A

conventional fixed bridges. The future

should see many more implant treatments

replacing single and double missing teeth,

and fewer bridges, and these procedures

will largely be performed by general dentists.

Conventional bridging requires "the

optional sacrificing" of the long-term health

of tooth structures, resulting in premature

tooth loss. Pulp tissue, periodontal health,

and structural strength are all irreversibly

compromised whenever a bridge procedure

is performed.

lmost all general dentists believe

that a fixed conventional bridge is

still the standard of care today for

a single missing tooth. The successful

use of dental implants to restore one

or more missing teeth has made this belief

no longer true. The paradigm shift is on the

horizon for general dentists where they

need to think out of the box and must present

a more balanced and updated risk-benefit

analysis of treatments to enable our

patients to continue to receive the best and

the healthiest possible treatment. The future

should see many more implant treatments

replacing one or more missing teeth, and

fewer bridges, and these procedures should

largely be performed by general dentists as

this treatment is not difficult to perform,

and it offers superior health advantages

compared with bridging.

The success of implant therapy begins

with meticulous treatment planning and

properly performed implant placement.

Treatment planning is the key to success for

all implant related procedures.

Implants can provide an alternate

method of restoring the missing teeth with

ease and simplicity without compromising

the adjacent natural teeth.

A solid integrated malaligned implant is

a prosthetic failure in terms of clinical

usage. Experience tells us that not all clinical

situations are ideal. Treatment circumstances

at times necessitate the replacement

of soft-tissue contours, or in some instances

the placement of additional implants may

not be an option and a fixed restoration not

feasible.

Fixed replacement options in areas of

one or more missing teeth are limited to