When you have a tooth missing, or several teeth, there are dental implants available that can replace them. There are many different types of dental implants available that can help you to replace your teeth in different ways. Dr. MacConnell is highly trained in oral implantology and is board certified. He has specialized knowledge for placing a wide range of implants. The type of implants that are right for you will depend on a lot of factors. How many teeth you have missing, the health of your mouth, and the amount of bone in your jaw all factor into the type of dental implant you need.
Implant-Anchored Dentures
When you have lost all of your teeth on either the top or bottom, or you are about to have them extracted, there are a number of ways to replace them. Getting traditional dentures is one method of tooth replacement, but it comes with a lot of downsides. One way to get dentures that won’t slip or fall out is to get permanent dentures that are anchored by dental implants.
One type of implant that is helpful for replacing teeth is the mini implant. These are small implants that are one piece instead of the three pieces that comprise most implants. This one-piece implant may be needed in certain small spaces. They are also helpful when the patient has some bone loss and can’t support a traditional implant. These implants can be used to provide anchors for dentures that can be snapped into place with the help of the implants. With mini implants, removable dentures can be held in place so that there is no slipping or other problems. To get full dentures with mini implants, you would need six of these implants on the upper jaw and four on the lower jaw.
All-on-six implants are implants that are placed in order to anchor permanent dentures. With these dentures, they don’t have to be removed for cleaning and are cared for as you would your natural teeth. Some people choose this type of implant because they have a lot of teeth missing, all of them on the upper or lower jaw, and don’t want to get an individual implant for each one. Getting individual implants comes with many benefits, but it can be very time-consuming and expensive. When you get an all-on-six, you get six implants, and these hold onto dentures that stay in place permanently. With these dentures, there is no slipping or sliding, and they can’t fall out.
Remote-Anchored Dental Implants
A remote-anchored implant is a type that uses implants to hold into dentures to replace teeth. There are a number of types of these, and they all are used to create an anchor where there isn’t enough dense bone and reaches an area where the bone is harder. This may require that the implant be implanted at an angle or with extra length so that it can reach that area of denser bone. The difference is under the bone, so you won’t see any difference between these and other implants just by looking at them.
A zygomatic implant is one type of dental implant that can replace teeth from the upper jaw that have been lost. There may be one of these implanted or several in order to replace all of the teeth on the upper jaw. If you have had some bone loss that has made it impossible to get a traditional implant to replace a tooth, getting a zygomatic implant may be right for you. When a traditional implant is placed, it is implanted straight into the jawbone. When a zygomatic implant is placed, it has a much longer post length. This longer length allows it to go through the areas of softer bone and to be anchored into the cheekbone where the bone is stronger.
This type of implant makes it possible for some patients to get a dental implant even if they have bone loss from a missing tooth or from periodontal disease. The implant is placed into an area called the zygoma. This area is very dense and will allow you to have a strong anchor for your implant that will stay in place for life.
A pterygoid implant is another type of implant that is used in the upper molar area. When there are teeth missing from this area, a pterygoid implant may be right for your needs. This is a specialty type of implant that goes into the area where the wisdom teeth once were. This kind of implant has a post that is implanted at an angle. This angle allows the post to go through the soft bone in the area and go to an area of denser bone where it can be better anchored. Pterygoid implants are sometimes used along with zygomatic implants and when a patient has a soft upper jaw.
If you need dental implants, contact us at The Center for Family & Implant Dentistry to consult with Dr. MacConnell about the implants that are right for you.
