Dental Implants: How A Dentist Measures You For A Replacement Tooth
One of the most intricate parts of receiving a dental implant is the impression process, requiring your dentist to record the exact specifications of the tooth that will soon be extracted and replaced with the implant. Your dentist, using either a manual or digital method, must create a precise impression of the tooth that will be replaced by a prosthetic (usually ceramic) dental crown that will be bonded to the implant installed in your jaw. What does this involve?
Manual Impressions
You may already have undergone a manual dental impression in the past if you've ever required a dental restoration. The process is similar when a dental implant is the end result. Your dentist must apply a molding material to the tooth, which then creates a hollow in the molding material, and this hollow replicates the exact shape, size, and individual contours of the tooth.
Manual Materials
There are numerous types of manual molding materials available, and it's likely that your dentist will use a silicone-based agent with hydrophilic properties. This means it reacts to moisture (such as saliva in your mouth), which results in a more accurate impression of the tooth's contours. The molding material isn't simply pasted over the tooth either, as more accuracy is needed. An applicator tray will be placed in your mouth, and the pliable molding material will then be injected into the tray to encompass the tooth in question. You'll need to gently bite down for several minutes to create the impression.
Digital Impressions
No manual molding materials are needed when digital modeling is used. Your dentist may need to apply tiny reflective granules to the tooth, which is then scanned with a small handheld device. This reflective dust allows the wavelength light of the scanner to pinpoint the contours of the tooth from various angles, which are then combined to create a highly accurate, digital 3D model of the tooth. From a patient's point of view, a digital impression is usually preferable to a manual mold.
Necessary Care
It might seem odd to take such care to create a model of a tooth that will promptly be extracted to make way for the dental implant and its prosthetic tooth, but this is the process. The dental implant's titanium alloy screw and its abutment will also be integrated into the design of your new dental crown. This ensures that when the final prosthetic crown is attached to the implant, it sits at the correct height in your dental arch.
The prosthetic crown attached to a dental implant should be a replica of the tooth it's replacing. This is why a great deal of precision is needed when taking an impression of the tooth—after which point the tooth can be extracted and replaced with your new implant.