Restorative Dentistry
Implant Retained Crowns in Los Angeles
The part of the implant you can actually see.
An implant is a titanium post in the jaw. The crown is what makes it a tooth. Smile LA Downtown Modern Dentistry makes both parts here, so the fit and the shade are decided together rather than by two offices.
Two parts
Where the crown fits in
Replacing a single missing tooth with an implant is two things joined together: the post placed in the bone, and the crown fitted onto it. People tend to use the word implant for the whole assembly, but the implant proper is the part nobody ever sees — the crown is what makes it a tooth. Completing an implant is one of the standard reasons a crown gets made, and it is the stage at which months of planning becomes something visible. Doing both parts in the same office matters more than it sounds: the shade, the shape and the way the crown meets the gum are decided against the tooth in front of us, not passed between two practices working from notes.
- The implant A titanium post that acts as an artificial tooth root, anchored in the jaw. See dental implants.
- The crown Custom-made and matched to the surrounding teeth in shape and color, so it reads as one of them.
- Digital impressions Captured with a scanner rather than a tray, which is what gives the precise fit.
Against a bridge
Why a crown on an implant, rather than a bridge
An implant retained crown does not require altering the healthy teeth on either side of the gap. A traditional bridge does — two teeth are crowned to replace one. Where the neighbors are sound, that is the strongest argument for the implant route.
Where more than one tooth is missing
Several implants can each carry their own crown, or a smaller number can support a bridge or a denture across a longer span. Which is appropriate depends on how many teeth are gone and on the bone underneath, which is what the 3D scan is for.
Implant Retained Crowns FAQ
- Is the crown part of the implant?
- It is a separate piece fitted onto it. The implant is the post in the bone; the crown is the tooth on top.
- Will it match my other teeth?
- Yes — it is custom-crafted to match the surrounding teeth in shape and color.
- Why not just have a bridge?
- A bridge requires crowning the healthy teeth either side of the gap. An implant crown stands on its own.
- What if several teeth are missing?
- Then an implant-supported bridge or denture may carry the span on fewer implants. It depends on the number of teeth and the bone available.
