Dental implants are a way of replacing missing teeth with artificial ones that look and function like natural teeth. They consist of two parts: an implant that is inserted into the jawbone and acts as a root, and a prosthetic tooth that is attached to the implant. Dental implants are suitable for people who have lost teeth due to gum disease, injury, or other causes and who do not want to wear dentures.

Types of Dental Implants

Endosteal (in the bone) — This is the most widely used dental implant type. It has different shapes, such as screws, cylinders, or blades, that are inserted into the jawbone through surgery. Each implant can support one or more artificial teeth. This implant type is usually a good option for people who currently have bridges or removable dentures.
Subperiosteal (on the bone) — This dental implant type is positioned over the jawbone and has metal posts that stick out through the gum to keep the implant steady. Subperiosteal implants are usually for people who cannot use regular dentures and do not have enough bone height for an endosteal implant.

Are You a Candidate for Dental Implants?

You’re an ideal candidate for a dental implant if:

You’re in overall good general and oral health.
You have adequate bone in your jaw to support the dental implant.
You have healthy gum tissues that are free of periodontal disease.

Dental implants are closely linked with the soft tissues (i.e., gums) and hard tissues (i.e., bone) in your mouth. Periodontists are experts on both soft and hard tissues because they have three years of extra training after finishing dental school. They have the best mix of skills and knowledge to ensure that your dental implant solution looks and feels like your own natural teeth.

Types of Dental Implant Procedures

Your periodontist will design a treatment plan that suits your needs, based on your specific condition and the kind of implant you choose.

These are some of the potential treatment plans based on your situation:

Single Tooth Dental Implants — One dental implant can replace a missing tooth.
Multiple Tooth Dental Implants — Multiple dental implants can replace several missing teeth.
Full Mouth Dental Implants — Full mouth dental implants can replace all of your teeth.
Sinus Augmentation — The success of an implant depends on how much and how good the bone is where the dental implant goes. The upper back jaw is usually a hard place to put dental implants because the bone is not enough or not good and the sinus is too close. Sinus augmentation can fix this problem by lifting the sinus floor and making more bone for the dental implant.
Ridge Modification — If your upper or lower jaw has deformities, you may not have enough bone to put dental implants. To fix the problem, the gum is pulled back from the ridge to show the gap where bone is missing. The gap is then filled with bone or something like bone to make the ridge bigger. Ridge modification can make the jaw look better and make the implants more likely to work.

Dental Implant Procedure Follow-Up

Dental implants need careful oral care at home and regular dental check-ups to keep working well and avoid peri-implant disease. Brushing and flossing are still important to keep your dental implant clean and free of plaque, just like natural teeth.

Once you have your dental implant, your periodontist will work with you and your general dentist to make the best care plan for you. You will have regular visits to check your implant, teeth and gums and make sure they are healthy.