There are three main categories of dental implants in use today:

• Subperiosteal implants: are elongated and flat, designed to sit on top of the bone. They are used mostly in cases where the jawbone has already decayed because of tooth loss or other situations where the jawbone cannot support an implant.

• Blade implants:   are very narrow implants that can be used in situations where the jawbone is slender but still sufficient.

• Root form implant: is the most common form of implant we use. It mimics the form and function of a natural tooth root.

Under certain conditions, a dental implant can be placed immediately after the tooth is extracted. The process of placing root form dental implants is lengthy, but at the end of it, you have fully functional teeth that can let you smile, talk, laugh, and eat normally.  

There are two types of implants:

1. Single dental implant: Is the implant done on only one tooth.

2. Multiple dental implants: Implants are stronger than the natural tooth roots, therefore several missing teeth can sometimes be replaced with fewer implants. For example, three missing teeth can be supported by two implants or four missing teeth can be supported by three implants. 

Depending on the size, shape, and density of your jawbone, dental implants can be:

• Tiny titanium posts, placed into the jawbone in place of the missing tooth root;

• Flat plates, placed vertically in the jawbone when the jawbone is too short or too narrow to hold the posts

• A custom-made plate, for when the bone has deteriorated too much for the first two types. This type is not placed inside the bone, but on top of it, beneath the gums.

Implants allow you to wear full dentures and partial dentures without worrying that they will slip or fall out. Having implants to support these restorations also means that the base of the restorations can be made much smaller and more comfortable.

Implants with screws placed in the jaw will serve as attachments for a metal bar, which will help support a removable denture. Use of 2 to 6 implants may be added for stability, as necessary. The new denture snaps over the bar and is stable and very retentive.

The completed fixed-detachable denture sits on top of the implants above the gum tissue. There is enough space under the bridge to allow easy access for maintaining good oral hygiene.

An Implant Bridge is very much like a conventional Full Coverage Bridge except the support is actually over implants rather than natural teeth. The implants themselves act as man-made roots. A great advantage is that this is self-supporting, unlike a tooth-supported bridge that puts a heavier load on the remaining teeth. Implants are a terrific choice for missing teeth.

This is a mini-implant system which consists of a miniature (1.8mm in diameter) titanium implant that functions as the root of your tooth. MDI implants can also act as fixtures which increase the retention of a denture, and they have been successfully used for 25 years.

This system can be used in both temporary cases, when conventional implants will be placed in the future, or in on-going applications. They have been shown to be especially successful in areas where there is minimal space to place a conventional implant, as when the roots of neighboring teeth are positioned closely together.

MDI Implants are immediate loading implants, meaning that they can be restored and placed in function immediately. Due to their small diameter and minimal surgical intervention, there is no healing phase necessary.

Conventional implant placement requires bone to be removed, and therefore healing must occur. With same-day implants, usually only a mild anesthesia is required for placement of the implant, and in most cases, no surgical incision of the gingiva is required. Since there is no healing phase, they may be loaded immediately.

If you want to learn whether you are a candidate for dental implants, we invite you to come in for a complimentary consultation today. You can tour our facility, have your questions answered by Dr. Michael Iott and his staff, and see more examples of before and after pictures.

If you have already lost teeth or have been told that you will have to have one or more removed, you don't have to live without teeth. Schedule a dental implant consultation with Dr. Michael Iott & Associates.