Dental implants are highly effective and long-term solutions for replacing missing teeth. They are made from a similar material as your natural teeth, and physicians can place them into your jawbone without surgical intervention. Because they are entirely custom-made to fit your mouth, dental implants Sunnyvale greatly enhance your appearance and ability to chew, speak, eat and smile.
There are several types of dental implants available:
Single tooth implant
A single-tooth implant is the least expensive method of replacing a tooth. It is an excellent option for patients who have lost more than one tooth. The procedure involves removing the remaining healthy teeth and placing a temporary crown over them. The implant then goes into place and is permanently attached to the jawbone.
This implant can sometimes replace multiple missing teeth in a single treatment. However, other types of implants can also serve this purpose, including bilateral and multidirectional implants.
All-on-4 dental implants
As the name suggests, these options consist of four implants placed in the upper and lower jaw bones and in a third molar area called the “pontic.” This dental implant provides a stable foundation for your teeth and allows you to eat almost anything you like because the implant acts as a base for your tooth. It also supports your bone tissue and will enable you to experience less pain when eating and chewing.
Open-loop dental implants
An open-loop dental implant is an alternative to traditional metal dental implants, which have a fixed shape but can be adjusted to fit around teeth.
These implants are made from plastic and are usually cone-shaped or teardrop shape. The top part of the implant is attached to your jawbone via a post that goes into your gum tissue and a wire loop that attaches to your tooth root on one side only.
The bottom half of the implant sits below your gum line for easy cleaning.
Endosteal implants
Physicians make endosteal implants from titanium, cobalt chrome, and corrosion-resistant steel. The implant is placed in the jawbone and anchored to the bone with screws. You can remove the screw after a few years, but the implant should remain in place for the rest of your life. Physicians usually use endosteal implants to replace missing teeth or correct problems with existing teeth.
Subperiosteal implants
Dental experts place these implants directly into the bone, and they are a great choice when there is no sufficient bone to use as a base for an implant. They are also used to repair single or multiple teeth that are missing. The physician makes a small incision in the gum and then fills it with a mixture of calcium hydroxide and antibiotics. This mixture dissolves the soft tissue around the tooth, allowing easy extraction. The implant is then placed in the gap left by the extracted tooth and cemented.
Avulsed implants
These implants are ideal for patients who have lost some or all of their teeth through injury or disease. They come in two types of styles: metal-on-metal and ceramic-on-ceramic. Metal-on-metal implants screw into the bone using screws or wires, while ceramic-on-ceramic implants are attached using tiny posts inserted through holes drilled into the jawbone.
Dental implants are a long-lasting option for replacing missing teeth and can help improve your smile. They are made from titanium and therefore do not decay like traditional dentures or bridges. Contact Perio & Implant Center to schedule an appointment with a dentist to learn more about dental implants and determine if they are right for you.
