Dental Implants Procedure: The Different Types of Dental Implants
Do you plan on getting dental implants?
A dental implant is a metal frame that serves as artificial roots for dentures. Prosthodontists place the implant under your gums and install the prosthetic teeth.
Dental implants improve your oral health and speech. It can also make chewing easier as it holds the denture in place.
Keep on reading to discover the different types of dental implants procedure. Find out the best dental implant that fits your need.
Main Types of Dental Implants
There are four main types of dental implant procedures in this article. They’re procedures performed to create artificial roots.
1. Endosteal Implants
The endosteal implant is the most used among dental implants procedure. It creates the most stable outcome.
It’s a method where they put the implant in your jawbone. The endosteal implant acts as your artificial root to keep the replacement tooth. People get endosteal implants when they lose a permanent tooth or teeth.
Endosteal implants come in a cylinder, bladed, or screw type. The material used to create these dental implants are titanium.
The prosthodontist drills your jawbone to provide space to insert the screw. The screw planted acts as the root for your new tooth or teeth. It’s a procedure that needs a healthy and dense jawbone.
The bone and soft tissue surrounding the root must heal first to finish the treatment. Your dentist can suggest which dental implant procedure fits your problem. There are instances where your jawbone can’t handle the endosteal method.
2. Subperiosteal Implants
The subperiosteal implant is the best alternative for an endosteal dental implant. The difference between the two methods is the placement of the implant. The dentist places the subperiosteal implant between your gum and jawbone.
It’s a procedure used before for patients who lack bone height or have unhealthy jawbones. Patients opt for this method when they don’t want to undergo surgery to add bone.
Your dentist uses a metal frame to put under your gum with its post exposed. The metal post holds your denture in place. Thus, when the gum heals, it secures the artificial tooth.
It takes 2 sessions to complete the subperiosteal procedure. The treatment plan is shorter than endosteal, too. However, it’s less stable compared to endosteal because of the implant placement.
3. Transosteal Implant
Transosteal implant is the most complex type of dental implant. It requires drilling until it reaches the bottom of your jawbone. It’s necessary to drill through the jawbone to secure the metal plate needed.
The prosthodontist drills screw to your jawbone and embed posts to your gum tissue. Transosteal implant replaces your missing lower teeth. Patients who suffer from extreme bone resorption get this procedure, too.
4. Zygomatic Implant
The zygomatic dental implant is perfect for replacing teeth in your upper jaw. They place the screw inside the mouth close to your bicuspid teeth. Then, it anchors through your cheekbone.
They place the implant in your zygoma because of its density. It’s the area that provides excellent support in holding the dentures.
Patients who can’t take traditional implants go for this procedure. Besides, the zygomatic implant can replace an arch of teeth that went missing or decayed. Check this page to find out more about how dental dentures work with dental implants.
Alternative Techniques
There are situations where you’re not fit to take any of the mentioned dental implants procedure. Thus, your dentist can suggest other techniques to solve your dental problem.
1. Bone Grafting
Bone grafting isn’t a type of dental implant. However, it helps in ensuring success in the procedure.
Bone grafting is the process of restoring or rebuilding bone in your jaw. This provides support to the implants.
2. Sinus Augmentation
A sinus augmentation is like bone grafting. It’s a procedure needed to restore bone in your jaw. However, sinus lifting is applicable for the upper jaw.
It’s a process where the dentist adds a bone under your sinus. The periodontist lifts the sinus to create room for the bone. They will then add it between your molars and premolar.
3. Ridge Expansion
A ridge expansion is a technique used when your mouth isn’t wide enough to place dental implants. It’s the expansion of your residual ridge to create space for bone grafting.
The medical professional splits the ridge bone. They will then fill the space between the divided part with enough bone tissue. They insert the screws to place dental implants after a ridge expansion.
4. Mini Implants
Mini implants are the same as regular ones. However, it comes in a smaller size with a diameter of less than 3mm.
Installing mini dental implants is less painful and less invasive. You can use mini dental implants to stabilize your lower denture. It helps to prevent the shifting of prosthetic teeth.
5. Immediate Load Dental Implants
Immediate load dental implant is an ideal procedure. It allows you to wear temporary teeth until the implant heals.
Keep note that before installing dentures, the implants need to heal first. The healing process of traditional dental implants takes months to finish. Replace the temporary teeth with your permanent dentures when the dental implants recover.
6. All-on-4
Dentists suggest taking all-on-4 if they lost all their teeth from gum disease or decay. It’s a procedure that doesn’t need bone grafting to support implants.
All-on-4 is like the immediate load procedure. It can place temporary teeth within the day. All-on-4 is another option to install an upper or lower set of dentures.
The dentist places 4 dental implants. Thus, it’s necessary to analyze your jawbone to locate the best areas to put the implants. Then, they fix the temporary teeth after the insertion of dental implants.
However, you need to follow a diet after this procedure. Your dentist will give you a modified diet letting the gums heal. Besides, it waits for the implants to stick to your bone.
The healing process takes at most 6 months. They replace the temporary set of teeth with a permanent denture after healing.
Discovering Different Dental Implants Procedure
Here are the different types of dental implants procedure. Endosteal, subperiosteal, transosteal, and zygomatic are the main types of implants. Alternative techniques include bone grafting, sinus lift, and ridge expansion.
Assess which dental implant procedure fits you. You can check visit and check our website for more informative articles!