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Implants - Types of Dental Implants

Dental implants are gaining in popularity as an alternative to dentures or bridges. One reason for their increasing popularity is that they are a cosmetically more attractive and they offer a permanent solution to dental problems associated with tooth loss . There are several types of implants available on the market today. Consultation with your dentist will help you decide what type of implant will work best for you and your dental needs.

Root-Form Titanium Implants

Root-form titanium implants are by far the most popular form of dental implant . These implants are placed directly into the bone by drilling small holes in which the posts are placed. After a period of several months to allow for integration into the bone, referred to as osseointegration , temporary crowns are positioned on the posts and then permanent crowns are finally installed to replace the missing tooth. This type of implant is also called an endosseous or endosteal implant. Root-form implants are good for patients who have substantial bone available to support the implant.

Plate-Form Implants

For patients who have narrow jaws or who need bone grafts to assist with bone support, a plate-form implant is more appropriate. Similar to root-form implants, the bone is exposed so that the plate can be placed on the bone and then the gums are stitched around the plate to allow for healing. Unlike root-form implants, the plate is placed on the jaw, rather than drilled into it. A period of time for bone integration is allowed before further work is completed in preparation for the final implants.

Subperiosteal Implants

For patients who do not have enough depth or width in their jaw to support either root-form or plate-form implants, a more involved type of implant called a subperiosteal implant may be more appropriate.

This type of implant requires the cosmetic dentist to take an impression of the jaw and send it to a dental laboratory to create a custom plate to be placed on the jaw in preparation for the implants. Once the custom plate is completed, under either general or local anesthesia, the dentist exposes the jaw by opening the gums and places the plate on the jaw bone. The gums are stitched closed and time is allowed to pass for the plate to be integrated into the bone structure of the jaw.

Another method for creating a subperiosteal plate is to use a CAT scan to design a model for the dental laboratory. Once the laboratory completes fabricating the custom plate, the dentist will use the same method to place the plate on the jaw and then allow several months for bone integration before beginning the process of placing temporary and then permanent crowns for the dental implants.

Summary

Dental implants involve a series of dental procedures to prepare the mouth for final placement of the implants. There several types of dental implants and which type is appropriate depends largely on the amount of bone density available for implantation. The types range from single root-post titanium posts to standard plates to customized plates that are placed on the jaw and allowed to integrate into the bone.