Dental Implant Abutments Explained

Posted on: 06.2.15 By Dr. Lee Ann Brady

Today when a natural tooth is lost the ideal solution to replace both the function and esthetics is to use dental implants. the process of replacing a tooth requires several steps and three distinct replacement pieces, the dental implant, implant abutment and crown. Dental Implants are replacement tooth roots and are placed in the bone below the gum tissue and fuse to your bone. In order to connect a dental crown, dental bridge or a denture to a dental implant once it is healed a connector piece is required, called a dental implant abutment. Dental implant abutments come in many shapes and sizes but all accomplish the same goal. The abutment nests inside a hollow area in the center of the implant and then is retained in place with a screw. The majority of the abutment extends above the gum tissue, then the crown is attached to the abutment. The shape, size and material the abutment is made of will be chosen based on the type of tooth being replaced (front tooth or back tooth), the type of replacement tooth or denture being planned and the material from which the replacement tooth or teeth are being fabricated. If you are having dental implants abutments are a required piece of completing your care.

What Are Dental Implants?

Posted on: 01.8.14 By Dr. Lee Ann Brady

For many people with missing teeth, a dental implant can be the best choice for replacing them. The main benefits of dental implants are:

The next best thing to natural teeth
Strong, stable & comfortable
Protects healthy bone
Protects healthy teeth
Longest term solution vs. other restorations

Dental implants are a titanium replacement for the tooth root. Every tooth has two major parts; the part you can see above your gum tissue is called the “crown” of the tooth. The majority of the tooth is hidden beneath the gum and this is the “root” of the tooth. When you loose a substantial portion of the crown of the tooth due to a cavity or fracture the root alone can no longer be used to hold a replacement such as a porcelain crown. In these cases the root of your tooth will be removed and you can have a dental implant as a replacement to the tooth root.

Modern dental implants are made of titanium and come in varying lengths and diameters. Once the dental implant is placed, your body will attach bone to its’ external surface. Once this “integration” process has taken place, a porcelain crown can be attached to the implant. The inside of a dental implant is hollow and threaded to accept a screw; an “abutment” screws into this hollow area and extends above the gum line to hold the pretty porcelain crown.

For most people, dental implants are a great choice due to their predictability, function, comfort and appearance!

Dental Implants Versus Dental Bridge?

Posted on: 08.29.13 By Dr. Lee Ann Brady

Dental Implant Replacing a Missing Tooth

Sometimes despite a lifetime of good dental care, a tooth will be lost. Replacing a missing tooth is very important and there are several options available. Most patients today want something that stays in their mouth, isn’t removed for cleaning and lets them eat anything they want. Two such solutions are a dental bridge or a dental implant.

Dental Bridges

A dental bridge requires that we place a dental crown on the tooth in front of and the tooth behind the missing tooth space. These two “anchor teeth”, once crowned, can still get new cavities and they could need to have a root canal; these are two of the most common reasons we replace dental bridges. A dental bridge can last as long as 15-20 years, but on average you can expect it to last 7-10 years. Because the three teeth are hooked together you will no longer be able to floss between them, but we will teach you how to floss with a special device called a floss threader.

Achieving an exquisite long lasting result with a dental bridge requires several key steps. The first step will be creating a thorough treatment plan that allows us to understand the esthetic goals as well as plan for optimal function. Using the treatment plan as a guide, models of your teeth may be sent to a dental laboratory and a prototype of the bridge created in wax. This prototype is used to fabricate a transitional or temporary bridge to confirm the esthetic and functional results and make any necessary adjustments. The final step is fabrication of the final bridge and cementation over the teeth or implants being used as supports. The total time to complete this process averages 2-3 months.

Dental Implants

A dental implant is a replacement tooth root made of titanium. It is placed into the bone in the space left by the missing tooth. Once it heals a dental crown is placed on top of this new artificial tooth root. The two teeth beside the space will not need to be crowned. and you will still be able to floss between these teeth as before. The process of placing a dental implant and crown will take 3-9 months to allow time for the implant location to heal and strengthen. Once the dental implant is ready and the crown placed, it provides long term stability with no risk of cavities and other risks are minimal. It is difficult to predict a replacement time frame as the implant and crown may be stable for many decades.

A dental implant and crown will cost between 10-15% more then a dental bridge initially, however you can expect much lower recurring costs and need for future dental treatment.