What Types of Dental Implants Can Restore Your Teeth?

What Are Dental Implants?

They are small metal posts that replace missing teeth in dentistry. Dentists can use different oral appliances for missing teeth replacement. However, only dental implants in Phoenix offer a permanent solution for lost teeth.

How Do Dental Implants Work?

Dental implants replace tooth roots through surgical dentistry. The process entails opening the gums surgically, then drilling the jawbone to create space for the tooth implant.

The dental implant is made of titanium, a biocompatible metal that can integrate well with natural bone tissue. Therefore, when the dentist places the implant in your jawbone, the expectation is to become one with a natural bone structure.

Technically, a dental implant can only replace the tooth root. Therefore, after the tooth replacement surgery, your artificial tooth will not yet function like the rest of your natural teeth. During your Phoenix dental implant consultation, the dentist should prepare you to anticipate a two-step procedure. After the implantation surgery, you must undergo a crowning process. Dentists employ different materials for this final step of the procedure.

The Three Main Types of Dental Implants

You can choose an implant restoration at Open Wide Dental by considering the following options:

• Dental crowns: single-tooth replacement.

When you have lost one tooth, you only need a single implant. The procedure comprises a dental implant and a crown over it. Dental crowns for implant restoration work the same way as traditional crowns. The only difference is that they anchor on dental implants instead of natural teeth.

• Bridges: replacing multiple teeth in a row.

Sometimes you lose more than one tooth consecutively. Depending on the number of teeth you have lost, it can get overwhelming to undergo a single-tooth replacement procedure with dental implants. Instead, you can receive an implant-supported bridgework. It comprises two dental crowns and an artificial tooth. The crowns can be anchored to adjacent natural teeth or dental implants. However, if you have lost more than four teeth in a row, your implant dentist will recommend partials instead of dental bridges. Partials can replace multiple lost teeth while remaining stable and sturdy.

• Dentures: Full arch restoration

When you lose all your upper or lower teeth, partials or dental bridges may not be the most suitable to replace them. Instead, you can get implant-supported dentures for full arch tooth replacement. Better yet, this solution works even when you are toothless.

However, since it is illogical to place an implant for every lost tooth, the implant restoration will be different. For full arch restorations, dentists strategically place between 4 and 8 implants in your jawbone. The said implants will support the denture, a technique called all-on-4 implants.

Should You Consider Getting Dental Implants?

If you have lost at least one tooth, you should book a Phoenix dental implant consultation with a dentist near you. The session will help you find out the intricate details necessary to qualify for dental implants. While anyone may desire to get dental implants, not everyone can. The stakes are higher when you need more than one implant in your mouth. Some considerations that determine your qualifications for implant restorations are:

1. Gum disease – healthy gums are paramount for implant restorations.
2. Weak bone tissue – if you have been without teeth for a long period, your jawbone may have weakened. It occurs when the body disintegrates the bone tissue due to inactivity. A weak jawbone cannot amply support a dental implant. Further, periodontitis can affect bone health, hindering you from a successful implant restoration.
3. Underlying health problems and medication – if you have a health problem that impacts bone health, dental implants are not suitable for you. Patients with arthritis or cancer may not benefit from dental implants. Further, if you are taking medications like blood thinners or cancer therapy treatment, inform your dentist beforehand. These medicine impact the success of an implant restoration procedure.

Summary

If your dentist qualifies you for a dental implant procedure, you may just be on your way to a permanent, sturdy, and beautiful transformation. The results of your treatment will be worth it, given the durability and sturdiness of implant-supported teeth compared to their counterparts.