Single Tooth Implant
A dental implant provides several advantages over other tooth replacement options. In addition to looking and functioning like a natural tooth, a dental implant replaces a single tooth without damaging neighboring teeth. What used to be the common treatment for the loss of a single tooth is that a tooth-supported fixed bridge requires that adjacent teeth be cut down to support the cemented bridge.
Because a dental implant will replace your tooth root, the bone is better preserved. With a bridge, some of the bone that previously surrounded the tooth begins to resorb (shrink). Dental implants integrate with your jawbone, helping to keep the bone healthy and intact.
In the long term, a single implant can be more natural looking and easier to keep clean than a bridge. Gums can recede around a bridge, leaving the dark visible metal base or collar of the bridge exposed. Resorbed bone beneath the bridge can lead to an unattractive smile. And, the cement holding the bridge in place can wash out, allowing bacteria to decay the natural part of the remaining teeth that anchor the bridge.