What Is a Single Dental Implant?
If you are missing just one tooth, a single dental implant may be the ideal solution. Here is what it involves.
A single dental implant replaces one missing tooth. It has three parts:
- The implant post β a titanium screw that is placed into the jawbone where the missing tooth's root used to be
- The abutment β a small connector piece that attaches to the top of the implant post and holds the crown
- The crown β a custom-made artificial tooth that looks and functions like your natural tooth
- A single implant is ideal if:
- You are missing one tooth (from injury, decay, or extraction)
- You have enough bone in that area to support the implant
- Your neighboring teeth are healthy and you want to keep them that way
- You want a permanent solution rather than a bridge or partial denture
- Looks and feels like your natural tooth
- No one will be able to tell it is an implant
- You can chew and bite normally on that tooth
- The implant stimulates the bone to prevent bone loss
Unlike a dental bridge, a single implant does not rely on neighboring teeth for support. It stands alone, which means your healthy adjacent teeth are left untouched.