Missing teeth impact the facial profile of a person and general dental health. Dental implants are used to replace natural teeth, and they are implanted into the jawbone.
This blog will help you learn about the components of a dental implant and steps involved. A dental implant has three pieces; the post or screw, the abutment that joins the implant post and the prosthesis, and finally, the crown or denture.
The Implant Post
During surgery, the doctor will insert the screw into the jaw bone. The post plays the role of a natural tooth root. The post’s design is cylindrical just like a natural tooth root and often has “teeth” like a screw to increase surface area. The post is composed either of pure titanium or a titanium alloy and occasionally porcelain. The implant post is basically an artificial tooth root that is surgically placed into the jawbone using computer-based technology.
The human body accepts the implant post and signals the natural bone to fill in around the “teeth” of the post, this is known as osseointegration. Increased height and width of the post allows for even greater osseointegration but may be difficult due to how much existing bone there is or other natural anatomy in the area. At North Point Dental, before any implants are placed a 3D CBCT is taken to plan the ideal location for the implant and allow for the largest size possible. A guide is then used, to surgically place the implant in the exact position intended.
Implant Abutment
The implant abutment secures the implant crown/bridge to the implant post. For implant supported dentures, the abutment engages the denture with the implant post. The abutment looks like a small tooth coming out above the gum line. It may be made of titanium as well or of porcelain. For patients with multiple missing teeth, a bridge or denture can be fixed to multiple abutments.
Implant prosthesis
An implant prosthesis refers to a bridge, crown, or implant-supported denture. Single dental implants restore dental crowns, whereas multiple implants can serve to support a denture. Crowns and bridges are fixed or permanent, they do not come out. However, implant supported dentures are able to be removed for cleaning and polishing needs.
Benefits of the implant supported denture
Patients who currently wear dentures or who will need to have most of their teeth removed can benefit from implant supported dentures. By retrofitting a denture prosthesis to support implants, patients can enjoy a secure, comfortable smile without worrying about the denture sliding or slipping out. The dentures act as a full mouth of brand-new teeth and the implants provide security to prevent slipping as well as improve the overall bite strength and comfort. Dental crowns are designed to blend in with your existing smile seamlessly!
Conclusion
Understanding the anatomy of a dental implant helps you to understand one of your options to replace a missing tooth. Dental implants offer the best available method for securing dental restorations, including crowns, bridges, and even full sets of dentures. The implants are placed in the jawbone, they act as artificial tooth roots and function very much like the natural teeth. A dental bridge can be used for patients who need to replace multiple missing teeth in a row.