treatment options

implant dentistry • st. charles, IL

The process of implant supported dentistry falls into three basic categories; implant supported crowns, implant supported bridges, and implant supported dentures.  These are the three basic building blocks to a better smile!

Implant Supported Crowns

Understanding the anatomy of a natural tooth is the first step in learning about dental implants.  Each tooth has a root that anchors into the jaw bone.  This root is only visible through the use of an x-ray.  Each tooth also has a crown which is visible when looking into a patient’s mouth.  When a tooth is lost, both the root and the crown must be replaced.

A dental implant actually replaces a lost root.

Following placement of a dental implant, a crown can be placed on the implant which then gives the patient a complete new tooth.  Fabrication and placement of a new crown is performed by the patient’s general dentist, also called the restorative dentist.

When placing a dental implant, there must be adequate bone and gum tissue to attain the best possible esthetic result.  We specialize in creating and maintaining the bone and gum tissue, and in placing the implant in an optimum position so that a good esthetic result can be delivered by the restorative dentist.

Even the best restorative dentist cannot give the patient a good result if the surgeon places the dental implant in a poor position.

As an experienced surgeons, we understand what the restorative dentist needs, and will help the restorative dentist by placing the implant in the correct position.  With the help of guide splints provided by the restorative dentist, optimum results can be achieved.

Once we have completed implant placement and the area has healed adequately, we will notify the restorative dentist that the patient is ready to have the crown placed.  In some instances a temporary crown can be placed on the same day of implant placement.  However, this is usually only done for appearances for anterior teeth, or those teeth which show in a patient’s smile.

A single temporary crown is not intended to be put in function until the bone has healed around the newly placed dental implant.  This generally takes two to four months on the lower arch and four to six months on the upper arch.  If there is extensive bone reconstruction done at the time of implant placement, the healing time can extend to six to eight months.

Failing Natural Tooth with Crown	X-ray of Implant with New Crown	One Year Post-Operative Photo

This case was done by extracting the tooth, placing the implant, and placing a bone graft all at the same time. The final restoration is shown one year after placement.

Implant Supported Bridge

The implant supported bridge uses all the same concepts as an implant supported crown. An implant supported bridge is designed to replace multiple missing teeth, usually three or four teeth, using only two or three implants.  This course of treatment is utilized either to keep expenses down or to replace several missing teeth where there is not enough space to place one implant for each missing tooth.

X-ray of Implant Supported Bridge	Photograph of Same Bridge

In this situation we placed three implants (root replacements) which were restored with a bridge consisting of four crowns. 

Implant Supported Denture

For some patients, implants can be used to anchor dental attachments instead of an individual crown or a bridge.  A dental attachment can either retain a denture (keep it from moving around or slipping out of the mouth), support a denture (keep the denture from placing pressure on the underlying ridge), or both.  

An implant retained denture requires two to three implants to keep a denture from displacing.  

An implant supported denture requires four or more implants to support a bar which not only retains the denture, but also keeps the pressure off the ridge reducing the resorption of the ridge (deterioration of the jaw bone) over time. 

Resorption of either an upper or lower arch is caused by pressure from a denture.  As the jaw deteriorates, the denture no longer fits properly and causes the denture wearer discomfort.  This results in frequent refitting of dentures often with less satisfactory results with each reline.  The placement of implants to support the denture will stop the deterioration of the jaw and improve the fit and comfort of the denture.

Three Implant Retained Denture

Three Implants	Implant Retained Denture	The implant retained denture does not prevent pressure from being placed on the back of the ridge.

Though the denture is retained by three implants and the attachments, this type of implant provision will not keep pressure off the ridge in the back of the mouth.

Four Implant Supported Bar Retained Overlay Denture

Dentures in Place	Four Implants and Support Bar	A bar-retained overlay denture supported on four implants will keep the pressure off the entire ridge.

A bar-retained overlay denture supported on four implants will keep the pressure off the entire ridge.

Fixed Restorative Care Full Upper Arch

Pre-Op Photo

Pre-Op X-rays

Post-Op Fixed Temporaries for Full Arch Case

Post-Op Final Restoration

Post-Op X-rays

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