How Many Dental Implants Do I Need?

How Many Dental Implants Do I Need?

If you have missing teeth, you’re probably wondering how many implants you’ll need to get your smile as good as new. If you have just one missing tooth, the answer is probably an easy one, and the procedure won’t be too daunting. But, what if you’ve lost more than one tooth, or if a whole arch needs to be replaced? You’re probably worried about the complexity of the treatment, how painful it will be and what it’s going to cost you. While the short answer to how many implants you need is ‘it depends’, knowing your options and the available treatments can help to put your mind at ease. 

Why Implant Dentistry?

The first thing to get your head around when it comes to missing teeth is why implant dentistry is used. Other treatments can be used to replace missing teeth such as dentures. However, dental implants are the only long-term solutions for missing teeth that also replace the missing root structure.

A dental implant itself is a titanium screw, which your implant dentist will place directly into your jawbone. By replacing the root of the tooth, your jawbone is stimulated and will gradually fuse to the implant. This not only makes your replacement teeth stronger, but it can restore your facial aesthetics too.  

What Happens If I Only Need to Replace a Few Teeth?

If you’ve only lost one tooth, then you’ll only need one implant to replace your missing tooth. If, on the other hand, you have a few missing teeth, you won’t necessarily need an implant for each one. Dental bridges can be used to bridge the gap between implants. 

However, you’ll need to consult your implant dentist to find out what option is best for you. Your dentist will need to find out if you have enough bone structure in your jaw to support any implants you require. If you don’t have enough bone density, that doesn’t make the procedure impossible, but it does make it more complicated. You may be offered bone grafting as a preliminary procedure to replace and regenerate the lost bone. 

What if I Need to Replace All My Teeth?

If you’re missing a full arch of teeth, you are probably pretty self-conscious about your smile. And, if you’ve got dentures, you may worry whenever you eat, laugh or talk in case they slip out, and they may be far from comfortable. Fortunately, dental implants can be used to replace a whole arch of teeth. However, while you may worry that that means you’ll need over 30 implants, that shouldn’t be the case. 

The number of implants you’ll need will depend on the amount of bone density in your jaw and its overall quality. On average, you’ll need up to ten implants to support a full arch of teeth using traditional dental implants. If you don’t have the bone density needed to support that volume of implants, you may be looking at additional procedures before you can have implants placed. However, it doesn’t have to be that way. The All on 4 technique has revolutionised dental implants for all teeth, so it’s possible to replace a full arch with only four implants. 

The Benefits of All on 4 Dental Implants

While All on 4 dental implants provide the same benefits as traditional implants, preserving your bone structure and restoring your facial aesthetics, they offer several additional advantages:

  • Simpler – as All on 4 dental implants are skillfully positioned to avoid areas of reduced bone density, they can reduce the need for preliminary procedures. That means the treatment is much less invasive, and the healing process is quicker. 
  • Faster – thanks to the strategic positioning of All on 4 dental implants, replacement teeth can be fitted immediately instead of you having to wait for months for your implants to fuse to the jawbone. 
  • Achievable – for some people, a lack of jaw density can mean that conventional implants aren’t a possibility. Thanks to how All on 4 dental implants are positioned, more patients are suitable for the procedure. 

Finding an All on 4 Dentist in Wollongong

If you’re missing more than one tooth, you’ll want to ensure you get the best possible treatment and have access to the most innovative dental implant treatments. When you’re looking for what dentist does implants in Fairy Meadow, consider whether they offer the All on 4 dental implant procedure. That way, you’ll know that, if you do need to replace a lot of teeth, the procedure will be faster and simpler while giving you the perfect set of replacement teeth.