Dental implants are among the most sophisticated methods of dental restoration today, as they look and function very similarly to natural teeth. But can you replace incisors with dental implants? In this article, we address this question and other common dental implant-related topics.
Replacing incisors with implants can restore both the appearance and function of your smile, improving your confidence and ability to bite naturally. Understanding how dental implants work for front teeth can help you make an informed decision about your treatment options.
Can You Replace Incisors with Dental Implants?
Incisors are teeth that are located at the front of the mouth. They are mainly used for biting and tearing food, and have a sharp shape well-suited to this purpose. Additionally, incisors play a significant part in speech and determine the appearance of your smile.
Dental implants are a standard and reliable method of restoring missing incisors, providing a natural look, function, and durability. The advantages of replacing missing front teeth with dental implants as opposed to other types of dental restorations include:
- Dental implants are placed directly into the jawbone and fuse with it over time, making them very stable, secure, and able to withstand significant pressure from biting food. In fact, dental implants can provide up to 95% of the biting force of our natural teeth. In comparison, dentures that can also replace incisors provide only around 20% of the natural biting force.
- Crowns that are attached to dental implants are typically made of porcelain or zirconia. Both these materials have a slight translucency, similar to that of our natural teeth. On top of that, the shade of porcelain and zirconia crowns can be matched to the shade of your natural teeth.
- Dental implants are the only method of restoration that helps prevent bone resorption (a decrease in jawbone density due to tooth loss) by stimulating the jawbone, as natural teeth do. As a result, dental implants also prevent changes in facial structure often caused by bone resorption.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Replacing Missing Incisors with Dental Implants?
If you plan to replace incisors with dental implants, it’s important to understand the factors that determine whether you’re a good candidate for the procedure. Generally, dental implant surgeries are safe and have a high success rate of 95% or higher. However, unfortunately, not everyone is a good candidate for dental implants. In some cases, your doctor might advise you against the procedure or recommend additional treatments before you can have dental implants. Requirements for successful dental implant surgery include:
- Good general health and sufficient capacity for regeneration. Some conditions, such as certain types of cancer that affect bone density, immunity deficiency, blood coagulation issues, or diabetes, can increase the risk of implant failure or make the procedure undesirable.
- Good oral health and absence of inflammatory or infectious conditions in the mouth. Bacterial infections can contaminate the surgery site, increasing the risk of implant failure or causing complications. Additionally, gum disease—a chronic infection of the gum tissue—can also affect the jawbone and destroy its structure, making implant placement impossible. All mouth infections must be treated or controlled before surgery can be performed.
- Sufficient density of the jawbone to support the implants. As we mentioned before, a decrease in jawbone density can occur due to bone resorption caused by prolonged tooth loss or gum disease. In many cases, procedures such as bone and gum grafting are available to patients with insufficient jawbone density. They are performed several months before the implant placement and prompt bone regeneration.
Get Dental Implants at TruGlo Modern Dental Beverly Hills
Do not hesitate to schedule a consultation with an experienced dentist at TruGlo Modern Dental Beverly Hills if you are considering dental implants. Our specialists use modern methods and high-quality materials to deliver reliable tooth replacement solutions to our clients. We are looking forward to your visit.
