Cosmetic Dentistry Directory Blog

Thanks to the enormous benefits of computers in dentistry, there are many new procedures and techniques we can choose from. If you have any missing teeth, it would be important to fill the gap as soon as possible. When the gap is left for too long, the surrounding teeth start to drift out of position and into the gap because they have no tooth there to hold them in position.

Dental implants are a way to fill the tooth gap and also the gap in the bone left by the lost tooth root. Traditionally, implants are first positioned in the bone, but no tooth is attached until the bone has had several months to grow closely in around the implant and make it part of itself. This creates a sturdy and durable anchor for the new tooth.

Then in a second procedure, a small projection is attached to the top of the implant. It is partly beneath the gums and partly visible above them. After about two weeks for the gums to heal, there is a third procedure to attach the new tooth to the projection - called an abutment.

How Teeth in an Hour™ Works
Teeth in an Hour™ is much faster. Your cosmetic dentist will first use Computerized Tomography (CT scanning) to obtain clear and detailed images of your teeth, their roots, and the jawbone. They will be images from several perspectives for a comprehensive view of the area. This is done in a preliminary visit.

Then using 3-D imaging software, he or she will design and fine-tune your implant and its new tooth. The CT scans viewed and analyzed by the software provide very precise measurements so your dentist can go ahead and make your new tooth and its implant before you return for another visit.

When you come for that second visit, the implant and tooth can be placed permanently in about an hour. There is no waiting for the bone to heal or an abutment to be placed. It is all done in this one procedure and you will spend far less time in the dental chair. When you leave, you will have a pearly porcelain tooth permanently anchored where before you had two gaps.

If you would like to consult an experienced implant dentist in your area, please use the map below or the "Find a Dentist" navigation above.