UL4 went a long time ago and UL5 was fitted with a cantilevered crown to help bridge the gap. That clearly puts strain on the root as there is a rotational component.
Note also the two dots at the top of the roots. They are little pieces of silver from root canal work I had done in the late 1970's under a general anaesthetic in John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford.
Eventually, earlier this year, the root cracked under the strain and had to be extracted. The game plan had always been two implants when the inevitable happened.
There was a wait of three months to let the site heal and allow for some bone regrowth. Once the wait was over the implants went in under sedation, as with all previous implants. Another period of healing for osseointegration where the bone and metal bond.
The next stage is to cut through the newly re-grown flesh and bone to extract the temporary, stainless steel, centre screws. Then the posts (or impression copings as they are correctly termed) were, temporarily, inserted for the taking of impressions and casts.
They are replaced with "mushrooms" around which a more shaped gum will form while the casts are sent off for the lab work of making the crowns.
Finally the grand finale: remove the "mushrooms" and fit the abutments (special screws that have a special shaped head which support the crowns) and crowns. Rash declared himself happy with the result.
It still feels a little odd with teeth filling the hole that my tongue has got used to over the last six months but that will pass. I am pleased that I will still be able to chew my steak when I am 103. A wise investment.
