Missing Tooth is a Handicap

Mrs. Wang had polio when she was a child.  One leg is paralyzed.  She uses the good leg for walking.  As she gets old, the good leg cannot handle her daily life.  She has to use a crutch.  Furthermore, she has severe backache due to overuse of the used-to-be good leg. 

On the other hand, she has good oral hygiene.  Her teeth are perfect except one.  A bottom front tooth (Fig.1 #26) has an infection (>).  The tooth has lost bone (Fig.2 *) and becomes longer (arrow).  She does not want a bad tooth to ruin her whole mouth.  When the tooth is diagnosed to be unable to be saved, she chooses extraction and immediate implant (Fig.3 I) without hesitation.  After placing bone powder around the implant (Fig.3 *), a temporary crown is made on the top of the implant immediately (Fig.4 T).  The new tooth looks harmonious in her mouth.  She is not a dental handicap, anymore.

Ms. Wang returns for permanent crown fabrication 4 months after surgery.  She is pleased with the result, saying that the neighboring teeth become stronger after the implant.  The gums around the implant temporary crown (Fig.5 T) are healthy.  The bone powder (Fig.3 *) appears to have become part of her own jaw bone (Fig.6 *).

Return to Implant

Xin Wei, DDS, PhD, MS 1st edition 03/10/2015, last revision 07/09/2015