Dental Implant

Dental Implant

A dental implant is a structure that replaces a missing tooth. With screw-like devices, the surgeon inserts an implant into the jawbone, and it acts as an anchor for an artificial tooth, called a crown.

A device called an abutment connects the artificial tooth to the dental implant.

The crown is custom-made to fit the person’s mouth and match the color of their teeth. Crowns look, feel, and function like natural teeth.

Implants have several advantagesTrusted Source over dentures, which are removable artificial teeth. 

Implants;

• are more natural and comfortable
• have a higher success rate
• improve chewing function
• lead to a lower risk of cavities developing in nearby teeth
• lead to better maintenance of bone at the site of the lost tooth
• cause decreased sensitivity in nearby teeth
• do not need to be taken out and cleaned every night
• However, dental implants are not suitable for everyone. The implanting devices must bond with the jawbone, so a person’s bones must be healthy before they can undergo implant surgery.

Types of Dental Implants

There are two types of dental implant: endosteal and subperiosteal.

Endosteal implants are the most common type. A surgeon embeds them in the jawbone, and each can hold one or more artificial teeth.

A surgeon affixes a subperiosteal implant on top of the jawbone. Dental surgeons choose this option for people who do not have much height to their jawbone.

Procedures of Dental Implants

Each person is likely to have a different experience of dental implant surgery. Factors that may influence this include:

the number of teeth requiring replacement
the location of the implants within the jaw
the quality and quantity of bone at the implant site
the person’s underlying oral and systemic health
Depending on these factors, additional procedures may be necessary. These can include:

Sinus augmentation

Placing an implant in the upper jawbone is usually difficult because of the location of the sinuses.

The surgeon may need to perform a sinus augmentation — a procedure to lift the floor of the sinuses to allow more bone to develop so that the implantation can be successful.

Ridge modification

Some people have a jawbone abnormality that prevents enough bone for an implant from developing. In such cases, a surgeon may need to perform a ridge modification.

This involves lifting the gum to expose the area of deformed bone. The surgeon will then use a bone or bone substitute to repair and build up the area. This improves the quality of the jawbone in preparation for dental implant surgery.

Cost of Dental Implants

The cost of dental implant surgery varies, and the following factors can influence it:

• the number and types of implants required
• the location of the implants within the jaw
• whether there is a need for any additional procedures to prepare the mouth for surgery
• A dentist or another oral health professional can estimate the cost of dental implant surgery during an initial examination.

Some dental insurance policies cover a larger portion of the cost.

Other tooth replacement options, such as bridges, may be less expensive. However, bridges are harder to keep clean and often require replacement and repair, increasing the overall cost. Dental implants may provide longer-term benefits if a person takes care of them well.