Dental ImplantsA Single Missing Front Tooth, Restored: An Implant Story
A single missing upper right lateral incisor that left a visible gap in the smile line and trapped food, with a strong preference to replace the tooth without cutting down the adjacent healthy central incisor and canine for a bridge.
Patient
Mr. Rohan, age 42
Timeline
Approximately 14 weeks (implant placement under local anaesthesia; 3 months osseointegration; final crown delivered at week 14)
Treatment
Dental Implants
Treatment Approach
A single-tooth dental implant workflow led by Dr. Manjula Herath. CBCT imaging was used to assess bone volume at the edentulous site, map the position of adjacent roots, and confirm a safe corridor for implant placement. The implant was placed freehand under local anaesthesia, drawing on Dr. Herath's experience with anterior aesthetic cases to achieve correct angulation, depth, and prosthetic positioning. After three months of osseointegration, a shade-matched ceramic crown was delivered to restore the smile line.
Mr. Rohan’s Story
Mr. Rohan had lost his upper right lateral incisor several years earlier. The extraction had been straightforward at the time, but the gap that followed had quietly shaped his habits — he had stopped smiling openly in photographs, and food often caught in the space. He came to FaceLab wanting a single, permanent tooth that would simply belong in his mouth, not a removable plate or a bridge that involved cutting down his healthy neighbouring teeth. Dr. Manjula Herath confirmed he was a straightforward candidate for a single implant. The planning phase began with a CBCT scan, which produced a precise 3D view of Mr. Rohan's upper jaw. Bone width and height at the lateral incisor site were measured directly, and a safe distance from the roots of the adjacent central incisor and canine was confirmed. With healthy bone and clear anatomical landmarks, the case was suitable for direct freehand placement — no surgical guide required. The surgery itself was performed under local anaesthesia. Dr. Herath placed the implant in the planned prosthetic position, with the angulation chosen to allow a screw-retained crown and a natural emergence through the gum. Mr. Rohan described the recovery as "easier than I expected — barely any swelling, and I was back at work the next day." Three months later, after osseointegration was complete, his final ceramic crown was delivered. Shape, shade, and emergence profile were matched to his own central incisor and canine, so the restoration sits naturally within his smile. As he put it: "I don't think about that tooth anymore — and that's the point."
The Outcome
A single missing front tooth replaced with a permanent, implant-supported crown — without touching the adjacent healthy teeth. Comfortable function, a confident natural-looking smile, and a stable long-term solution. In Mr. Rohan's words: "It feels like it was always there."
“It feels like it was always there.”
— Mr. Rohan
Treating Consultant
Dr. Manjula Herath
Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
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