Had a molar extracted 2 years ago (lower left, back of mouth) – do I NEED a full implant + crown just to prevent neighboring teeth from shifting, or are there cheaper options?
About 2 years ago I had a lower left molar removed after a periodontal abscess. Recently went back to a dentist who said I should look into a single tooth implant to prevent the surrounding teeth from drifting into the empty space.
My concern is purely functional – I genuinely don’t care what it looks like since it’s all the way in the back. I just want to prevent any long-term structural issues with my other teeth. I’m not looking to spend thousands on a full implant and crown if there’s a cheaper alternative that accomplishes the same thing.
Attaching my panoramic X-ray with the gap circled in red so you can see exactly what we’re working with.
Some questions I have:
- Is drift/shifting actually a significant risk at this point, 2 years out?
- Is a full implant + crown the only real solution, or are there legitimate alternatives (partial denture, space maintainer, implant post without crown, etc.)?
- For those who’ve dealt with something similar, what did you end up doing and do you regret it?
Not opposed to the implant route if it’s genuinely the best path, just want to make sure I’m not being oversold on a procedure when something simpler would do the job. I have MetLife PDP Plus dental insurance if that’s relevant to the cost side of things