Front Tooth Implant
A front tooth implant looks and feels just like a natural tooth, and can be made to look beautiful. The implant is made of a screw body that is implanted in the upper jaw, and then once healed, a ceramic crown is attached to the implant to make it look and function like a real tooth.
What is a front tooth implant?
Afront tooth implant is generally preferred over other types of front tooth alternatives such as a bridge or a removable partial denture, often called a flipper. Patients who want to have full function and also have a beautiful smile often choose front tooth implants over all other solutions. Front tooth implants are the ideal clinical solution for a missing front tooth as the implant helps preserve bone in the area, and prevents a bone defect which can be very visible on a patient when smiling.
Front tooth implants are also durable and strong, which will mimic the same biting force and functionality as a natural tooth has. Lastly, front tooth implants tend to be the most esthetic and beautiful solution as they prevent gingival recession and additional damage to adjacent teeth such as in the case of a front tooth bridge.
Dr. May is an expert in front tooth implants, specifically using Zirconia Implants
Zirconia implants are Dr. May’s career passion and clinical expertise, with one of the highest front tooth zirconia implants placed in the USA.
More than any other implant placing dentist, Natural Dentistry Center performs front tooth zirconia implant surgery placement and restorations with extremely esthetic and natural clinical restorative results.
- Front Tooth Zirconia Implants
- Full Mouth Zirconia Implant Cases
- Root Canal Replacement with Zirconia Implants
What is a front tooth dental implant?
Front tooth implants placed to replace front upper or lower teeth due to infection, trauma or infected root canals are considered specifically the most difficult implants to place and restore. The reasons for extreme difficulty and expertise in front tooth implant placement include: thin bone compared to jaw bone around molars, the gingiva / gum line is very sensitive to surgery and could easily recede if not handled properly, gingiva is typically thinner than other areas of the mouth and implant show through is higher risk, dental implants in the front tooth area are more likely to fail due to bone type and bite forces.
The most difficult aspect of front tooth ceramic implant expertise is the requirement for highly esthetic results are which allow the zirconia implant dentist like Dr. May barely any margin of error. Front tooth zirconia implant placement requires a highly surgically skilled and restoratively experienced biological dentist like Dr. May.
Upper Front Tooth Implants
- Central incisors #8, #9
- Laterals incisors #7, #10
- Canines #6, #11
Lower Front Tooth Implants
- Central incisors #24, #25
- Laterals incisors #23, #26
- Canines #22, #27
Ceramic or Titanium Implants for Front Tooth Implant?
Zirconia implants are ideal for use in the “esthetic zone” which is where the dentistry is most visible and typically refers to the front teeth. The downside of titanium implants in the front tooth is that the gingiva is thin and can become thinner over time, showing the unsightly grey of titanium implants through the gingiva.
Cosmetically, this is very unappealing as patients will look like they have “dirty” or “grey” gums, and some patients have described the grey metal show-through as looking like they have an “infected tooth.” Zirconia dental implants are the color of natural teeth and the gingiva looks natural and has no transparency effect of the white implant color.
Front Tooth Dental Implants Immediate or Delayed Placement?
At Natural Dentistry, we place front tooth dental implants immediately 95% of the time. Immediate implant placement is the term for a dental implant surgery when the zirconia dental implant is surgically placed in the same surgery as when the tooth is extracted. The reason for placing ceramic implants immediately at the time of the tooth extraction is to preserve as much bone as possible in the anterior (front) part of the jaw. Saving every millimeter of bone in the esthetic zone is crucial for both cosmetic and esthetic results but also for long-term implant stability.
Because the bone is naturally narrower and different around the anterior ridge than around posterior ridges, the bone is more likely to recess, or erode, or atrophy faster than the posterior bone. When front tooth dental implants are placed later, four months after the extraction and grafting of a front tooth, this is known as delayed implant placement. While it is normal to experience some bone loss after an extraction, when this happens in the anterior region, it negatively impacts both the cosmetic and restorative aspects of a front tooth implant. For this reason, Dr. May chooses to place front tooth dental implants immediately, in a single surgery, if anatomically and clinically possible, to optimize bone stability and healing immediately after the front tooth extraction by placing the front tooth ceramic implant right away as an immediate implant.
If you think we can help you speak with our New Patient Team if you need treatment, a consultation, or information regarding front tooth implant.
10 minutes to explain your situation
New Patient Appointment Detailes, Costs For Local & Travel Patients
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Fly in for Surgery
& Transformative Dentistry
Many of our patients fly in from all over the world. We have perfected the “fly-in patient” protocol, making it possible for anyone to receive the world-class treatment at Natural Dentistry. Fly-in alone or with loved ones. Our team will walk you through every step of the way to make sure you have a transformative experience and you return home healthier.
About Dr. Yuriy May
Widely sought after for his precision and leadership in biological oral surgery and zirconia implantology, Dr. Yuriy May is recognized as an accomplished leader in metal-free, biologically driven dentistry. With over 12 years of clinical experience, his work is defined by uncompromising standards, refined surgical execution, and outcomes that support both oral and systemic health.
Dr. May holds advanced certifications and training in zirconia implantology from programs ranging from IAOCI and Tufts University, is Board Certified as a Naturopathic Dentist by the ANMCB, and is a distinguished Ceramic Implant Ambassador for SDS—an honor reserved for clinicians shaping the future of ceramic implant science.
A respected educator and international lecturer, Dr. May has presented extraordinary ceramic implant cases to dentists worldwide, including the JCCI in Switzerland, and has served as an instructor in the Ceramic Implant Program at ACIMD. He lectures nationally, publishes complex metal-free surgical cases, and serves as a Board Member of the IAOCI (International Academy of Oral Ceramic Implantology). Dr. May has recently become an Associate Fellow of the AAID (American Academy of Implant Dentistry), one of the few focusing solely on zirconia dental implants, and has been and an Accredited S.M.A.R.T. Certified member of the IAOMT for many years. He is also a Certified Biological Dentist with the IABDM, reflecting his commitment to removing root canal infections and to mercury-safe, evidence-based biological protocols.
Dr. May’s reputation, results, and excellence in ceramic implant dentistry have made him a destination provider for patients and referring clinicians seeking the highest level of ceramic implant surgery and biological dental care.
DMD, IBDM, AIAOMT, CIABDM
Associate Fellow, American Academy of Implant Dentistry
ANMCB Board Certified Naturopathic Dentist