A permanent solution using a dental implant and bone regeneration

This patient attended our clinic with a very loose and infected central incisor. This tooth had previously had a post crown and over the years the tooth had become more compromised resulting in gum recession and the development of an infection. From the clinical presentation it is apparant that the patient has had reparative restorative treatment carried out on this tooth in an attempt to mask the recession over the years. This may have bought the patient added time however, the situation had become worse as such treatments to ‘mask’ infections and recession are never long term solutions.

During the patient’s consultation, we provided a CBCT scan to further assess the UR1 and associated bone anatomy. We found that the longstanding infection within this tooth had resulted in severe bone loss affecting this area of the mouth.

We were still able to replace the tooth with a dental implant by providing the patient with a bone graft to increase the bone volume. We were able to rebuold the bone to 3 times the volume it was before. This was all done during the same surgical procedure. Therefore, the tooth removal, implant placement and bone grafting were all carried out during the same procedure. An immediate temporary tooth was fitted at the end of the surgery to ensure that the patient always had his front tooth.

Following 3 months of healing, the final tooth is screwed into the dental implant to provide the patient with a strong replacement tooth. The aesthetics are closely matched to the adjacent teeth and this tooth should provide our patient with a reliable long term solution to his longstanding dental problem.

We have treated the infection and replaced the failing tooth which will improve the long term health of the adjacent teeth. By replacing the deficient bone we have also ensured the long term stability of the implant health, gum health and bone health in this region of the mouth.

The patient has undergone a major dental procedure however, we have provided it in a way to minimise the disruption this could have on his social and working life. By minmimising the number of surgical treatments to one, the healing time for the patient is significantly reduced. By providing an immediate replacement tooth the patient can continue with normal life straight after the surgical treatment.

Thank you for reading

Mohsin Patel