With about 90 to 96 percent of adults aged 20 suffering from dental decay at some point in their lives in the United States, millions of Americans lose at least one permanent tooth. If you have not lost any teeth, you are one of the lucky ones. To prevent tooth loss, you need to consider dental implants.
What Are Dental Implants?
In the simplest of words, “an implant is a synthetic tooth root in the shape of a post that is surgically placed into the jawbone” as My Dentist San Francisco website explains it. Titanium is commonly used for making dental implants as it offers an impressive biocompatibility rate. It is the best option due to its high specific strength and resistance to corrosion.
As the implants are used as a replacement for tooth roots, they need to be placed directly into your jawbone. In certain cases, the dentist might place the implants right on top of the bone. The location of the implant determines the type you need. Having VIPcare Ocala FL dentists examine your teeth will help you know which would be perfect for you. Now that you know more about the implants, let’s take a look at the different types that are available.
Types of Dental Implants
When it comes to dental implants, there are three popular types to choose from as mentioned below.
- Endosteal Implants
Endosteal implants are considered to be the most common and safest option. They are widely used by just about everyone. People prefer to go for Endosteal implants as they find it to be perfect. However, to get the implants, one needs to have a healthy jawbone. Otherwise, it would be impossible for the post to fuse with the teeth.
The placeholder posts are shaped just like screws and are put into the jawbone that requires placement of false teeth. After the procedure has been performed, patients have to wait for some time for their jawbone to heal. It takes time for a stronghold to be created.
Once the healing is complete, the dentist would place the false teeth onto the post. Now, if you dislike the idea of something getting placed on the jawbone, it might be better that you consider the second option.
- Subperiosteal Implants
Subperiosteal implants are just as safe as Endosteal implants. They are a popular alternative. Instead of getting fixed inside the jawbone, the implants simply rest above the bone. However, they are still placed under the gums.
To place the implants, a metal frame with a post attached is first placed below the gums. Then, as the gums heal around this frame, they hold it in place. Finally, the false teeth can be placed on the poles. The main reason why patients undergo this procedure is because they do not have enough jawbone for the implant to be properly placed. Besides this, some people choose to not undergo the procedure due to the intensive oral surgery involved. If you do not want to undergo oral surgery, the next implant might suit you best.
- Zygomatic Implants
Zygomatic implants are another type of dental implants that is available. However, it is the least common. It requires a very complicated procedure in order to be placed. Only those patients get Zygomatic implants that do not have enough jawbone to place Endosteal implants.
This implant is placed in the cheekbone instead of the jawbone. Hence, it takes some getting used to. You will need to consult with the dentist before undergoing the procedure.
Other Techniques
Now that you have read about the different types of implants, you might be wondering which implant techniques are used. These are mentioned below.
- Bone Augmentation
The dentist would restore your jawbone if it does not support implants through bone augmentation. Bone additives might need to be used for fortifying the bone. It might sound unnecessary, but is very effective.
- Sinus Lift
The procedure adds bone right below the sinus area in case the bone has deteriorated because of missing upper back teeth.
- Ridge Expansion
There is a possibility that your jaw might not be wide enough to support the implants. This is when the dentist would need to use graft material for adding extra space on the jaw.
The above-mentioned techniques are used for adding space for placing the implants.
Conclusion
Once you have finished reading this post, you will know everything about the different types of dental implants. Now, you will have an idea about which type of dental implant would suit you most. However, it is crucial that you consult with a dentist to move forward in the right direction.
A professional writer with over a decade of incessant writing skills. Her topics of interest and expertise range from health, nutrition and psychology.