Sometimes multiple teeth can be lost due to damage, fracture or prolonged tooth decay. Advanced periodontal disease can also cause a significant amount of bone loss which requires multiple extractions.
In the past people had to resort to having a bridge, partial or dentures to replace lost teeth. Over the course of the last 20 years dental implant procedures and technology have grown in popularity as well as availability. New multiple tooth procedures can allow people missing multiple teeth to gain full functional use of those teeth.
There are multiple steps in the process, which can easily take more than a year from start to finish.
The amount of bone available to anchor the implants could be a factor. This is especially true of you have suffered from periodontal disease in the past. You might need to have a bone graft procedure several months in advance to insure there is enough healthy and strong bone material available.
During this part of the process you will probably have x-rays or a CT scan performed to better assess how much bone is left and just what kind of placement procedures you might need.
Fixed multiple tooth replacement creates a bridge in an area where three or possibly four teeth have been lost. Once you have enough healthy bone in the area two channels are made and titanium abutments are inserted. It usually takes several months for the titanium abutment to fuse to the bone. During this time the periodontist will often cover the abutments with a temporary cap.
Once the abutments are fused your dentist will create a bridge which can then be cemented in place, thus returning full function to the area.
If you have any questions about fixed multiple tooth replacement implants and whether one might be right for you, please feel free to call us at 619-591-8945 to schedule an appointment.
