Dental Implants: The Options for Replacing Missing Teeth

Beyond their excellent stability and very natural appearance, dental implants offer another major advantage: versatility. No matter how many teeth are missing, several implant solutions exist to restore your smile—both functionally and aesthetically. Our general dentists, trained to offer complete implantology services, prepared this article to present the replacement options made possible through dental implants.

What is an Implant? How is it Placed?

A dental implant is a small titanium screw. During an in-clinic surgical procedure planned with great precision, the implant is inserted directly into the jawbone. To do this, a small incision is made in the gum, which is then closed with sutures.

The healing phase follows and takes several months. New bone cells form around the implant (osseointegration), allowing it to fuse securely with the jawbone. This is why implants effectively replace the roots of missing teeth by mimicking their natural characteristics.

Implant-Based Replacement Options

Dental implants can serve as anchors for different types of dental restorations.

The Implant Crown

To replace a single missing tooth, an implant can support a dental crown. The crown is a prosthetic tooth made of ceramic using CEREC technology. The implant must be fully healed before the crown is designed and placed. The steps are usually as follows:

• The implant is first placed in the jaw and allowed to heal to ensure proper osseointegration
• A connector (abutment) is then placed on the implant
• Digital impressions of the tooth to be restored and neighbouring teeth are taken using a digital scan
• A 3D model of the crown is designed from the digital impressions and used to fabricate the crown with CEREC technology
• The CEREC crown is designed, fabricated, and placed on the implant—all in a single appointment

The Implant Bridge

An implant bridge can replace up to four adjacent missing teeth using only two implants. A bridge is a prosthetic restoration made of several ceramic replacement teeth. The procedure generally includes:

• Once the two implants are placed and healed, the abutments are installed
• Using impressions, the bridge is designed with CEREC technology or fabricated in a dental laboratory by a denturist; the colour and shape of the teeth are customized to match your natural dentition
• The bridge is then secured onto the implants

This option is effective and minimally invasive. There is no need to reshape the neighbouring teeth, and the stability offered is excellent.

The Implant-Supported Denture

An implant-supported denture can be partial—when several non-adjacent teeth on the same arch are missing—or complete, to replace an entire upper and/or lower arch. The standard procedure includes:

• Typically, 4 to 6 implants are placed in the jaw to support the denture, followed by a healing period
• Abutments are placed and digital impressions of the mouth are taken
• The denture is designed by a denturist in a laboratory, usually made of acrylic and ceramic
• The denture is secured onto the implants and final adjustments are made for comfort, aesthetics, and stability