When it comes to understanding tooth replacement, you need a comprehensive guide explaining your options. Here's our helpful guide to dental implants.

According to a survey by the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons in the United States, more than 1 out of 4 people above the age of 75 do not have any teeth, and 500,000 people get dental implant procedures performed every year.

It's clear that there's both a great need for dental implant work, and that many people recognize that need and get dental implants for themselves.

We are lucky to live in a modern technological era in which exciting scientific breakthroughs allow us to routinely fix what used to be a debilitating problem. The success rate of dental implants is 95% or higher, and the many different types and procedures allow almost anyone to find a solution to their own dental issues.

But what exactly are dental implants, and how do they work? Read on to learn everything you need to know about what kind of dental implants there are and which ones could be right for you!

What Are Dental Implants?

Dental implants can be compared to tooth roots. Your teeth's roots reach down into your gums and stay anchored in the underlying bone structure. If you've lost a tooth, that underlying bone structure may still be there.

Dental implants procedures place a screw in that bone structure to create a strong anchor. An artificial tooth, or crown, can then be attached to that strong anchor, allowing you to use it to chew tough food just as you normally would.

In between the crown and the anchor, there is something called an abutment. The abutment bridges the gap between the anchor and the crown and makes sure the structure of the whole dental implant remains stable.

Candidates For Dental Implants

Practically anyone who has lost a single adult tooth or more can get a dental implant. Dental implants are most easily installed in strong jaws and gums, but even in difficult cases, there are dental implant procedures that can work with limited jaw structure.

It was only about 30 years ago that dental implants began to be successfully used, kicking off a new era of sustained dental health.

Technically, it might be more accurate to say that dental implants were rediscovered rather than invented a few decades ago. There is some evidence that dental implants were used in ancient times. 1400 year old archaeological evidence shows that pieces of a shell shaped like teeth were hammered into the jaw of the Mayans.

Perhaps we should be equally grateful that modern dental implants were discovered in the era of anesthesia!

Titanium Fuses Naturally With Bone

Biomedical implants of all kinds come back again and again to titanium for their materials. There's a very special reason why: titanium naturally fuses right with bones from the human body!

This ability of titanium is called osseointegration. "Osseo" means bone, so osseointegrations means the ability to integrate with bone. On top of that, titanium can resist the corrosive powers of our natural body fluids, and it is inert, so that it doesn't poison or damage our bodies.

Titaniums ability to fuse with our bones was first discovered by a great orthopedic surgeon named P I Branemark in 1952. Upon realizing the possible applications of his discovery, he decided to abandon his research of knees and hips and switch to investigating how to use titanium in the mouth.

Advantages of Dental Implants

When bones aren't used, they have a tendency to wear away into nothing or be absorbed back into the body. After you lose a tooth, the underlying bone structure is no longer being used in the same way. If you wait long enough, you may lose that bone structure on top of the tooth that you've already lost.

It's best to act quickly. A dental implant can signal to your body that this bone is still being used, so your body will continue to provide nutrients to keep your jaw and bone structure strong.

In cases where you've waited too long and the underlying bone structure has somewhat deteriorated, more extensive dental implant procedures may be necessary in order to restore your mouth to its former glory.

How to Pay For Dental Implants Procedures

Most dental insurance plans do not cover dental implants, though it's always worth checking out. Instead, most plans will cover the least expensive alternative to dental implants.

According to Dental Plans, an average endosteal dental implant costs $2,441, and many dental insurance plans only cover the first $1,000 or so of that. However, if you go looking for insurance plans that will cover most or all of some dental implant procedures, then you can probably find one.

A good rule of thumb to keep in mind is that the more extensive the procedure you need, the less likely it is that your insurance will cover it for you.

If you need a tooth extracted, that makes your procedures more extensive. The more anesthesia you need, the more extensive the procedure. If you need bone augmentation, sinus lifts, or other extra procedures, all of these extra details can lower the chance that your insurance will cover your dental implants.

On the other hand, if your tooth is already out and you promptly pursue a dental implant fix, your procedure may be relatively simple and your insurance is more likely to cover it.

How to Care For Your Dental Implants

Once you have your dental implants successfully in place, you'll need to take care of them the same way you take care of normal teeth. Brushing, flossing, rinsing, and avoiding excessively sugary or acidic foods are all great ways to keep your dental implants working perfectly.

3 Types of Dental Implants

While there are several kinds of implants, one fact that always remains the same is that the implant will need a sturdy anchor. There are basically 3 places that dental implants can be placed securely.

Endosteal

Endosteal implants are used when there is strong, healthy bone structure in the mouth. Endosteal implants are screwed into that bone.

Most people who get a dental implant still have a significant amount of bone structure remaining in their jaws, so endosteal implants are the most common kind of dental implant.

Subperiosteal

You can think of subperiosteal implants as a sort of "Plan B" to be used if endosteal implants aren't possible. When the bone structure of a jaw has deteriorated, a dental implant needs something else to hold it firmly in place.

If the bone has worn away or been absorbed back into the body, then a subperiosteal implant can be placed deep into the gums, but not actually reaching into any bones.

Not only is this procedure used if there is insufficient bone structure in the jaw, but it's also used for people who don't like the idea of using intensive surgery to drill into the jawbone.

Zygomatic

Zygomatic implants are our "Plan C." They are not used very commonly and the procedure to install them can be quite complicated. However, if other options are unavailable for whatever reason, then a zygomatic implant can anchor itself in the cheekbones so that you can enjoy strong, firmly anchored teeth.

But what if none of these options can work for you? Is there a Plan D?

Yes! Actually, there are many more dental implant options you can use. With a skilled oral surgeon or periodontist, almost anyone can achieve a successful implant dentistry procedure.

Sinus Lift

As discussed before, after teeth fall out, the underlying bone structure can end up deteriorating as well. If the bones below your sinuses have suffered this kind of deterioration, then a sinus lift can be just the solution you need so that you can still get a successful dental implant!

Bone Augmentation

Bone augmentation is sometimes also called bone graft. There are two ways it can be performed.

First, you might have a piece of bone out of your body transferred to your mouth. Alternatively, processed bone can be used instead.

In either case, once the graft is in place, it will start to integrate with what bone structure still remains in your jaw. Over several months, the graft will become solidly fused to the rest of your mouth's bone structure, allowing for a dental implant to finally be placed!

While the bone is still fusing to your other bone structure, you'll have to be careful to avoid putting too much pressure on that area of your mouth.

Ridge Expansion

It's possible that you have bone structure in the right place of your jaw, but it's not quite wide enough to sustain an implant procedure. In these cases, your dentist or surgeon may recommend a ridge expansion. A ridge expansion is another bone augmentation procedure, but this one widens your jaw.

Keep Your Mouth in Top Shape

We hope you learned something helpful about dental implants in this piece. Complete Health of Dentristry in NEPA in Honesdale, PA offers excellent implant services.

To learn more about dental implants or talk to someone about how you can get your own, contact us here!

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