Lower front teeth can be quite challenging for dental implants. The space in the bone and between the teeth is limited. Often, fitting two implants for two missing teeth seems unfeasible.
Here’s an innovative approach I use: instead of two implants, I opt for a single, centrally placed implant that supports two crowns. This method was effective in a recent case with significant bone and gum loss.
In just one visit under IV sedation, I performed a comprehensive procedure. I extracted the damaged teeth and immediately placed an implant. I harvested a gum graft from the roof of the patient’s mouth to reconstruct the gum and bone. I also crafted and placed a temporary crown during the same appointment.
Within about 90 minutes, the patient left with a new bone graft, gum graft, extraction, dental implant, and a temporary crown. The immediate implant healed with the temporary crown in place over the next three months, preparing for the final step.
The permanent solution was a cleverly designed implant crown. The space was narrow, and the patient agreed to let me position the crowns slightly crooked. This made them appear more natural. The result is so seamless it’s tough to pinpoint the implant crowns at all!
In some cases, the best option might be to remove all problematic teeth. But in this instance, I managed to maintain the adjacent teeth. They are stable enough to last with proper oral hygiene.
This case shows how a single implant can effectively support two teeth, merging practicality with a cosmetic and cost-effective tooth.