ImplantBack-tooth implant · Dental implant
- Teeth next to it
- Not trimmed
- Duration
- A few months
- Waiting
- Until it bonds to the bone
- After treatment
- Gum care
- Front teeth
- Explained separately
- Cost
- Explained after your exam
An implant fills only the gap where a tooth was lost, without trimming the teeth next to it. A screw is placed in the bone and a tooth is built on top. It does not just sit there; the screw bonds to the bone.
You have to wait for the screw to bond to the bone, so it takes a few months. After treatment, your gums need care for life.
Front teeth go through the same steps, but the gum shape also has to match, so we explain them separately. When back teeth are missing, the front teeth take on the chewing force instead.
Why an implant
The teeth next to it are not trimmedHealthy teeth are not used as bridge supports. Only the gap is filled.
It chews like your own toothBecause it is bonded to the bone, it holds up differently from something that just sits on top. That is also why you need to wait for it to bond.
It also protects your front teethWhen a back tooth is missing, the front teeth take that force instead. Looking only at the front teeth will not protect them.
How an implant works
The teeth next to it are not trimmed. How long treatment takes depends on how long it takes to bond to the bone.
- 01
We check the bone and gums
First we check whether the spot can support an implant. If the gums and bone are weak, that treatment comes before the screw.
- 02
We place the screw
A screw is placed where the tooth was lost. It is not set on top; it is made to bond to the bone.
- 03
We wait for it to bond
This takes a few months. Most of the treatment time is this wait.
- 04
We build the tooth
Once the screw has bonded, the chewing part is placed on top. After that, your gums need care for life.
How to fill a gap from a missing tooth
A gap from a missing tooth can be filled without removing anything from the teeth next to it. We start with where the tooth is missing.
Reducing the neighboring teeth to bridge the gap
One option is to reduce the healthy teeth on both sides of the gap and connect them like a bridge. Wonjin Dental Clinic does not offer this treatment, because it means reducing healthy teeth.
Placed only where the tooth is missing
Only the gap is filled, with nothing removed from the neighboring teeth. It takes a few months because we wait for it to fuse with the bone, and after that you need lifelong gum care.
For front teeth, the gum is matched too
The placement process is the same, but front teeth are different because they are visible. If the gum shape is even slightly different, that tooth stands out. That makes it harder.
The supporting gum and bone come first
If the bone and gum cannot hold, the implanted tooth is the first to loosen. Looking only at the front teeth is not enough to protect them.
How long does it take?
It takes a few months. You have to wait for it to bond to the bone, so please tell us about your schedule first.
Is it the same for front teeth?
The placement steps are the same. Front teeth are the most demanding because the gum shape also has to match. We cover front teeth on a separate page.
What about trimming the teeth next to it and joining them?
That is an option, but it means trimming healthy teeth. This page covers treatment that fills only the gap.
My back tooth is missing. Why talk about front teeth?
Your front teeth may be taking that force right now. If only the front teeth are fixed and the back-tooth gap is left empty, the same force comes back.
