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What Are the Different Types of Dental Implants?

Posted by Southeast Family Dental May 26,2022

Did you know that getting dental implants can improve your overall health? The many types of dental implants can serve a variety of essential functions for common teeth problems.

Use this guide to learn about the different varieties of dental implants that you may opt to choose from.

What Can Dental Implants Do For You?

An implant can serve many functions but overall becomes a false tooth root replacement. It serves to fill the space in the mouth after extraction or loss of teeth.

A crown, or false tooth, can’t be added to your smile without a little assistance from the supportive base, and that’s where the implant comes in. It holds directly to the jawbone, topped with an abutment.

Dental implant options can allow you the structural and foundational benefits of a tooth root even if you have lost yours.

Three Types of Dental Implants

Each dental patient is unique and has a unique smile and unique situation. This means that dental implants are not a one-size-fits-all situation. There are several options to choose from, so be sure to select the best dental implants for your needs.

1. Single Implant

When one tooth is missing, a single implant is all you will need. These are the simplest to replace and consist of one screw implant in between existing teeth.

How to Replace a Single Tooth

The process always begins with a consultation to ensure that implants are the most strategic idea for your replacement procedure.

After the consultation, you will schedule the procedure. The procedure and healing process go as follows:

  • The post is surgically implanted into the jawbone in a painless and quick procedure
  • Your post spends the next three to four months fusing with your bone
  • A crown is implanted on the healed post, including an abutment
  • The end result is a stable and sturdy tooth that looks and feels just like the ones you naturally developed.

Who Requires Single Implants

This is best for those who require a full root to crown replacement of one tooth. It also is ideal for those who may have multiple missing teeth that are not adjacent to one another. These sporadic missing teeth can each use their own individual implant in separate procedures.

2. Implant-Supported Bridge

Did you know that if you have adjacent missing teeth, you could qualify for an implant-supported bridge? This would save the trouble of having more than two posts surgically inserted.

What is a bridge though, and how does it differ from single implants? A bridge is specially designed to join a center artificial tooth to the mouth by adhering it to two adjacent crowns.

An example of an implant-supported bridge would be if you were missing three adjacent teeth, you could put posts on the two end teeth without needing to surgically insert a third post. The middle tooth is supported by the two adjoining crowns which are attached to posts.

How to Replace Multiple Teeth

Just like with single implants, the process starts with a one-on-one consultation to find out if a bridge is the right move for your mouth.

The procedure consists of two posts or implants being surgically and painlessly adhered to the jawbone. In between these posts, crowns are supported by the adjoining posts and their crowns to create a strong bond that keeps the artificial teeth in place.

Who Requires an Implant-Supported Bridge?

Using a bridge instead of multiple adjacent individual implants on each tooth ends up saving money. This is an option for any patient with adjacent missing teeth totaling three or more.

3. Implant-Retain Denture

Did you know that there are solutions for those who have lost most or all of their teeth on the top or bottom of the mouth? A denture is an ideal solution to avoid extensive and numerous individual implants.

How to Replace a Full Smile

The denture is implanted via four base posts adhered to the jaw in various sectors of the mouth. The process goes like this:

  • Four single implants are secured to the jawbone via posts
  • A custom-fit denture is modified or generated outside of the mouth to be inserted once the implants heal
  • The implant-retain denture is inserted onto the posts, and you are ready to smile your most confident smile

Who Uses an Implant-Retain Denture?

Did you know that there were alternatives to the traditional denture? A removable denture can fall out or become an obstacle during things like eating or talking. An implant-retain denture adheres to the jawbone just like single implants, making it much more secure.

Anyone who is missing most or all of their teeth on either the top or bottom of their jaw can use this innovative type of modern denture.

Can I Qualify For Dental Implants?

  • There are a few necessary components that must be present in the mouth for the surgery to take hold.
  • The patient must have enough bone present that has not yet corroded. This is so that the posts can be inserted and fused to the jawbone on a secure foundation.
  • The facial structure must be fully grown and developed, which means children may not be the best fit for dental implants.
  • Gum disease or other oral health issues could get in the way of an implant procedure. For this reason, be sure to handle your health before your consultation.

Get Comfortable, Painless Dental Implants Today

Now that you want to reap the many benefits of dental implants, how do you know which implant selection is the best for your needs? Working with the qualified professional dental team at Southeast Family Dental ensures that you get top-tier care matched exactly to your dental needs.

Whether you require a single implant, an implant-supported bridge, or an implant-retain denture, you can find the dental services you need at Southeast Family Dental. All types of dental implants can be found here.

Contact Southeast Family Dental for painless and efficient surgical input for all types of high-quality dental implants.

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