How Many Dental Implants Will My Smile Need to Be Whole Again?

To the untrained eye, many smiles can look identical, but the reality is that each is unique, and a solution for one may not work for another. You may have one or several missing teeth in your smile—you may have no teeth left at all! When you consider replacing your teeth with dental implants, you may worry about how many you’ll need. Obviously, your restoration needs to replace all teeth, but you may think you need an implant post for each missing tooth. That’s not always true! In this article, you’ll learn generally about how many dental implants you may require based on your situation.

Single Implant with a Crown

One missing tooth can still wreak havoc for the rest of your smile. Without replacement, your remaining teeth will shift to fill in the gap, changing your bite, creating gaps elsewhere in the arch, and possibly leading to additional tooth loss because of jawbone deterioration. Although a dental bridge can maintain the spacing of teeth, it requires reducing nearby teeth to stabilize the prosthetic.

Just one dental implant post can replace the single missing root and is restored with a dental crown—just like a real tooth in need of repair. Mirroring nature in structure, the implant looks and feels lifelike and keeps the jawbone as well as your other teeth strong and where they belong. As an added bonus, none of the surrounding teeth are negatively affected.

Two Implants with a Dental Bridge

When single gaps are spread out in the arch, individual implants may be required; however, if you have multiple lost teeth in a row, you may be able to replace them with fewer posts. Say, for instance, you have three adjacent missing teeth. A smart strategy your dentist may use is to place one implant post on each side of the gap and attach a dental bridge. Three replacement teeth for the price of two!

Four to Eight Implants with a Full-Arch Implant Denture

What if you no longer have any of your 32 adult teeth? Fortunately, you do not need nearly that many implants. With just four to eight strategically placed posts in each arch, implant dentures compensate for a person’s complete smile. These posts keep nutrients and strength coming to the jawbone for the long term, which means that these prosthetics last longer than traditional ones. Plus, when they are attached to these implants, implant dentures provide substantially greater security and biting power.

Ultimately, dental implants can be customized to each patient with lost teeth. Based on your individual needs, you and your dentist can create a treatment plan that makes your smile whole and uniquely yours again.

About the Practice

At Harris Parkway Dental Care, Dr. Rasheed Zahawi and Dr. Yaritza Vasquez are proud to offer complete treatment in one dental office. In other words, they can place as well as restore implants. Appointments and care are always personalized to the patient’s needs. To schedule a dental implant consultation with us, reach out to our Fort Worth office online or call us at 817-423-2223.