3 Types of Dental Implants Explained!
If you’re missing teeth, you may feel embarrassed or self-conscious when interacting with other people. Even worse, you can develop poor speaking and eating habits, significantly affecting your overall well-being. Missing teeth are also associated with jawbone deterioration, shifting of the adjacent teeth, and premature aging.
Thanks to dental implants, individuals with missing teeth can enjoy complete tooth replacement with natural function and appearance. Like a normal tooth, an implant offers the stability and strength required to chew your favorite food easily. Besides enhancing your chewing ability and appearance, implants maintain and stimulate the jawbone and help to support facial features.
If you’re considering dental implants, it’s crucial to understand what the implants are and the different types you can choose from.
What are Dental Implants?
Implants feature titanium posts that are surgically installed into the underlying jawbone, replacing the roots of the missing teeth. Implants can be used to replace one or more missing teeth. Since the implant is designed to bond with the bone, you must have a healthy jawbone.
An implant patient must have good oral health and practice good oral hygiene habits. These include brushing and flossing daily, scheduling regular dental exams and cleanings, and avoiding tobacco products.
If you’re interested in dental implants in Great Neck, NY, you should visit a dental office near you for a consultation. The dentist will review your oral health, teeth, gums, and jawbone to determine whether you qualify for the treatment. If you don’t qualify for the treatment, the dentist may recommend alternative treatments such as dentures or bridges.
Types of Dental Implants
Depending on your condition, your dentist can suggest either of the following three types of dental implants, including:
- Endosteal Implants
They are the most common types of dental implants. To qualify for these implants, a patient must have a healthy jawbone. They are shaped like screws and are installed into the jawbone to replace the missing tooth’s roots. Compared to other types of implants, endosteal implants are popular for their stability and natural-feeling effects.
To place the implant, the dentist begins by administering a local anesthetic. Next, they drill into the jawbone and insert a titanium post that acts as an artificial root. It takes about 3 to 6 months for the implant to bond with the underlying bone. After that, an abutment tooth and dental crown are placed.
- Subperiosteal Implants
The fitting procedure takes two appointments and usually involves fixing the implant onto the jawbone. However, the implant still falls under the gum tissues, giving it a natural appearance.
Subperiosteal implants offer less stability than endosteal implants since the implant is fixed onto the jawbone rather than into the jawbone. These implants are only recommended for patients who lack enough jawbone to support an endosteal implant.
- Zygomatic Implants
Lastly, we have zygomatic implants, the least common type of implants you can get from your oral surgeon. The procedure is very complex and is only recommended for patients with significant bone loss in the upper jaw but don’t want to undergo bone grafting.
Zygomatic implants are fixed into the zygomatic bone or cheekbone. They provide support for upper jaw teeth, dentures, and bridges.
Caring for Your Dental Implants
Regardless of the type of implants you get, proper dental care and hygiene are crucial for a faster recovery and preventing complications. Treat the implants like your natural teeth, and you will enjoy a lifetime of a healthier smile.
- Brush and floss daily
- Avoid sugary, acidic, and chewy food
- Limit staining food and beverages
- Quit smoking and chewing tobacco products
- Get regular cleanings and checkups
- Eat healthier and hydrate well
- Avoid chewing hard or sticky food
- Wear a nightguard if you have bruxism
- Wear a mouthguard during contact sports
Ready for your new smile? Contact Great Neck Dental Associates today for dental implant service and care.