The Different Types and Techniques of Dental Implants
Missing teeth can greatly affect your bite function, speech, and oral health. Even worse, it can lead to jawbone loss, facial sagging, and teeth misalignments. Dental experts recommend replacing your missing teeth immediately to prevent these side effects.
Dental implants are a popular and worthwhile option for replacing missing teeth. Dental implants are durable, offering excellent strength and bite function like natural teeth. When considering dental implants, knowing which option is right for you may be difficult. Below is a guide to choosing a dental implant.
Understanding Dental Implants
Traditional dental implants comprise titanium or zirconia posts surgically placed in the jawbone. The implants bond with the jawbone in the process of osseointegration, which takes about 3 to 6 months.
The implant serves as artificial roots to the artificial tooth (crown, bridge, or denture). Later, the abutment and artificial teeth are placed to give the implant the feel and appearance of natural teeth.
Since implants are secured into your jawbone, they provide excellent stability and strength, just like your natural teeth. They won’t move or fall out when chewing or speaking like overdentures.
Dental implant selection criteria require you to have overall good oral health and sufficient jawbone density. Enough jawbone is necessary to create a solid foundation to support osseointegration and ensure dental implant success. You can get a bone grafting procedure if you don’t have sufficient jawbone density.
Types of Dental Implants
Below are the main types of dental implants:
1. Endosteal dental implants
These are the most common dental implants. They are implanted in the jawbone and thus require a good, healthy jawbone for successful osseointegration. They consist of small screw-shaped posts which act like artificial roots. Once they have healed, a false tooth is placed on the implant to give it the shape, fit, and feeling of natural teeth.
2. Subperiosteal dental implants
You can consider this option if you don’t like your implant fixed into the jawbone. Instead of being placed into the jawbone, subperiosteal implants are fixed on the bone but under the gums. A metal frame is positioned under the gum with an implant post attached to it. The gum then heals around it for support. Subperiosteal Implants are recommended when a patient doesn’t have enough jawbone density to support an endosteal implant and doesn’t want to consider bone grafting.
3. Zygomatic dental implants
Zygomatic Implants are the most complicated and, thus, very rare. The procedure entails placing dental implants in the cheekbone instead of the jawbone. These implants are only done when the patient has no healthy jawbone.
Types of Dental Implants Techniques
Now that you know the types of dental implants, below are the various implant options for different types of cases:
1. Traditional implant technique
A traditional implant usually consists of three parts. The post (titanium or zirconia screw-shaped) is placed into the jawbone to replace the missing tooth’s roots. Once healed, an abutment (connects the implant with the artificial tooth (crown). Lastly, a crown is placed, which acts as the false or artificial tooth. Each missing tooth is replaced with a single implant.
2. Immediate load dental implants
In this case, the implants and false tooth (crown) are placed in a single appointment. With traditional implants, you must wait 3 to 6 months for the implant to heal before the false tooth is placed. The entire process is completed with immediate load dental implants in a single appointment.
3. Mini dental implants
As the name suggests, mini dental implants are very tiny and thus less invasive to place. They are often used to support and stabilize dentures on the lower jaw. However, they can’t be substitutes for normal implants as they can’t withstand normal oral functions like chewing.
4. All-on-4 dental implants
These implants are perfect for people missing most or all their teeth on either jaw. This technique entails placing four dental implants in your jaw to support a full arch of false teeth.
5. Implant overdentures
Implant overdentures are excellent alternatives to traditional dentures, which rest over the gums and bones. Overdentures are anchored to dental implants to provide more stability and strength.
6. Implant-supported bridges
Dental crowns or frameworks attached to healthy teeth often support a traditional bridge. With Implant-Supported-Bridges, the bridge is anchored to a dental implant.
Choosing the Right Implant for Your Dental Needs
Factors influencing your decision when selecting a dental implant include the number of missing teeth, jawbone health, budget, and oral needs. The dentist will examine your condition and needs to determine the best restoration for your condition.
Do You Need Dental Implants in Claremont, NH?
For more information about the types and techniques of dental implants, contact and book a dental appointment at Claremont Dental Group to book your consultation.