The Different Types of Dental Implants

There are many different types of dental implant, and the cost of the implant, as well as how long it takes to install and to heal, can differ massively depending on the kind that your dentist recommends.

Endosteal implants are the most common kind of implant, because they suit most people. They do require the patient to have a healthy and suitably sized jawbone to fit the inplant into, however. This type of implant uses little screw-shaped placeholder posts that fit into the jaw and that the teeth are then attached to.

Not everyone has a strong enough jawbone to accept this type of implant, and that’s why some people choose subperiosteal implants instead. These are implants don’t go into the jawbone, but rather sit on top of it, under the gum. The dentist will insert a metal frame under the gum, and the teeth are secured onto that. The frame is held into place by the gum. This procedure isn’t usually recommended for people unless they don’t have a big enough jawbone to hold an implant, and even then the dentist might suggest that they have surgery to add bone to the jaw, rather than using this type of implant.

A third option, and one that can be used for those who lack a large jawbone, but who don’t want to have surgery, and don’t suit the subperiosteal implant, is zgomatic implants. These are a complicated type of implant, because the implant goes into the cheekbone rather than into the jaw. It is a good option for those who cannot have one of the previous two types of implant, but it still has quite a long healing time.

If you are being assessed for surgery and complications arise, or your dentist does not think it is a good idea to have a zygomatic implant, then there may be other options, including grafting material onto the jaw to widen it, or using bone augmentation to fortify the bone. It is incredible how far science has come. Someone with a weak jawbone can now use bone additives to fortify their bone, and that could be all that is needed to make the jaw strong enough to support implants.

There are mini implants, which are useful for stabilizing lower dentures. These implants require less space, so they can sometimes be a useful option. All-On-4 implants are also a good idea. They are implants that are placed in the available bone, and that can remove the need for extensive bone grafting. If you opt for this type of implant, then you may get a temporary set of replacement teeth on the day the surgery is done, and a permanent set six months later. The temporary set is delicate, however, so you will need to follow a special diet and practice very good oral hygiene while the implants are healing. Once they are healed, though, you can go back to your usual diet and shouldn’t notice that you have implants at all because they are so strong.