Missing teeth can cause all kinds of misery in a person’s life. They can be painful and inconvenient. They can cause difficulty with chewing and eating, which negatively impacts both one’s health and one’s sensory experience with food.
They can also be a source of insecurity. Having one or more missing teeth may prevent people from smiling and laughing. This can keep them from fully engaging with the things that bring them joy.
If you suffer from any of the negative impacts of missing teeth, then you may want to consider dental implants.
Dental implants are a tried-and-true solution for missing teeth. They can help to restore your smile and your dental health. With dental implants, you can once again eat your favorite foods easily and painlessly.
Keep reading to learn about the different types of dental implants, and to discover which type may be right for you.
What Are Dental Implants?
In essence, dental implants are a method for complete tooth replacement. They are more permanent, more convenient, and more effective than removable dentures.
Dental implants consist of pure titanium posts that are surgically placed into your jaw. These posts act as artificial roots for the false teeth that are then mounted on top of them.
Unlike dentures, dental implants stabilize the tooth and keep it locked in place. They also help to maintain your jawbone and support your facial structure.
Types of Dental Implants
There are various types of dental plants. Your dentist will walk you through the best one for you, but here’s a breakdown of each kind:
Endosteal Implants
This type of dental implant is the most common and the most effective. It requires a strong and healthy jawbone to work properly.
Endosteal implants use metal posts, often shaped like screws or cylinders, that are drilled into your jawbone. False teeth are then fitted onto those posts.
While this is the most stable procedure, it does need some time for the artificial root to fuse to your bone and tissue before you can attach the false teeth. It may take several months for this to happen.
Subperiosteal Implants
If you’re uncomfortable with having something drilled into your bone, then you may choose subperiosteal implants instead.
These implants do not penetrate bone. They are metal frames that go underneath your gums and rest on top of the jaw. Posts attached to these frames protrude through the gums to support the false teeth.
While this dental implant procedure has a shorter treatment plan than endosteal implants, it is not quite as stable.
All-on-4 Implants
These implants are an option for patients who are unable to support endosteal or subperiosteal implants because of bone loss.
All-on-4 implants make use of the available bone to replace multiple teeth. They are often used for people who have lost many of their teeth and can replace a full set of top or bottom teeth.
This procedure can also be done on the same day that the teeth are lost, which means it is a good method for emergency dental implants. However, after having all-on-4 implants, you will need to be on a special diet and treatment plan.
Learn More About Dental Implants
You don’t need to suffer any longer because of your missing teeth. Dental implants can lessen your pain and help improve your life in a variety of ways.
Talk to your dentist to decide which dental implant procedure is right for you. Be sure to check out the rest of our blog for more great information!
