Dark Tooth Replaced with a Dental Implant

The upper right central incisor had been previously treated with root canal therapy. This treatment may often lead to a dark root. This gentleman was unhappy with the gradual recession that displayed more and more of the dark root.

After considering the various alternatives he decided to have the tooth removed and replace it with a dental implant.

Following the removal of the tooth, we placed a titanium fixture in place of the root at the same time and allowed for healing before the next stage.

Healing occurs through a process called ‘osseointegration’, – the bond that forms by the natural biological process of the bone adhering to the titanium surface, which takes approximately 12 weeks.

In this case, we placed a ‘Healing Abutment’ over the fixture during healing, as seen in the first sequence picture, and the patient wore a temporary removable replacement bridge. However, it is more commonplace at our Melbourne clinic to connect an immediate temporary crown to the dental implant whenever possible. This means the tooth comes out, the fixture goes in and a provisional implant crown is connected at the same time.

After 12 weeks of healing, we connected a Zirconia abutment to the implant, as seen in the second sequence picture, and fitted a permanent crown, as seen in the 3rd sequence x-ray.