Saved her life with a tooth, apparently!
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Before
After
I had the pleasure of working with a remarkably cooperative and cheerful patient, despite their understandable nervousness, who came to us after experiencing a failed root canal treatment on the upper left lateral incisor. The infection beneath the tooth was quite extensive, and the patient had lost a significant amount of bone in the area, making it unsuitable for immediate implant placement.
To address this complex case, we took a phased approach. Initially, we had to graft the site with a bone graft after extracting the infected tooth. We then provided the patient with a temporary Resin-bonded bridge, often referred to as a "sticky bridge." This temporary bridge served as a functional solution while we allowed the bone graft to fully integrate into the patient's natural bone over a period of six months.
Following the successful integration of the bone graft, we were able to proceed with placing an implant into the prepared site. This step, too, required patience, with an additional 5-6 month wait for the implant to integrate, especially considering the substantial defect in the area.
Ultimately, we successfully replaced the lost tooth with an implant crown, much to the delight of the patient. This case illustrates the significance of a well-planned and patient-centered approach, where collaboration between the dental team and a cooperative patient can lead to a successful outcome, even in complex cases.
See in action
Patient Background:
The patient was remarkably cooperative and cheerful but somewhat nervous.
The patient sought dental assistance after a failed attempt at root canal treatment on the upper left lateral incisor.
Extensive infection was present beneath the tooth, and the patient had lost a significant amount of bone in the area.
The site was unsuitable for immediate implant placement.
Patient Concerns:
Did not want to wear a denture or have a gap , wanted a fixed temporary option while bone graftinga nd implants were planned.
Treatment:
The treatment plan involved several stages to address the complex situation:
Extraction of the problematic tooth.
Bone grafting of the site to prepare it for future implant placement.
Provision of a temporary Resin-bonded bridge or "sticky bridge" during the healing phase of the bone graft.
A waiting period of 6 months was observed for the bone graft to fully integrate into the patient's own bone.
Following successful graft integration, an implant was placed into the site, and another waiting period of 5-6 months was necessary for the implant to integrate, considering the substantial bone defect.
Outcome:
The lost tooth was successfully replaced with an implant crown.
The patient was delighted with the outcome.
This case illustrates the importance of a multi-step approach in addressing complex dental issues, such as failed root canal treatment and significant bone loss. The patient's cooperation and patience throughout the process contributed to the successful restoration of their smile and dental function.