Single Tooth Dental Implants

Single tooth dental implants are the most common type of dental implant. As their name suggests, they are used to replace a single missing tooth in either an upper or lower arch of teeth. When the treatment is complete, you will have an artificial tooth that feels and acts just like the real thing and no-one will be able to tell it apart from your natural smile.

How Do Single Tooth Dental Implants Work?

Single tooth dental implants have a very unique design that gives them distinct benefits over the alternative option of a conventional bridge. This is primarily due to the design that secures them. Most bridges are secured to other healthy teeth, putting these teeth under unnecessary stress. Dental implants are unique in that they have an artificial root, made from a titanium post, that is inserted into the bone of the jaw using an incision in the gum tissue.

Titanium is a biocompatible material, which means that it won’t be rejected by the body. When inserting an artificial root into the jaw, the damage(hole) created for it triggers the body to start to try and heal itself. Bone is a live substance, and the bone heals by re-growing around the post, securing it permanently in place. This provides the super-stable anchor for the visible part of the implant. This process is absolutely essential for the dental implant procedure to be successful. Known as osseointegration, it keeps the artificial tooth securely in your mouth. It takes several months for this to happen, but this doesn’t mean that you have to be left with a visible gap during your treatment. A temporary crown can be placed while osseointegration happens.

The visible element of a single tooth dental implant is a porcelain crown that is attached to the implant post using a special connector. Each crown is bespoke, created specifically for the gap that it will fill, in the shape, size and even color needed to ensure that it blends seamlessly into your smile and doesn’t look in any way obvious.

Do Dental Implants Hurt?

One of the biggest concerns that patients have about any dental treatment is whether or not they can expect the process to be painful. Modern anesthetic and dentistry treatments have evolved a great deal during the last few decades, and today, most procedures are virtually painless. In many cases, patients report less discomfort following the placement of a dental implant than they do following an extraction.

All dental implant procedures are carried out using anesthetic and, if you require it, sedation. This ensures that patients are kept calm, comfortable and pain free from start to finish.

Why Choose Dental Implants?

​​​​​Single tooth dental implants offer patients a variety of advantages over a conventional bridge. These include:

• The full function of your teeth is restored without compromise or concern about the viability of your artificial tooth.

• Dental implants reinforce the bone in your jaw, strengthening it and ensuring that your facial structure doesn’t lose any definition. This is because the implant posts stimulate healthy bone growth rather than letting it deteriorate – something that is common in patients with bridges and dentures.

• Implants prevent other teeth from shifting to try and take advantage of the space, something that could open you up to other dental problems.

• Your new tooth looks and feels just like a regular tooth, looking so much like the rest of your smile that it is impossible to tell an implant apart.

• Single tooth dental implants don’t place unnecessary pressure on your remaining healthy teeth. Instead, your single implant will be fully supported on the titanium post.

• Dental implants are much more stable and durable than a dental bridge and require little to no maintenance.

• With proper care and professional attention at your regular dental check-up appointments, there is no reason why a single tooth dental implant can’t last upwards of 20 years.

If you have a gap in your smile and you would like to learn more about single tooth dental implants, our dedicated team would be delighted to help. Please contact our office with your questions or to schedule a confidential smile consultation.