How Many Types of Dental Implants Are There?

Dental implant surgery is a surgical procedure to place a small dental implant made of titanium material within your jawbone. It allows you to replace a single or various missing teeth. However, three types of dental implants help you in a different way to heal your humble implants issues. 

If you want to know more about dental implants and their types, you can read this article as it contains all the essential information regarding “what is dental implant” and its types. Without any further delay, let’s get started!

What Are Dental Implants?

Dental implants are a surgical procedure where a small titanium material is placed inside your jawbone, sealing the vacant space of your missing teeth. Gradually, dental implants integrate with the bone, restoring your missing teeth over time. This entire implant setup is biocompatible, which doesn’t form any infection in the long term. However, there are certain types of dental implants that we have mentioned in the next section.

Three Main Types of Dental Implants

1. Single dental implant

A single dental implant takes place when you have a single tooth missing. It involves the placement of a single implant post into the jawbone through a surgical procedure. This restoration effectively replaces the missing tooth while preserving the surrounding teeth and bone. It takes around 3 to 4 months to recover; it also depends on how you care for your teeth. Once it is properly healed, the crown is connected to a post with the help of an abutment.

2. Implant-supported bridge  

An Implant-supported bridge takes place when multiple adjacent teeth are missing. Instead of traditional bridges that rely on adjacent natural teeth for support, an implant-supported bridge uses dental implants as anchors. An implant-supported bridge procedure is also similar to a single dental implant. The only difference is that teeth missing in the middle of the gap do not receive a dental implant. With this implant, you can replace multiple teeth in one sitting, which is also cost-effective. 

3. Implant-retained denture 

Implant-retained dentures take place if your lower or upper arch teeth are missing. In this case, Implant-retained dentures are considered an ideal solution. It aligns well with the gum line and gives you a natural look.

Dental implants secure this type of denture in place, offering better stability and eliminating the need for denture adhesives. The denture is attached to the implants using connectors or attachments, allowing for improved chewing function and preventing issues like denture slippage. 

Wrap Up

You can choose what dental impact suits you depending on your medical needs and requirements. Remember, your choice will also depend on other factors like bone health, the number of missing teeth, etc. A dentist can provide you with the proper guidance to get started with the procedure.