2 molar teeth are missing - Options?

[ppzhao]

I had my wisdom tooth (#32) pulled a long time ago. I also had my 1st molar (#30) pulled a few years ago. I mainly chewed with my 2nd molar (#31) on that side, a single molar with 2 teeth missing on either side. That tooth also had a root canal and a crown from years ago. Last week my dentist told me that molar's root was infected and couldn't be saved. He removed the tooth and did an implant now it's in the healing stage.

After it heals in 4 months, my dentist plans to do a ubutment/crown on the implanted tooth, and build a bridge to cover the gap of #30. The bridge would be between #31 (implanted) and #29 (real tooth).

I heard somewhere today that it's not a good idea, because the real tooth "wiggles" and if there's an implant attached to it via a bridge, it would "wiggle" the implant too and that's bad. Bridges should be between 2 implants or 2 real teeth, not 1 of each.

What's a better idea, what my dentist planned on, or just have another implant on the missing "gap" tooth (#30)? If the bridge is a bad idea, can I just have the implant on #31 and leave a gap in #30, like I have for years? Will a solo-implant be weak and easily breakable because there's no "support"?

Thanks everyone for the help.

 

[Dentgr]

You are absolutely right. Your only option is an implant in 30 region.

 

[ppzhao]

What about just a solo implant at #31, with a gap on both sides? I've been chewing on just that tooth for years, and I wouldn't have changed that except the dentist told me it was infected at the root and had to be taken out. Will a solo implant survive? Or does it need support?

 

[Dentgr]

That's an option as well.... Not the best though...you can even get the upper tooth over erupted in the long term and overload the implant fixture.