Understand the Different Types of Dental Implants

Placing dental implants into a person’s mouth allows them to chew and talk normally and comfortably. The implants act as a base for the insertion of new, prosthetic teeth.

How are Dental Implants Placed into the Mouth?

Dental implants give a stable source of support for artificial teeth. Instead of moving in your mouth, implants stay securely in their spot. This lack of movement is preferred for eating and talking as opposed to using dentures and bridges. Whether a person needs one tooth replaced or an entire mouthful of teeth replaced, dental implants are the latest technology for getting new teeth after one is lost.

Some people can’t use bridges and dentures due to discomfort problems when wearing the devices. Also, to use bridges, the adjacent teeth need to be ground or altered to keep the bridge in the right place. Implants allow the replacement tooth to stand on its own, without altering the neighboring teeth. If a person needs all of their teeth replaced, full mouth dental implants can be done instead of having full dentures made.

To have dental implants placed in a person’s mouth, they need to have healthy gums. Also, there must be enough bone in the jaw to support the replacement hardware and teeth. The best way for a dental patient to keep their implant working for the long run is if the person uses exacting dental hygiene and sees their dentist regularly.

Endosteal Implants

There are types of dental implants recommended by the American Dental Association. The first type of dental implant of approved dental implant is the endosteal implant. Endosteal implant posts are surgically placed into the jawbone. After several months of healing, the artificial tooth is attached to the post.

In the case of multiple teeth being implanted, multiple posts are placed into the jaw. Once healing is completed, a tooth is placed on the post. If several teeth need replacing, they can be done individually. If more than two or three teeth need to be replaced, the posts are inserted into the mouth, and then a bridge or denture is placed over the posts. Both of types of dental implants work well to replace missing teeth.

Subperiosteal Implants

In the case of subperiosteal implants, a metal frame with posts is surgically placed on jaw under the gums. The posts of this framework stick out over the gum line. When the gums heal, they secure the frame to the jawbone. After sufficient healing time, artificial teeth are mounted on the posts, giving the patient the look and feel of real teeth.

Single or Double Step Implant

There are two types of dental implant process, namely the one-stage implant process and the two-stage implant process. Both of these types of dental implant process work equally well in replacing missing teeth.

During a two-stage tooth implant process , a person has the post or framework for the implant surgically placed into the jaw. The implantation hardware is given several months to heal before the replacement tooth is put into the mouth. When the new tooth is placed the gums are cut, and the tooth is placed on the implant hardware. While the results are worth the effort, some patients don’t wish to have two procedures done.

The single-stage dental implant method of replacing a tooth occurs in one appointment. The implant for the single-stage implant uses a similar process when placing the implant post. However, the single-stage implant post is larger than the two-stage implant so that the prosthetic tooth can be mounted without further surgery. The replacement tooth may be placed at the time of the surgery, or it may need to be mounted later without any need for surgery.