The canines and incisors at the front of your mouth are located in the “smile zone.” If these teeth are lost, you can replace them with dental implants. However, it takes careful planning by a skilled oral surgeon to achieve natural-looking anterior implant aesthetics.

What Are Anterior Implant Aesthetics?

Dental implants and the restorations they support consist of many different parts. The implant itself is usually titanium metal, although light-colored materials like zirconia are becoming more readily available. However the success rate of zirconia implants is much lower.  If the surrounding soft tissue is too thin, a dark shadow may show through the gums where the implant is situated.

An abutment connects the implant and restoration. The material, size, and shape of the abutment must be carefully selected to ensure nothing is visible but the prosthetic teeth. The prosthetic teeth themselves must also be carefully crafted to match the surrounding teeth and complement skin tone and other facial features. Without careful consideration for all these factors, the result could be an unnatural looking smile that leaves patients feeling as self-conscious as they were before.

How Are Anterior Implant Aesthetics Achieved?

The best way to achieve anterior implant esthetics is to remove the tooth and place the implant at the same appointment into the extraction socket.  An oral surgeon begins by taking detailed scans of the mouth and selecting the best placement for the implant based on bone density, amount of soft tissue, and other health factors.

A minimum 2mm thickness of bone around an implant is needed for long term success.  Unfortunately in the anterior, ~97% of people have 1mm or less of thickness. Thus a bone graft is often indicated to increase the thickness of bone. Soft tissue grafts may also be necessary to ensure adequate gingival thickness.

If you are missing one or more teeth in the smile zone and want to replace them with dental implants, trust Lyle C. Yanagihara, DDS, MS, in Honolulu, HI. An oral surgeon with extensive experience in implant dentistry, Dr. Yanagihara will take care of all your surgical needs, whether you need bone grafting, wisdom tooth extraction, or jaw surgery. Call (808) 973-1433 to schedule a consultation, and visit the website for more information on how he can help you.