Did you know that 69% of Americans between 35 to 44 have lost at least
1 permanent tooth? And those who are 50 to 65 have lost around 12 teeth on
average.
Losing your permanent teeth can feel
devastating, but there are ways to make up for them. One such way is through
dental implants!
Want to hear more? Here's a short and basic guide to the types of dental implants you can get.
Types
of Dental Implants
When you see your dentist for dental and orthodontic services, they'll know what's best for you.
However, it wouldn't hurt to go in prepared so you know what they're talking
about.
In general, there are 2 types of
dental implants: endosteal and subperiosteal. There are also ones called
zygomatic and All-on-4 implants. Read on to find out more about these dental
implant options.
Endosteal
Implants
These are the most common type of
dental implants you'll see. The implants are placed in your mouth through posts
that fuse to your jawbone. Because of this, only patients with healthy and
strong jawbones can get endosteal implants.
It'll take a little bit of time to
heal, but once you're done healing, you can count on endosteal implants to last
you a long time.
Subperiosteal
Implants
These are the second-most common
type of dental implant. Instead of placing posts into the jawbone, dental
professionals will place the posts right on top of it. This means if you don't
have enough healthy jawbone available, subperiosteal implants can be used
instead.
This is also a good choice if you
don't want to undergo a bone graft to have enough healthy bone for endosteal implants.
Zygomatic
Implants
These aren't very common, but are
still an option. It's complicated and is an alternative to endosteal implants
if you don't have enough healthy jawbone. These implants are placed in your
cheekbone instead of the jawbone.
All-on-4
Implants
All-on-4 implants are great for
those who don't want to use dentures.
As the name suggests, all you need
are 4 (sometimes up to 6) implants on the top, bottom, or both rows of teeth.
Then, bridges are placed on top to give you realistic and functional teeth.
This eliminates the hassle of
putting in and taking out dentures to eat and speak. They're also a lot more
comfortable.
Techniques
Used to Accommodate Dental Implants
Zygomatic implants are already
pretty uncommon. But if you're not able to get those, there are a few ways to
enable the option of endosteal implants for you.
We already briefly mentioned using
bone grafts, or bone augmentation. You can also get a sinus lift, which is
adding bone to the area underneath your sinus.
Lastly, there's ridge expansion.
This is also bone grafting, but its main purpose is to expand the area at the
top of your jaw.
Know
the Types of Dental Implants Available
Now you have a basic understanding
of the types of dental implants available. If you feel like these may be of
interest to you, then the next step is to make an appointment with your
dentist. Together, you can determine what the best course of action is for you!
For more articles like this one on
the different types of dental implants, take a look at the rest of our blog
now.
