Esthetic Implant Treatment using Single Tooth Implants and
Zirconia Frameworks

Single tooth implants have become one of the main uses of implants. The predictability of implant dentistry has become so routine that single tooth implants are now the preferred method of restoring a single tooth, surpassing fixed bridges and dentures.

New materials, such as zirconia abutments (that go from the implant into the mouth to anchor the tooth) are more esthetic and biocompatible than ever before. While zirconia abutments are still technically metal, they are white, which gives us more flexibility esthetically when we are working with thin, translucent gum tissues.

A front tooth implant crown with zirconia abutment after ten years in service.  Note the natural dark melanin pigmentation and health of the gums. There is an imperceptible line between the zirconia abutment and the zirconia crown.

In the past, a 3 – tooth bridge was the best Dentistry could do to replace a lost tooth.  While this is still an excellent choice for many people and situations, it has some serious drawbacks. 

They include capping (making crowns) the teeth on either side of the lost tooth, which can render them more likely to have future decay and possibly root canal treatment.  They also will make it more difficult to floss the area, since they are all connected.

Single tooth implants with zirconia abutments allow us to replace the lost tooth without touching the adjacent teeth, making the area easier to clean, and keeping the adjacent teeth intact and less likely to have future difficulties.

Photos of a single implant crown and zirconia abutment over
ten years after placement. Blue arrows point to implant crown.

Single tooth implants with zirconia abutments are now the preferred method to replace a missing tooth.  If the tooth is still there and needs to be extracted due to decay or gum disease, a single tooth implant can sometimes be placed the same day with a temporary tooth already on it! 

It depends on many factors, such as the amount and density of the surrounding bone, the mobility of the adjacent teeth, and the overall health of your mouth.  If bone is insufficient to place a single tooth implant with a zirconia abutment, a bone graft can be placed to replace or expand the volume of bone in the region, and the implant placed later, after a healing period. 

Photos of an upper zirconia framework and a lower zirconia framework replacing full upper and lower teeth in an all-on-four treatment fashion. Implants and restorations were performed on a 90 + year old woman with the strongest bite I have ever seen!

Zirconia frameworks are also being used when multiple teeth, or even when all teeth need to be replaced.  They are completely white or pink, and have the ability to be used even in difficult cases to replace unsightly gray metal substructures.  With a competent technician’s wizardry, they can be made with an unprecedented level of esthetics. 

They are CAD CAM (Computer Aided Design Computer Aided Manufacture) milled from made a single block of zirconia so they have a level of accuracy that we have never seen before in implant dentistry. 

This technology is being used to manufacture conventional tooth supported bridges and bridges with conventional metal substructures.

Book Your Consultation Today

Find out if single tooth implants in NYC are the right solution for your tooth loss and decay. Contact us today to schedule an appointment and gain the confidence back to live your life to the fullest, with a beautiful healthy smile.

To learn more about single tooth implants in NYC, Zirconia implants in NYC, or alternative options, or to book an appointment for a treatment plan, we welcome you to contact the Dental Implant Center NYC at 212-799-6900.

We welcome you to watch the following videos for more information

Temporary Flipper

Adhesive Bridge (Maryland Bridge)

Vertical Root Fracture

Faild Large Filling

Pre-Op: Dental Surgery

Post-Op Instructions for Fixed-Hybrid Denture Placement

Osteotome Sinus Lift with Implant Placement

Bridge Versus an Implant

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