A dental implant is a small titanium post (screw) placed into the jawbone below the gum line during surgery. This post will connect with your jawbone to provide a strong base for your dental replacement.
The root of your missing tooth is replaced by a dental implant post. It not only fuses with your bone like a root but also strengthens and protects the structure of your bone.
A restoration is attached to the top of a dental implant post. Usually, one tooth is replaced with a single crown. But in addition to supporting a bridge to replace several lost teeth, dental implants can also hold dentures in place.
Dental implants can last a lifetime with proper maintenance. 98% of dental implants are successful.
There are three different types of dental implants offered in Hi-Tech Family Dentistry:
- Replacing a single tooth
- Replacing all your teeth: Use a bar-retained denture.
- Replacing all your teeth: Use a ball-retained denture.
Replacing a single tooth
If you are missing a single tooth, one dental implant and a crown can replace it. A dental implant replaces both the lost natural tooth and its root.
Here are three steps for a dental implant to replace a single tooth:
- To find out whether you’re a good candidate for dental implants, you’ll consult with one of our implant experts (keep reading to find out what qualifies you as one). If so, a specific treatment strategy will be developed.
- Using surgically guided technology, the post will be implanted within your jawbone. During this operation, there shouldn’t be any pain for you, and we’ll take care of you the entire time. Usually, it takes 3 to 4 months for your post to fuse with your bone during the healing process.
- An abutment is used to attach your new, specially-made crown to your post when it has healed. As a result, you will get a new tooth that looks exactly like other teeth.
Replacing few/all teeth by using bar-retained or ball-retained dentures
Dentures with implants are supported by either a bar or a ball. Both varieties of dentures require at least two implants to be supported.
A bar-retained overdenture with dental implants is an excellent alternative for patients who need to replace every tooth in their upper and/or lower dental arches.
A detachable prosthesis called a bar-retained overdenture is inserted in the mouth and contains replacement teeth. It is installed in a base composed of pink resin to fit over your natural gums perfectly. Underneath it, some clips firmly fasten to metal bars set in place using dental implants, which are artificial roots inserted into the supporting bone.
Using implants not only gives the denture teeth a stable foundation that allows for the best eating and speaking, but it also prevents the surrounding bone from deteriorating over time without a tooth root structure to support it.
Here is the process for bar-retained dentures:
- Take an impression of the area so that your dentist may make you a set of temporary dentures using that impression. To arrange the placement of your dental implants, diagnostic photos of the area are taken once the temporary dentures are finished.
- Special healing caps cover your implants while you recover. Your doctor will check on the healing at the subsequent visits and let you know when the region is ready for the next round of therapy. During this time, you can continue to wear your temporary denture.
- You should take fresh mouth imprints. Your final overdenture and support bar will be made using these impressions.
- Verify that the bar and final denture fit correctly and are properly aligned in your mouth. For you to get the finest outcome possible, it can take several incremental fittings.
Ball-retained dentures, also known as stud-attachment dentures, are held in place by implants placed in the jawbone that include metal attachments that fit into complementary attachments on the denture. The attachments on the implants are typically ball-shaped (“male”) and fit into sockets (“female”) on the denture.
Traditional dentures have the drawback of being removable, which makes it difficult to eat and speak comfortably and increases the risk of them slipping, clicking, or falling out.
How long does the process take?
Many factors affect how long it will take to finish the implant denture procedure. The shortest time period is only one or two weeks. This covers the removal of teeth, implant insertion, and denture fitting. However, it may take more time, particularly if you require bone grafting or other preliminary treatments.
Hi-Tech Family Dentistry is one of the most trusted and experienced dental clinics in Saint John which focuses on advanced technology and a group of highly trained, positive, and certified professionals. We offer three kinds of the dental implant. What type of dental implant do you think is your best option?
- Single tooth replacement
- Bar-retained dentures
- Ball-retained dentures
If you have any questions about the different types of dental implants, feel free to contact our clinic for a consultation!
