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Wyomissing Hills
Reading, PA 19609 (610) 678-4531
Dr. Richard Shanaman, D.D.S, P.C : Tooth Loss And Implants
Lower Fixed-Detachable Prosthesis
This patient lost her teeth in her 20's. Because the bone loss on the lower jaw was much worse than the upper jaw, a fixed
bridge first described by the Branemark group in Sweden was placed on the lower jaw.
Fortunately, the bone loss on the upper jaw was not as severe. Using bone regeneration, implants were placed that could be restored as a crown & bridge type prosthesis.
Bar-Retained Overdenture
Here, an alternative implant prosthesis is used which often requires implants. This removable prosthesis can be used for
both the upper and lower jaw.
In this example of an upper overdenture, a custom-made gold
bar is made to attach to the implants with screws. A denture
that does not require plastic to cover the palate as in a
traditional denture, is fabricated to hold fast to the bar.
Ball Attachment Overdenture
This case also shows an alternative implant prosthesis
requiring less bone and only two to three implants. As in Case 2, this approach, involving a removable prosthesis, can be used on
the upper or lower jaw.
Implants Without Bone Regeneration
If a tooth or teeth are lost and most of the bone remains,
implant placement can help preserve the bony ridge and bone regeneration is not required. In the top example, the implant replacing the molar was accomplished a few months after extraction of the tooth.
In the bottom example, both molars were replaced with
implants before excessive bone loss occured.
Crown and Bridge Prosthesis
Even if all teeth have been lost, but dentures have not been
worn for too long a period of time, sufficient bone can remain
to place implants and restore them with a crown and bridge
type prosthesis. Note the natural appearance of these implant
bridges in both the lower and upper jaw.
Bone Grafting
Should tooth replacement with implants be accomplished after significant bone loss, regeneration (bone graft) will be required.
It may be possible to grow enough bone so placing and
restoring implants can proceed as if bone had never been lost.
Bone Grafting
Observe the narrow lower ridge which was made wider using bone regeneration at the time of implant placement.
This allowed for a natural-looking emergence of the implant crowns from the gum.
