For more than 30 years, dental implants have been one of the most secure options to replace a missing tooth to the same level and functionalities as your remaining ones. When you get a dental implant in Columbus, Ohio, you’re getting a man-made replica of a natural tooth, with a metal root and a custom-designed crown. As time went by, technological advances led to new methods of reconstructive dentistry being employed in dental offices. That’s why we came up with this guide on the different types of implants, so that our patients know about the options they have available depending on their mouth’s condition and their expectations. Let’s see some of them!
What Is a Dental Implant?
A dental implant is an artificial tooth root surgically implanted into your jawbone, with a custom-made crown on top. By doing that, these artificial teeth can achieve the strength and durability that natural teeth have, making implants one of the best tooth replacement options.
The dental implant’s body can be divided into three parts:
- The metal screw that’s attached to your jawbone and acts as an artificial root.
- The abutment which connects the implant screw and the crown.
- The crown, or 'fake' tooth, which sits on top of the abutments. It is designed to match the color, shape, and size of your existing teeth, providing a natural appearance.
Dental implants offer an attractive alternative to dentures or bridgework, as they’re made of materials that don’t decay or cause damage to the surrounding structures. Moreover, for patients who lack the natural tooth roots needed to make a bridge possible, implants are the only option.
When Do You Need a Dental Implant?
Sadly, not everyone can get an implant. Patients with unhealthy gums or without enough bone density to attach the screw can’t undergo this treatment without restoring these parts to their optimal health first. Moreover, there are other aspects that make a patient a bad option for implants, such as:
- Being too young and having a jawbone that hasn’t reached full growth.
- Not having healthy oral tissue.
- Not maintaining good oral health.
- Smoking tobacco.
- Having health conditions that affect bone healing.
- Being underweight, to the point that reducing food intake after the procedure could be dangerous.
- Being unable to undergo surgery due to cardiac or other health issues.
- Suffering from diabetes.
- Having had radiation therapy to the head and neck.
If any of these cases apply to you, or you have doubts, you’ll need to discuss the possibilities with a qualified prosthodontist before deciding if a dental implant is right for you.
Dental Implant Techniques and Materials
There are mainly two methods for conducting dental implant surgery, depending on the patient’s oral health. Each of them involves a different set of steps, and different materials.
Endosteal Implant
An endosteal implant, or root form implant, is the most common type. It can be used by patients missing one or several teeth, as they’re surgically inserted into the jawbone to hold one or more replacement crowns. These implants are made from titanium screws or cylinders and an alloplastic material that’s compatible with the patient’s bone. Titanium is a biocompatible material, which means that it can integrate into the jaw, providing added strength to the patient’s bite.
Subperiosteal Implant
Subperiosteal implants are rare, but they can be an attractive option for people with insufficient natural jawbone to support endosteal implants. The implant consists of a metal post that’s put under your gum and sticks through it to hold it in place. That means that they’re not surgically inserted into the jawbone. Subperiosteal implants are the only option for patients who can’t wear regular dentures, don’t have enough jawbone density, or that don’t want to go through a bone augmentation procedure to build up that bone.
Types of Dental Implants
As we mentioned, endosteal implants are the most commonly used implants. Depending on the number of teeth that need replacement, and the method used to fill up the spaces, they can be classified into different types.
1. Single Tooth Implant
This is the simplest type of implant. It can be used to replace a single missing tooth caused by oral health problems, tooth decay, gum disease, or an injury. The procedure for getting a single tooth implant implies inserting the metal screw into the jawbone through surgery, and once bone has grown around it, adding the abutment that connects to the crown. Your implant replaces both the lost natural tooth and its root. The crown is designed to imitate your natural tooth in shape, color and size. And after the procedure, your single tooth implant will look and function like the rest of your natural teeth. All of this makes implants a very comfortable restoration. They don’t require support from adjacent natural teeth, like crowns, or the time-consuming maintenance associated with removable dentures.
2. Implant-Supported Bridge
An implant-supported bridge is an attractive option when patients are missing several teeth in a row. Here, the implant acts as an anchor of support for a bridge, preventing the need for more implants while offering flexibility when placing them. For example, if an area in your mouth is missing enough jawbone, your dentist can place the bridge over it and attach the supporting implant to a secure surrounding area. Other advantages of implant-supported bridges include evenly distributed pressure throughout the structure, preventing other teeth from moving, and restoring functions like eating and speaking functions for patients with severely missing dentures.
3. All-on-4® Dental Implants
All-on-4®, or full arch implants, allow patients to replace many missing teeth. To do so, four implants serve as a stable foundation for holding an overdenture. It’s a permanent restoration, although the overdenture can be removed for cleanings and dental exams. This procedure restores your entire upper or lower jaw completely, so any remaining teeth would need to be removed. Because of that, All-on-4® implants are only suitable for people who have many missing teeth or whose remaining natural teeth aren’t in a healthy condition. During the procedure, a dentist places two implants vertically at the front of the jaw and two at the back, at an angle of 45°. The tooth portion of the dental implant is usually made of acrylic, porcelain or zirconia, also known as ‘ceramic steel,’ for its durability.
Get a Dental Implant in Columbus, Ohio
Dental implants are a complex procedure that may require an extended period of time and several visits to the dental office, but their results are worth it. Among restorations, implants offer the highest strength and durability, imitating your natural teeth to the fullest. For a long time, implants weren’t an option for everyone. But nowadays, the various types of implants available allow every patient to benefit from this procedure. Any of our dentists at Spectrum Dental and Prosthodontics will be eager to hear about your condition and tell you what options we have available. So give us a call! Nobel Biocare, NobelProcera, NobelGuide and All-on-4 are trademarks of the Nobel Biocare group.
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