Types of Dental Implants
Marysville, WA
 Tooth loss doesn’t just negatively impact your appearance. It can also be damaging to your oral health, too. While tooth loss can make you feel self conscious, making you hesitate before sharing a smile, its impact on your mouth is even worse. Over time, the loss of a single tooth can cause a cascading effect, leading to more issues further down the road. One major complication of tooth loss is bone loss. Without a tooth in place, your jaw bone can start to wear away, causing a sunken appearance on your face and discomfort in your daily life. Your remaining teeth can start to shift and try to drift into the empty space, causing bite issues and teeth to become loose. At Grove Street Family Dentistry, Dr. Tran strongly advise dental implants to help prevent these problems from happening.
Facts About Dental Implants
When considering dental implants, you have choices on what type of implant is best for you. Factors that may determine what type of implant that you choose include your lifestyle, your overall wellness, genetics, and your personal preferences. There are two primary types of dental implants that are recognized as safe for our patients. These include endosteal implants and subperiosteal implants.
Endosteal implants consist of three parts. We start by inserting a post directly into your jawbone to attach the implant. This post is often made out of titanium, which fuses very well to your existing bone. However, some zirconia posts are growing in popularity, as they are an attractive option for people who want to avoid metal. Once the site heals, the post is attached to another component, called the abutment. The abutment acts as a connector to the post and the final component, the restoration, or the crown. The dental crown is often made out of porcelain and is natural looking, giving you the appearance of having a real tooth in your mouth.
Subperiosteal implants are different in that they do not use a post that is screwed into your bone. Instead, it relies upon a framework that is placed under your gums, next to your jawbone. It does have posts sticking out of it, though, that can be attached to the crown. Just like with endosteal implants, the materials can be titanium or zirconia and fuse to your existing bone to help create a sturdy base for your dental implant.
A single tooth implant attaches directly from a post to the abutment and the crown. Other types of implants include multiple tooth implants, which may include an implant-supported bridge. These work by using an implant as a way to help place a secure bridge in your mouth to replace missing teeth. Implants can also be used to help provide natural-looking dentures. The denture affixes to posts to create a permanent solution to tooth loss. All-on-4® Treatment Concept implants are similar in nature, providing a type of denture that attaches to the post to give you a natural-looking smile with just four posts on either arch.
If you’re interested in learning more about dental implants, we are more than happy to answer any questions you may have and help you determine which type is best for you. For more information, or to schedule a consultation at our office for this safe and routine procedure, please give us a call here at Grove Street Family Dentistry at (360) 659-3200 today!
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