Dental implants are a common replacement option for teeth lost due to trauma or decay. Patients often prefer implants to bridges or dentures because the installation method offers greater stability. This stability makes chewing, speaking, and even holding the mouth closed feel as close to natural as possible.
There are two common types of dental implants. Both involve a jawbone implant and an artificial tooth that hooks onto that implant at a later date. But the exact method of installation and the pros and cons do differ.
Endosteal Implants
This is the most common type of dental implant. Your dentist will implant a metal, often screw-like root directly into a pre-drilled hole in the jawbone. The gums are given time to heal before the dentist goes back in to attach a post to that root. An artificial tooth is then snapped over the post.
Pros of this type of implant include being the most stable form of implant. This is due to the initial root being screwed down into the jawbone, where the bone and root will fuse together.
Cons include the need for two different surgical procedures. An endosteal implant also isn't a good choice for those with either a shallow jawbone or bone loss. The bone loss can potentially be fixed with a bone graft, which requires an additional surgical procedure.
Subperiosteal Implants
A subperiosteal implant differs in both the implant location and the type of implant used.
Instead of screwing a root into the jawbone, the dentist will place a metal plate with a post on top of the jawbone below the gums. The area is allowed to heal until the gums have fused the plate in place. Then an artificial tooth is snapped onto the existing post.
Subperiosteal implants aren't as stable as endosteal implants because the artificial root doesn't penetrate the jawbone. Severe gum disease that causes gum recession and erosion could also threaten the stability of the implant.
But this type of implant is still an approved choice for certain patients. Those with shallow jawbones can often only receive this type of implant. And those with bone loss who don't want to undergo a bone graft might also qualify. Subperiosteal implants are also good choices for those who don't want to undergo the two to three procedures required to get the area ready for the artificial tooth.
If you are in need of a dental implant, it's important to thoroughly discuss your options with professionals such as Accent On Dentistry - Rowena R Martir DMD.
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