Breaking Down the Different Types of Dental Implants

Did you know that 178 million American adults are missing at least one permanent tooth? So, if you’ve lost a tooth to dental issues or injury, you’re certainly not alone. 

Since adult tooth loss is such a widespread issue, new methods for replacing missing teeth have been developed, including dental implants. To maintain oral health, chewing, and speech functionality, it is crucial to replace missing teeth.

But are dental implants right for you? At Beaches Dentistry in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, Nodesh Shyamsunder, BDS, Jasleen Raina, DDS, and our restorative dentistry team offer a few different types of dental implants to restore your smile’s function and appearance. 

In this month’s blog, we’re discussing the different types of dental implants we offer, so you can decide which one is right for you. 

Dental implant-supported crowns and bridges

A dental crown is a custom-made, tooth-colored “cap” that’s placed over a tooth to cover it and restore its size, shape, and appearance. Often, crowns protect a worn-down or damaged tooth from injury or tooth decay. However, it can also help replace a single missing tooth. 

If you have only one missing tooth, a single dental implant can be placed with the help of a crown. To start, a titanium post is placed in your jawbone to act as a new tooth root. Once this post fuses to your jawbone, a crown is attached on top, completing your tooth replacement process. 

A dental implant-supported bridge is very similar. However, it can replace a few missing teeth. A traditional bridge attaches two crowns to remaining natural teeth, and a false tooth sits in the empty spaces to “bridge” the gap. A dental implant-supporting bridge uses implants instead of natural teeth to replace a series of missing teeth. 

Dental implant-supported dentures

Dentures replace a full or partial row of missing teeth. Traditional dentures are removable dental appliances that have a gum-colored base and a set of false teeth. They sit on top of your gums and get attached with a dental adhesive. They’re often difficult to use and don’t stay in place well enough to use them as you would your natural teeth.

Implant-supported dentures, however, are attached to implants, so they remain secure. You don’t have to worry about them slipping around with a messy adhesive, and you can also chew and speak with confidence. 

This innovative type of denture uses several titanium posts placed throughout your jawbone. After the posts fuse to your jawbone, a set of either fixed or removable artificial teeth gets placed on top. 

All-on-4® dental implants

All-on-4 dental implants are a specific type of fixed implant-supported denture, used to replace an entire row of missing teeth. This dental implant is called “All-on-4” because it uses four implants to attach a set of prosthetic teeth. 

No matter which type of dental implant you choose, you need to be in generally good oral health and have sufficient jawbone to attach dental implants to. If you have any tooth decay or gum disease, our team treats those issues first. Without sufficient jawbone, our team may need to perform a bone graft to provide the implants with a secure foundation. 

To learn more about dental implants, schedule a consultation with our team by calling our office or using our online booking feature today.