Implant Replacement of One or More Missing Teeth

If you’re one of the 178 million Americans who are missing one or more teeth, Vero Beach, Florida dentist, Dr. Johnson Hagood, can achieve remarkable results by not only filling in the gaps, but also achieving optimal form for strong function and ideal esthetics. Even if the missing tooth is one of the back molars, the healthiest choice is to replace it. If you don’t replace it, the void created by the lost tooth roots will allow the adjacent tooth to drift, disrupting your occlusion, and changing the whole environment of your oral health.

At any age, you CAN have strong chewing function and the appearance of youth. The treatment with the greatest longevity and highest patient satisfaction is implant replacement.

Implant treatment is not just for single teeth. Even if you are wearing a removable denture now, you can be upgraded to an implant-supported snap-on denture or an implant-retained hybrid denture. If you have a lower overdenture that tends to slip out of place, you already know you would love to stabilize your prosthetic teeth on as few as four implants, for renewed confidence and to enjoy a full range of nutritious foods.

You don’t have to be missing one or more teeth to be a candidate for implant treatment. If you have a tooth that is significantly damaged, the most conservative treatment might be removal of the tooth and replacement with a dental implant and implant crown. By “most conservative treatment,” we mean the most long lasting and predictably successful treatment that (1) minimizes the risk of needing later retreatment and (2) minimizes impact on the health of other teeth. Dr. Hagood has the extensive training and experience to guide you appropriately in the selection of treatment that will succeed and last.

Keep in mind that artistry applies to implant treatment as well as smile makeovers with porcelain veneers, all-ceramic crowns, and more. The placement and form of your implants and the prosthetic teeth they support require significant functional and esthetic expertise. Dr. Hagood dedicates himself to accomplishing dentistry that meets the highest standards of excellence. The specialists he works with are similarly dedicated, and they work as a team.

Single Tooth Replacement

Today’s highest standard of care for a missing single tooth is to replace it with a dental implant and “implant crown.” This prosthesis will look and function like a healthy tooth, and be matched with your other teeth to complement your smile.

Before dental implant treatment because so predictably successful, single lost tooth was usually replaced with a prosthetic tooth suspended between two crowns or cantilevered on a crown. This treatment, called a “dental bridge,” is still performed in many circumstances but is inferior to today’s implant option. It’s inferior because it requires removing tooth enamel from healthy teeth to place the crowns, and retreatment may be needed as the dental bridge wears and crowned teeth are affected. Add to this, the health benefits of the implant stimulating the bone, the ability to thoroughly clean the mouth, the fixed stability of the prosthesis, and the most naturally beautiful appearance. It’s no wonder that Dr. Hagood’s treatment of choice for a single missing natural tooth is an implant-retained prosthetic one.

If you decide you would like to proceed with implant treatment, Dr. Hagood will refer you to a local specialist who performs hundreds of implant surgeries each year. This surgeon will complete the diagnostic workup, and together they will determine the implant components to be used. Your implant will be placed in the jaw bone while you are safely sedated. There is nothing to fear. If a bone graft is needed, this is a simple procedure that is done first, and there is a period of a few weeks to allow the graft site to heal before your implant is placed in the bone.

When it is time to place the implant, the surgeon will make a small incision into the gum tissue and insert “the implant,” which is a thin titanium post. Once the implant is placed, a cap is placed on top, and for the next several weeks, this biocompatible post will integrate with the bone tissue, taking the place of your missing tooth’s root. Once you have healed properly, the surgeon or Dr. Hagood will remove the healing cap, and attach your custom prosthesis (an “implant crown”) to the implant. Your prosthesis will have been created to function harmoniously in your mouth and match your smile.

After treatment, your replacement tooth will feel, function, and look like a natural tooth. You will brush and floss around this tooth, just like a natural tooth. We hope you will regularly return to Vero Beach Art of Dentistry for your ongoing care for many years. With proper oral hygiene and regular quality dental care, your implant retained prosthetic tooth may last for the rest of your life without need of replacement.

Replacement of Multiple Missing Teeth

A partial denture has been the most common solution for replacing multiple lost teeth; however, it is no longer considered the best treatment. For functional stability, jaw bone health, esthetics, and treatment longevity, a multi-unit prosthesis can be fixed on one or two implants. Because your oral circumstances are unique to you, Dr. Hagood will explain fully the best method for replacing multiple teeth (in your situation) and what you will experience during and after your ideal treatment.

If you have lost all teeth on an arch, today’s dental technology has advanced to the point where you can have conservative implant treatment, as well. Some of Dr. Hagood’s patients have worn a complete overdenture and decided it is time to invest in the best Dentistry has to offer today. And, that best is truly amazing. Edentulous patients CAN have a beautiful, confident smile, strong masticatory function, and teeth that are fixed on as few as four implants.

You, Your Friends, and Your Family Deserve the Best of Care

Tooth loss is something we hope to prevent, but there are so many reasons why teeth fail, that the loss of a tooth should not cause you embarrassment. With today’s implant components and enduring prosthetic teeth, Dr. Hagood can help you or someone you care about recover and take this loss in stride.

Would you like to know what is possible to restore your oral health and smile? Call us today for a complimentary Vero Beach implant consultation with Dr. Johnson Hagood, one of Southern Florida’s most credentialed and experienced restorative and cosmetic dentists. Call (772) 567-2237 to learn about and receive today’s gold standard of dental care.