treatment outcome.
Front tooth implant looks and feels exactly like your own. Dr. Rahmani, dental implant specialist in NYC takes extensive care when designing and fabricating all implant teeth, and especially when restoring a front tooth.
A dental implant helps to protect your dental health. When you lose a tooth, your remaining natural teeth will tend to drift towards the gap, destabilizing them and changing the way your teeth bite together. Additionally, tooth loss increases the stresses and strains on your remaining teeth when you bite into food. Replacing the tooth with a dental implant helps to spread this load more evenly, so your natural teeth are less likely to wear or chip because of the additional forces.
One of the most important reasons for choosing a dental implant for your front tooth is for protective effect on your jawbone. A dental implant closely resembles a real tooth root, providing the alveolar bone with the stimulation needed, so bone loss doesn’t occur, ensuring your jawbone remains strong and healthy.
The bone surrounding teeth, called alveolar bone, is quite fragile and can be destroyed by dental infection and begins to resorb soon after tooth loss. Bone loss affects the stability of the teeth adjacent to the gap, and it can affect aesthetics, resulting in that gap underneath a bridge pontic mentioned earlier.
Initially, you will require a consultation with Dr. Rahmani so he can assess your dental health. If the tooth is still in your mouth, Dr. Rahmani will evaluate it carefully, just to make sure it cannot be saved. The next stage is for your implant treatment to be planned with state-of-the-art computer guided surgery. You will need a cone beam CT scan, providing detailed 3-D images of your teeth and jaws, allowing Dr. Rahmani to preplan your implant surgery and to create your custom treatment plan. The treatment plan is transferred to a surgical stent or guide which is a type of specialized template used during surgery. It ensures the implant is placed at exactly the precise position, depth and angulation determined in your treatment plan. Preplanning your surgery helps to eliminate errors while ensuring you receive an implant tooth that looks and feels fabulous, and which is fully functional. If you need a tooth removing, Dr. Rahmani can almost certainly do this at the same time as fitting a dental implant. He will use a removal technique called an atraumatic tooth extraction which minimizes damage to the alveolar bone. It’s also sometimes possible to place a small amount of bone grafting material at the same time as a dental implant, rather than to place it during a separate surgery. Because treatment is preplanned, the actual surgery for placing a front tooth implant is very quick, and you may only require local anesthetic, but if you feel nervous then ask about sedation dentistry which will ensure you feel completely comfortable and relaxed during the short procedure. Afterward, you will be given full instructions on how to care for the implant site as it heals.
You will receive a temporary tooth on the same day. The tooth is mostly for aesthetic purposes only, and you should avoid biting on the tooth while it heals. It’s likely to be constructed in such a way to ensure it doesn’t contact your opposing teeth. Once healing is complete, your new permanent tooth is made and fitted, completing your treatment and leaving you to enjoy your newly rejuvenated smile.
Missing Teeth?
Tooth Bone Loss?
Periodontal Services We are dental implant specialists and are periodontists in NYC. We treat diseases and conditions that affect gums including periodontal disease, advanced gum disease or periodontitis, periodontal pockets, we treat oral inflammations.
We maintain a separate dedicated website specifically for gum disease related information, and our periodontal services for patients in Midtown Manhattan & Upper East Side, NYC.
What Is a Dental Implant?
How Does a Dental Implant Work?
What Is Osseointegration?
We only use a top quality dental implants from Straumann, headquartered in Basel, Switzerland. The largest and most advanced dental implant company in the world. Dental implants in NYC can be made from titanium or zirconium. We use a top quality medical grade titanium or titanium alloy, the same materials used for other bone implants and for orthopedic joint replacements.
Dr. Navid Rahmani is an internationally recognized, Board Certified Periodontist and best rated dental implant specialist. All procedures are performed in our Midtown NYC dental center on Upper East Side, NYC.
Why Are Dental Implants Made from Titanium?
Most dental implants including mini dental implants, single tooth implants and full dental implants we are using in our Dental Implant Center in NYC are made from titanium as this metal has numerous beneficial qualities and is widely used in the medical industry.
Unlike other metals, titanium is highly biocompatible with the body and is very unlikely to be rejected.
Dental implant is often coated to prevent corrosion so it cannot be harmed by any bacteria, acids or salts in the mouth. Once in place, new bone cells will grow on and around the implant, and the post that is inserted into the jawbone may be specially treated to encourage this action.
An implant post can be sprayed with plasma, or is etched to create a greater surface area to bond with the bone. It can also be coated with hydroxyapatite, a substance that is found in natural bone.
An allergy toward titanium is incredibly rare and is difficult to accurately test for, but it is possible that a very tiny percentage of people may have an allergic reaction to titanium or to one of the metals used in titanium alloy.
Our dental office only uses top quality dental implants from well-known dental companies. These have been extensively tested for strength and for safety and are made from top quality medical grade titanium or titanium alloy, the same materials used for other bone implants and for orthopedic joint replacements.
By ensuring these top quality implants are correctly inserted, we can greatly minimize the potential risk of implant corrosion or failure.
If you already have metal allergies or sensitivities, or are concerned about the prospect of having any metal in your mouth, then zirconia metal-free dental implants might be a possible option. These are extensively tested and are FDA approved. They have been used in Europe for many years.
When Should I Choose a Zirconium Dental Implant?
Zirconium dental implants are metal-free. Zirconia is an incredibly strong all-ceramic material that is already widely used for creating crowns and bridges and it is another material that has a high level of biocompatibility.
Zirconium dental implants are viewed by some as offering a more holistic approach to dental health, particularly for anyone who does not wish to have any metal in their body.
Some periodontists favor the use of zirconia dental implants as the design helps to discourage the buildup of plaque and tartar around the implant, and could help lower the risk of gum disease.
Additionally zirconia dental implants can offer a more cosmetically pleasing result due to the natural white tooth color of this material.
When you visit our Midtown NYC Dental Implants center for your initial consultation, Dr. Rahmani can discuss both options with you in greater detail and will help you decide on the best dental implants material option for your needs.
Teaching at New York Hospital Queens, Dental and Oral Medicine-Department of Prosthodontics.
The information on this website is to provide general dental implants information. In no way does any of the information provided reflect a definitive dental advice. It is important to consult a best in class dental implants specialist in NYC regarding ANY soft tissue defects or biomechanical failures as it may be a sign of a serious periodontal condition. A thorough dental implant evaluation should ALWAYS be performed for an accurate diagnosis and dental implant placement plan. Be sure to call a dental implants NYC specialist or call our office in Midtown NYC to schedule a consultation.
Our site is the source of information about the dental implants related conditions and procedures. This information is intended for patients looking to learn about our practice and to make an appointment to see a dental implant specialist in New York. Content can not be copied, reproduced without prior written permission.
Missing Teeth?
Tooth Bone Loss?
What Is a Dental Implant?
How Does a Dental Implant Work?
What Is Osseointegration?
