Endosteal implants are the most common type of implants. They’re shaped like cylinders or screws and drilled into the jawbone underneath the empty socket of the missing tooth. Once the endosteal implant is drilled into the jawbone, it eventually becomes a firmly rooted part of your dental anatomy, offering a stable base for the dental restoration, such as the crown or bridge. Endosteal implants are the most stable and strong type of implants in terms of placement.
Subperiosteal Implants
Subperiosteal implants are the type of implants placed above the jawbone. Instead of drilling the implant into the jawbone, the dental implant specialist places it just above the jawbone but under the gumline. This implant is generally recommended for an endosteal implant for patients with insufficient jawbone tissues. However, most dentists offer bone grafting procedures before the implant procedure to rebuild the jawbone tissues and offer endosteal implants, so subperiosteal implants are rarely used.
Single-Tooth Implants
If you’re missing one tooth, you can proceed with single-tooth implants. The dental implant specialist attaches one implant under the missing tooth’s socket to support a dental crown. This type of implant can replace one individual tooth.
Multiple-Tooth Implants
You can get multiple-tooth implants if you’re missing several teeth from your mouth. The dental implant specialist will drill an implant into the sockets of only some of the missing teeth, following which they will support a partial denture or bridge. This procedure allows you to replace numerous teeth with fewer implants.
Full-Mouth Implants
You can opt for full-mouth implants if you’re missing all the teeth from the upper arch, lower arch, or both. The dental implant specialist may attach implants in some of the strategic locations of your mouth to support a complete denture or severe bridges. This procedure can replace an entire arch of missing teeth.
Titanium Dental Implants
Titanium dental implants are made of titanium, a highly biocompatible and durable metal. Titanium has been the gold standard for dental implants for decades because it’s extremely strong, stable, and firm.
Ceramic Dental Implants
Ceramic dental implants are made of zirconium oxide, a hypoallergenic and biocompatible material that looks like a natural tooth root. Ceramic dental implants are relatively new, but studies show they offer similar success rates to titanium dental implants.
Immediate-Load Implants
In most cases, after placing dental implants, your dentist must wait several months before placing the dental restoration. Placing dental restoration on the implant too early may sacrifice the results and lead to implant failure. But if all conditions are optimal, the dental implant dentist can also provide immediate-load implants, which involves placing temporary crowns on the implants the same day as your dental implant surgery, so you don’t have to go without teeth.
All-on-4 Implants
All-on-4 dental implants have transformed the ability of dentists to replace a complete arch of missing teeth. If you’re missing all of the teeth from the upper or lower jaw, the dental implant specialist can attach four strategically placed implants on the jawbone to support a complete denture. This procedure allows us to replace all your missing teeth using only four implants.