A dental implant is a structure that replaces a missing tooth. With screw-like devices, the surgeon inserts an implant into the jawbone, and it acts as an anchor for an artificial tooth, called a crown.
A device called an abutment connects the artificial tooth to the dental implant.
The crown is custom-made to fit the person’s mouth and match the color of their teeth. Crowns look, feel, and function like natural teeth.
Implants have several advantagesTrusted Source over dentures, which are removable artificial teeth. Implants:
are more natural and comfortable
have a higher success rate
improve chewing function
lead to a lower risk of cavities developing in nearby teeth
lead to better maintenance of bone at the site of the lost tooth
cause decreased sensitivity in nearby teeth
do not need to be taken out and cleaned every night
However, dental implants are not suitable for everyone. The implanting devices must bond with the jawbone, so a person’s bones must be healthy before they can undergo implant surgery.
Types
There are two types of dental implant: endosteal and subperiosteal.
Endosteal implants are the most common type. A surgeon embeds them in the jawbone, and each can hold one or more artificial teeth.
A surgeon affixes a subperiosteal implant on top of the jawbone. Dental surgeons choose this option for people who do not have much height to their jawbone.