What are the Different Types of Dental Implants? Fairfax Dental Implants
What are the Different Types of Dental Implants?
Dental implants are fabricated tooth roots that are surgically placed in the jaw provide secure support for a replacement bridge or tooth. Implants are a great option for people who have lost a tooth due to trauma, gum disease or other reasons.
One of the major advantages of dental implants over traditional bridgework is that implants save more of the original teeth. Instead of relying on neighboring teeth for support, artificial replacement teeth use a dental implant.
Natural-looking, durable and secure, dental implants are so comfortable that you may forget you ever lost a tooth. Dental implants are often an important component of a dental or smile makeover.
The Three Types of Dental Implants
Endosteal dental implants are placed directly in the jawbone and are the most common type of implant. These implants are closest in size and shape to a natural tooth root. Using surgically-placed blades, screws or cylinders, the implant is placed firmly in the jawbone where it offers secure support for one or more prosthetic teeth. Overtime, the jawbone grows around the implant to make it even more secure. Typically, endosteal implants are used for patients with removable dentures or bridges.
Plate-form implants are a special type of endosteal implants that are ideal for patients whose jawbones are too narrow to hold a traditional implant. Flat and long, these implants fit better in narrow jawbones and are carefully placed to fit the jaw securely.
Subperiosteal dental implants are secured on top of the jaw using metal posts that go through the gums. These implants are a great alternative for people who have minimal bone height or who are unable to use conventional dentures.
by Dr. Dan Kelliher