Studio Dentistico Associato - Dr.Stasi - Dr.ssa Tozzi - Dr.ssa G. Stasi

In preimplantology days, a single tooth was replaced by a bridge. This meant the preparation of the gap's two adjacent teeth ( photo to the right ). This method, which at the time was routine and without alternative, is today reckoned to be deleterious, especially if the teeth are healthy and cavities free: the "grinding" of a healthy tooth causes its permanent and irreversible damage, that is, the tooth thereafter must be covered permanently with a crown. Presently the missing tooth can be replaced by an implant without damaging the neighbouring teeth: the single implant is inserted in place of the lost tooth, a temporary prosthesis is built on it first and a porcelain crown later. The following photo sequence shows the actual procedure for the replacement of a badly damaged premolar, by extraction, with the application of an implant and a temporary premolar soon after.

Once, the professional replacement: a missing incisor was replaced with a bridge after preparation (grinding) of the entirely healthy adjacent teeth.

To-day, no adjacent teeth preparation is necessary: the Patient shown in the following photos has a premolar reduced to root residue that has to be extracted ( external and inner oral views ).

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The Patient's x-ray ortopanoramic before the root extraction (black arrow). The same mouth presents previous prosthetic treatments executed with different procedures: a traditional bridge (red arrow) realized in preimplantlogy time: missing molar and premolar, replaced instead ( green arrows ) with porcelain teeth on two implants ( down below ) and on one implant ( above ). All this without grinding the adjacent teeth.

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The radiography after root extraction and positioning of an implant ( arrow ).

A B

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The temporary immediately after the operation. Photo A external view, photo B inner-oral view.

In less than an hour the patient walks out with a temporary tooth. The permanent porcelain tooth will be fitted after healing.