Champagne Smiles is New Jersey’s Premier Dental Implant Team All Under One Roof™, which means we perform a number of single tooth dental implant procedures every month. This type of restoration involves a dental implant that is surgically implanted into the jaw to replace the root of a missing tooth, a crown to restore the visible portion of your tooth, and an abutment that acts as a connector. To attach these components, we have two options: a screw or cement.
Using Dental Cement to Attach a Crown to a Dental Implant
Dental cement is a tooth-colored material that blends right in with the rest of your crown. It’s often used when we’re working with teeth that show when you smile because it’s an aesthetic option that offers a natural appearance.
As you might guess, dental cement is meant to be permanent. This can present a problem—while your dental implant posts are meant to last a lifetime, the crowns that attach to them may have to be replaced at some point due to wear. When they are cemented onto your implants, crowns are difficult to detach. In most cases, the crown will need to be removed in pieces.
Using a Screw to Attach a Crown to a Dental Implant
Screws offer much more flexibility should you have issues with your crown. The process of removing it is as simple as unscrewing it. If you ever need a different type of restoration—say, an implant-supported bridge or denture—your crown can easily be removed and replaced. If you are getting a same-day dental implant procedure, screws are used to hold your initial dental crown while your permanent one is being made.
The downside when it comes to screw-retained dental crowns is that the metal screw sometimes shows through the crown a bit, similar to how a tooth with a large silver filling looks slightly darker. For this reason, we usually reserve screws for dental implants that are replacing teeth that are not visible when you smile.
Choosing the Right Option for You
The benefit of choosing Champagne Smiles for your dental implants is that we’ll explain all of your options in detail because no treatment plan is complete without your input and understanding. In some circumstances, you may not have a choice between a screw or dental cement because one option is better than the other; when you can choose, we’ll go over the pros and cons of each so you know exactly what to expect.
Unlike other dental practices, we handle the entire dental implant process in-house, which means less hassle and stress for you. All of our doctors are knowledgeable, skilled, gentle, and empathetic. Once your restoration is complete, you’ll have a beautiful crown that looks, functions, and feels just like a natural tooth—a true Champagne Smile!
Learn More About Dental Implants in Monmouth County
If you’re ready to start your journey to better oral health with Dr. Richard Champagne and a truly collaborative and compassionate dental team, contact Champagne Smiles in Morganville, NJ today to schedule your first appointment.
