implants bridge

Case Study: Smile Makeover with Bridge and Dental Implants Scottsdale

Author: PV Smiles Reem Kidess | Posted on with comments

From going to the gym to styling his hair, Mark was a man in his 40’s, full of character, who always took great care in making sure that he always looked his best.

When Mark came to us, his top teeth were spreading and his bottom teeth were developing gaps between the teeth. This was caused by what is called a “labial flare,” where the teeth begin to flare out or spread toward the lips. Along with the labial flare, he also had some old dental work that needed attention. Mark’s top four front teeth were bridged between his left and right upper laterals. Both laterals had previously undergone root canals, and both posts were now fractured, which greatly threatened the integrity of the bridge. The damage had progressed enough to the point where pushing on it with his tongue caused those teeth to move.

Before and After with Bridge and Dental Implants

To fix his deteriorating bridge, Mark’s options included getting a removable bridge/partial, implementing an even wider bridge using his canines (not recommended), or dental implants paired with an implant bridge. Mark decided he was interested in trying the dental implant options, but first, he needed to seek orthodontic treatment to close the gaps and fix the labial flare in his bottom row of teeth.

Once the orthodontic treatment was complete, Mark came back to begin implant treatment. We first removed his broken teeth and performed a ridge augmentation to thicken his gums in preparation for the implants. During the healing period, Mark was given a temporary partial bridge in place of his front teeth.

Dental Implants and bridgeWhen Mark returned for his next visit, we put in two lateral implants and affixed them to a bridge implant for his two front teeth. Using an ovate Pontic design for the bridge enabled us to give him a more natural look, in that his front teeth appeared to emerge from the gums instead of just resting on the gums like a traditional bridge. We also used composite bonding to build up his worn-down canines for better chewing functionality. More on dental implants.

Three years later, Mark is still very pleased with the results.