Dental implants are the best and most reliable form of tooth replacement available today. They rebuild the roots of lost teeth, providing a strong base for crowns, bridges, and dentures. But just how many implants will you need? That really depends on how many teeth you have lost and other factors. This blog post aims to give you a general idea of the number of implants that might be used in your unique case.
Missing One Tooth
If you are missing just one tooth, your case is likely pretty straightforward. Your dental team will place a single implant at the site of the gap in your smile. After it integrates with the surrounding tissue, you will receive a beautiful crown to replace the visible portion of your lost tooth.
Missing Two or More Teeth
If you are missing two teeth in a row, you still might need just one implant. It can support a crown, and an artificial tooth (called a pontic) can be attached to it.
For three or more consecutive missing teeth, you may need at least two implants. One can be placed at each end of the gap. They will support crowns, and the crowns will support one or more pontics between them.
What if your missing teeth are not adjacent to one another? You might need a few single-tooth implants. Or, in some cases, an implant-supported partial denture can be a suitable solution. A partial denture is anchored in place by a few implants, and it can support multiple prosthetic teeth at different places throughout a dental arch.
Missing All Your Teeth
If you have lost all the teeth throughout one of your dental arches, there are a few different treatments that might work for you. For example, a removable implant denture can be supported by as few as two dental implants.
Of course, for greater stability, your dentist might recommend that you receive more implants. As many as 6 – 8 per dental arch may be necessary in order to support a fixed (non-removable) implant denture.
Consult Your Dentist for More Information
In all likelihood, your dentist will recommend a treatment plan that uses as few implants as possible while still providing you with a strong bite. Your budget, your personal preferences, and your overall health will also play big roles in determining the details of your unique dental implant journey. Hopefully, you will soon be on your way to regaining a complete and confident smile!
Meet the Practice
The team at Clover Dental Care is proud to provide start-to-finish dental implant services in our two conveniently located offices. We combine state-of-the-art technology with a high level of skill in order to optimize patient outcomes. To learn more about your options for tooth replacement, get in touch with our Wallingford office at 203-303-7999 or our West Haven office at 203-934-3400.