Can Implant Connect with Natural Tooth?

Doctors who use this philosophy will sometimes connect an implant to a natural tooth. The advantage of this is that by connecting implants to natural teeth, fewer implants are needed to complete the case. This can dramatically reduce the cost of treatment while allowing the patient to have permanent teeth. The disadvantage of this type of treatment is that should a problem arise with either the implant or natural tooth the problem has to be handled differently because the implants and natural teeth are connected. Furthermore, there are limited data regarding the effects of splinting implants to natural teeth. In this regard, it has been reported that intrusion of splinted teeth and pronounced vertical bone loss around implant abutments are potential sequelae;however, the majority of patients, , in one study suffered no adverse effects. Other reports have indicated that connecting implants to teeth in a fixed prosthesis has a good prognosis. A 5-year prospective study designed to compare bridges supported only by implants with bridges supported by both implants and natural teeth within the same patient, noted no higher risk of implant or prosthetic failure for tooth-implant fixed bridges as comparedwith implant-supported bridges.
>>>A case report of natural tooth intrusion when it connected with implant?>>>
>>>Treatment for #33 intrusion:
1. removal of old bridge,
2. #33 orthodontic extrusion,
3. #34 additional dental implant placement,
4. new #33 crown + #34~36 bridge.