Most of the time when we mention “restoration” or “reconstruction”, we think about repairing or replacing damaged, broken, or missing teeth. But dental implant restoration is a separate and final phase of the implant process.
Understanding the Parts of a Dental Implant
Every dental implant has three parts: the implant, the abutment, and the restoration on top of the abutment.
Dental Implants:
The implant is the “root” portion of your new replacement tooth. It’s set inside of the bone, adjacent to any other healthy teeth that you still have. It’s made out of biocompatible materials so that your bone will grow and fuse around the implant, stabilizing it like a natural tooth. Once an implant is fully integrated with the bone, it’s physically stronger than an anatomical tooth.
Implant Abutment:
The abutment is a small extension that screws into the top of your dental implant and comes up above the gums, providing a base for your restoration. After your dental implant is fully integrated with your jawbone, our Long Island dentists will need to uncover the top of the implant. This is completed by making an extremely small incision in your gum tissue to reveal the top of the implant, about 3-6 months after it was installed. Without an abutment, it’s impossible to attach the visible “tooth” portion of your implant.
Implant Restoration:
Now comes the final stage of the implant process, the restoration phase. At this point, our Long Island dentists make special impressions of your bite with the abutment in place. These molds are used by our lab to craft a fixed restoration on top of the implant. In other words, we create the functional and aesthetic “tooth” that you want to see whenever you’re smiling. The restoration goes on top of the implant, but it is not part of the implant itself.
Types of Implant Restorations
There are several different types of implant restorations to choose from. The type you need will depend on how many teeth are missing and the number of implants in that place.
For example, our Suffolk County dentists will recommend a ceramic or porcelain crown if you’re only replacing one tooth. The crown fits over your implant abutment similar to the way it would if we were repairing a broken or worn tooth.
Another common implant restoration is a fixed bridge. Implant bridges can replace 3-4 teeth at a time and only need two implants to support them (one on either end of the bridge.) Wearing an implant bridge prevents the need for a partial.
There are also full-mouth variations of implant restorations available on the market. Such as overdentures or “clip on” dentures and “All on” styles that go on top of 4-6 implants.
Implant Restoration in Suffolk County
Our highly experienced team offers multi-specialty general dentistry services like dental implant placement and restoration in Long Island. Call Sachem Dental Group today to reserve your consultation with our dental implant providers.
