If you’ve recently damaged or lost a tooth and you’ve been thinking over your options, you’ve no doubt already come across dental implants, and possibly discovered that there are a number of different types of dental implants available.
As you delve further and further into the subject though, you may have found the information coming your way can start to get a little overwhelming. Well that’s where we come in, and we’ve put together this short and simple guide for you to help you to get you started, and walk you through the broad basics of the different types of dental implants that are available.
Of all potential replacements for missing teeth, dental implants have been proven time and time again to be the toughest and longest lasting option, making them the best available replacement for missing or damaged teeth.
Before getting into the different types of dental implants that are available, we should probably establish just what exactly a dental implant is, and how they’re put together. In essence, a dental implant is a small titanium fixture, which when screwed into the jawbone in the space left behind after a tooth has gone missing or has been removed, becomes an artificial root in which to anchor a replacement tooth crown.
The typical dental implant is made up of 3 main parts, which breaks down as follows:
The first part of a dental implant is the aforementioned titanium screw that’s screwed into place in the jawbone. This itself is the implant, and titanium is the perfect material due to it’s strength, weight, and compatibility with our bodies.
The next part of a dental implant is the abutment, which is typically made of titanium or zirconium. This is the piece of the puzzle that the dental crown will be attached to. The abutment sticks out just above the gum line, but it’ll be totally covered once the crown has been put in place.
On top of the abutment goes the final piece—the crown. The crown is the replacement tooth, and it will look and function in exactly the same way as the real thing. These will usually be made of porcelain or ceramic, and can either be removable or fixed.
When it comes to the different types of dental implant, there are a number of options that are available, depending on whether you need to replace a single tooth, a number of teeth, or an entire set. The different types of dental implants break down in the following way:
— Single dental implant: A single dental implant is used when only a single tooth has either been lost or damaged and needs replacing. The titanium implant is screwed into the jawbone, before a porcelain or ceramic crown is affixed to the top of it.
— Implant supported bridge: With an implant supported bridge, a number of missing teeth that would’ve been side by side can be replaced. For instance, if three teeth side by side have been lost, then two implants placed in the jawbone can replace all three teeth, with each titanium implant being placed in the jawbone where the first and third tooth would be, with a bridge consisting of three crowns placed securely on top.
— Full mouth dental implants: There are a few different ways that a full mouth dental restoration can be achieved, involving a varied number of dental implants. For a start, a full mouth dental implant restoration could be accomplished with only two implants, top and bottom, placed in the spot that was previously occupied by the canines. Small pop studs are placed on top of the gums, and a full set of removable dentures is then clicked into position. These can easily be removed for daily cleaning or any necessary repairs.
Alternatively, additional dental implants can be introduced to install a fixed bridge. With 4 to 6 dental implants, a metal, porcelain, or zirconia bridge with a full set of 12 teeth can be fixed into place on top, only unlike before, a fixed bridge can only be removed by your dentist, and they’ll need to do so every now and then so that they can keep it well maintained.
With full mouth dental implants, all of the surrounding bone will be fully supported, which will go some way to preventing the chances of bone resorption (where bone tissue breaks down and gets absorbed into the blood), and ensure that the final restoration is fully supported and kept properly in its place. Over time though, full mouth dental implants tend to require more maintenance than other dental implant options, especially permanently fixed ones.
This is only a broad guide to the ins and outs of each different type of dental implant, and when you meet with your surgeon for a consultation, he or she will be able to walk you through each available option in much more detail, and work with you to determine which one is best suited to your goals and needs.
Once you’ve committed to the idea of getting dental implant surgery, you might want to consider potential places to have it done. Any kind of dental work in the UK can be incredibly expensive, and going abroad for treatment is only getting more and more popular among thoses seeking dental work. Among the most popular destinations for those looking to go abroad for their dental treatments is Turkey, and the country has been increasing in popularity year after year for people looking for all kinds of procedures, be it dental, cosmetic or otherwise. When you choose to undergo your dental implants Turkey you’ll find all of the different types of dental implants being performed, and all for much more reasonable prices than you’ll ever find in the UK, and with the potential for much better surgeons too.
