The American College of Prosthodontists notes that 120 million Americans have at least one missing tooth, while 36 million of them don’t have any. While dentures have become one of the main solutions for this problem, they make talking and chewing a bit difficult. So many dentists offer dental implants as a revolutionary way to replace missing teeth.
What Are Dental Implants?
Dental implants are artificial tooth roots that are surgically placed into the patient’s jawbone. These are made of titanium screws and offer sturdy support for the person’s new pearly whites. Connected to it is an abutment, which holds the crown in place.
The patient doesn’t have to think about bridges and mounted dentures shifting or slipping inside their mouth. The crowns placed on the other end of the abutment will also feel and look natural. This is because the implants become a stable support for the artificial teeth once they bond with the bone. The secure fit makes eating or talking comfortable for the wearer.
How Much Do They Cost?
Affordable Smiles creates a customized plan for each patient according to their teeth and mouth, making every dental implant treatment unique from each other. While cost varies depending on treatment and the number of teeth required by each patient, Affordable Smiles offers dental implants starting at $999 per tooth, plus abutment and crown. We offer free initial implants consultations to help you find the most affordable and effective option prior to beginning treatment!
What Are the Types of Dental Implants?
There are two types of implants: endosteal and subperiosteal.
Endosteal Implants
This is the most commonly used type of implant in the field of dentistry, and it’s placed inside the jawbone. Once it’s there, the crown will be placed on top of it.
There are two types of endosteal implants. The cylinder, which is also called as screw-type, consists of a screw and an abutment. Cylindrical implants can be made of titanium, polymeric, or ceramic. The other type is the blade, which may have one or more abutments.
Subperiosteal Implants
Some patients don’t have a healthy bone or are suffering from bone loss in the jaw. Subperiosteal implants are the best choice for them. The implant is placed under a thin layer of tissue between the person’s jawbone and their periosteum or gums.
Subperiosteal implants allow the patient to avoid bone grafting. The person will also heal faster, unlike ordinary implants, which take months before they unite with the bone in a process called osseointegration.
What Are the Different Tools and Techniques Used?
Nowadays, dental practitioners who offer affordable dental implants use state-of-the-art and highly precise 3D digital imaging and treatment planning software to help make the procedure faster and safer. These tools will analyze the shape of the jaw and identify the best implant placements before the procedure.
However, if the dentist finds that the patient’s jawbone is not strong enough to support the implants, other techniques can be utilized to help rebuild and restore the jawbone.
Bone Grafting
This technique regenerates the jawbone to provide a stable structure for the implants. It is done by placing a bone graft material in the jaw, which helps form a new bone.
Bone grafting is a minimally invasive procedure and is generally painless. Some dental specialists perform the augmentation at the same time as the tooth extraction, which will help the extracted area heal faster.
Ridge Expansion
If the patient’s jaw is too narrow to support dental implants, their ridge bone should be augmented. This is a technique of manipulation, which helps the dental specialist create a suitable site for the implants without removing any bone.
During the procedure, the ridge bone is divided, and the inner and outer segments are wedged apart. The space between the two sections will then be filled with a bone graft. After that, there will be enough height and width in the patient’s jawbone to fit the dental implants.
Sinus Lift
This technique is also known as sinus augmentation. It involves raising the sinus floor, which allows the development of a new bone. A sinus lift is commonly performed on patients who experience bone loss in the upper back jaw due to different reasons such as periodontal disease.
The procedure requires the dental specialist to make an incision in the mucogingival junction of the mouth to expose the bone. A small circular cut is made into the bone, and the space will be filled with bone graft material.
Apart from these bone augmentation techniques, there are other alternatives a dental specialist may suggest on top of the traditional procedure of placing the implants. The options include the following:
Mini Dental Implants (MDIs)
These are the size of a toothpick and are also known as small or narrow diameter implants. They are made of the same material as standard-sized ones but have a reduced diameter of 3mm and a shorter length.
The use of mini dental implants allows dentists to perform less-complicated surgical procedures since the implant’s smaller diameter enables its placement in areas of the jaw with low bone thickness. Like standard-sized implants, MDIs are associated with higher satisfaction due to its durability, thus improving the patients’ quality of life.
All-on-4®
This technique uses four dental implants attached to either the top or bottom set of replacement teeth. These implants will immediately support load implants or same-day implants.
These implants follow the shape of the patient’s jaw. The two in front are axially placed, while the other two are on the opposite ends, forming a letter “C.” All-on-4 implants enable dental care specialists to put crowns for up to 12 teeth, which greatly enhances the patient’s ability to chew.
Immediate Load Dental Implants (ILI)
These are also called Teeth in a Day ® or same-day implants. ILIs allow the placement of temporary crowns on the same day the patient had their dental implant placed inside their jawbone.
ILIs are widely popular due to their advantage of shortening the treatment duration. They can also be a good option for patients who have enough natural bone and implants that are perfectly secured to hold the pressure and immediate placement of the crowns.
Learn More About Dental Implants From Affordable Smiles
Dental implants are one of the brilliant discoveries in the field of dentistry, and they helped a lot of specialists treat tooth loss. They can cost thousands of dollars, but they are the best option among other teeth replacement treatments since they last long, even a lifetime.
To learn more about implants, contact Affordable Smiles! We have dental specialists who can educate patients more about the subject. We also offer affordable dental implants. Reach out to us today for more information and to book your free initial implant consultation.