Many Americans suffer from teeth loss due to teeth decay, injury, or periodontal diseases.
Bridges and dentures were the only available options for many years but now implants are the best solution to look and feel good. Dental implants maintain and strengthen the bone structure to provide you perfect smile.
- What is Dental implant surgery?
Dental implants are screw-like roots to provide a strong base for artificial teeth. The procedure to replace tooth roots with screw-like posts to implant artificial teeth is called dental implant surgery. About 6% of adults in Americans already have dental implants. The number of tooth/dental implants is expected to increase up to 23% by 2026. The surgery for dental implants is a multi-step process. To restore damaged or missing teeth, a dental implant is the most expensive but the most reliable procedure.
- What are the types of dental implants?
Following are three common types of tooth implants. The safest of all is endosteal implant followed by subperiosteal, and the least common and complex type is zygomatic implants. Zygomatic implants are rarely used.
- Endosteal implants are the most popular and common type of dental implants. This type of implant requires a good and healthy jawbone to easily fuse the post. Endosteal suits most of the people in which screw-shaped placeholder posts are put into jaws to fit the artificial teeth. Some healing time is required after surgery so that dental implants can easily fuse with the jaw bone to make a stronghold. After healing the artificial tooth is placed into the post to fit it accordingly. If you do not find this procedure comfortable, you can try the second type of implant.
- Subperiosteal implants are another common type of dental implant. This type can be used as an alternative to endosteal implants in which implants rest under the gum but on top of the jaw bone. A post is attached to a metal frame which is then placed under the gum. The gum starts healing around the metal frame and secured it in place. The artificial tooth is then held to the poles of gums. This procedure is suggested to patients who do not have enough jawbone for the implant to be adjusted or those who do not want intensive oral surgery.
- Zygomatic Implants are the least popular type of tooth implant in which the implant is placed in the cheekbone instead of the jawbone. A patient can also go for a zygomatic implant instead of the subperiosteal implant if he doesn’t have enough jawbone.
- What is the procedure for a dental implant?
- The first step of a dental implant is the extraction of a damaged tooth from its position.
- If your jawbone is not enough to stand against chewing pressure, grafting of the jawbone is the next step to make a strong base.
- In the next step, the gum is cut to expose the bone, a hole is drilled in the bone to place the dental implant.
- Jawbone is allowed to heal and grow to integrate it with the implant.
- Another minor surgery is performed to place abutment (the metal part that serves as a base for the crown).
- After the healing of the mouth, an impression of teeth and gum is made by the dentist to fix the artificial tooth.
