The Different Types of Dental Implants
Dental implants serve as artificial teeth to help you perform daily functions, maintain your gums and jawbone, and replace missing or broken teeth.
You most likely require a dental implant if you lack the teeth necessary for eating or speaking. The good news is your implants can be tailored to match your specific needs. They can also be used for all types of tooth loss.
However, a patient needs to be familiar with the types of dental implants before choosing the right one. Let’s look at the different types of dental implants below:
Types of Dental Implants
There are five types of dental implants, such as:
Endosteal Implants
The most common kind of dental implant is endosteal. Most patients can benefit from them, but they need a strong, healthy jaw structure for the post to fuse to. These implants are designed like screws and serve as stand-in posts. They insert into the jaw — where the fake teeth are attached.
After the surgery, the area needs some time to heal. The implants will need time to come together and strengthen themselves.
Subperiosteal implants
Subperiosteal implants may be a preferable choice for patients who don’t have enough bone to go for endosteal implants. These implants don’t embed themselves into the jawbone; rather, they rest on top of the bone, still hidden beneath the gums.
The gum is supported by a metal frame with a post attached to it. The frame is then secured by the gum that heals around it. The poles that protrude from the gums serve as anchors for the implants.
All-on-four Dental Implants
People who wish to avoid bridges or dentures might consider all-on-four dental implants as a potential alternative. Here’s how it works:
- Your jawbone is pierced to insert a titanium undersupport that serves as the missing tooth’s replacement root.
- A crown is then affixed to the support.
Since four implants are utilized in each jaw, they are called all-on-four implants.
Implant Overdentures
Implant overdentures are an excellent alternative to conventional dentures for anyone with relatively healthy teeth. Plus, compared to traditional dentures, they are highly stable because they’re attached to implants.
The advantages of overdentures include the following:
- Lower discomfort
- Enhanced ability to speak
- Better chewing capacity
- The ability to reuse current dentures.
During the procedure, any existing teeth that require extraction are first removed. The implant bases can then be inserted. You might need to get a temporary denture while healing from this procedure.
However, you will get a permanent overdenture once your implants have healed and your jaw bone has adapted around the base to hold them in place.
Implant-supported Bridges
Implant-supported bridges are a great choice if you have one or more missing teeth or don’t have enough bone to support an implant.
Multiple lost teeth can be replaced with an implant-supported bridge, which will also improve the appearance and functionality of your mouth. It is a single restoration that relies on the support of dental implants close to the empty space.
Several appointments are often needed to complete this process.
Conclusion
You can go with any dental implant type, provided you have a strong bone structure and healthy gums to support them.
But if you don’t have enough bone tissue, your doctor may use a subperiosteal implant or a bone graft to anchor your dental implants. They might also take other precautions to ensure there are no future problems.