Dental implants are the replacements for natural teeth in the mouth. Dental implants provide enough support for fixed or removable replacement teeth. Dental implants, which are placed in the bone, are small anchors made of a bio-compatible metal called titanium. The anchors begin to fuse with the bone over three to six months. After the fusing process, known as osseointegration, implant abutments are inserted into the implant fixtures to allow for the permanent attachment of the implant prosthesis.
Types of Dental Implants:
Implant-Supported Over Dentures
Implant-supported dentures can be either fixed or removable. This prosthetic requires the placement of at least two implants. If a removable option is selected, the denture will snap onto the implant to gain more retention rather than requiring the use of denture paste or adhesives. Removable dentures can be taken out for cleaning regularly.
This technique offers many advantages over traditional dentures. Easy to care for, this solution can mimic the look and feel of natural teeth and stay in place with the implants acting as anchors. Patients will not experience the typical movement and rocking or gingival irritation they usually have with dentures.
Dental implant placement can also help prevent the sunken look that can happen with bone loss in the jaw by stimulating bone retention in the area surrounding the implant. This process is called osseointegration and can also help prevent future jawbone loss.
Visit Doctors Network to find New York City implantologists.
Implant-supported Bridge
An implant-supported bridge is a prosthetic solution for spaces where three or more adjacent teeth are missing. The bridge usually replaces three or more adjacent missing teeth without the use of a denture. This prosthetic typically requires at least two implants to support the porcelain bridge. The bridge provides an aesthetic and functional replacement for the patient’s natural teeth.
Visit Doctors Network to find dental specialists for implant-supported bridges.
All-on-4 Implant Denture
This procedure, often called an all-on-4 is a unique implant-supported solution that allows patients who are missing all of their upper or lower teeth to replace an entire arch of teeth using 4 dental implants only.
This technique offers multiple advantages over conventional dentures. Easy to care for, this solution can simulate the function and aesthetic of natural teeth and stay in place with the implants as anchors. Patients will not feel the typical rocking and movement or gum irritation they experience with traditional dentures. Patients can often leave the same day with a full arch of teeth, reducing overall cost and healing time for the patient.
Just like implant-supported dentures, All-on-4 can help alleviate the sunken look that can occur with bone loss in the jaw by stimulating bone growth in the area around the implant. This process is known as osseointegration.
With this implant-supported full arch, there is no plate covering the palate, so speaking and eating are more comfortable and more natural than with a conventional denture.
Visit Doctors Network to learn more about all-on-4 dentures.
Guided Implant Surgery
Using Cone Beam CT and restorative virtual treatment planning, guided implant placement is possible.
Using a physical model or a virtual 3D model, implant placements and the following prosthetic work can be planned virtually to create the ideal patient treatment plan. These virtual plans allow the doctor to take multiple aspects of implant placement and restoration into consideration, resulting in predictable aesthetics, function, and longevity for the patient’s final restoration. Working with a 3D model also allows the patient to better understand the procedures and visualize the outcome.
Once planning is complete, specialized computer applications can be used to create a surgical guide to assist in the implant placement surgery. The guide directs the exact angulation, location, and depth of the implant placement. The use of the surgical guide improves the accuracy, predictability, safety, and efficiency of the procedure.
Does Insurance Cover Dental Implants?
Unfortunately, only a portion of dental insurance plans cover the cost of implants, and even if they do, only a portion of it. We understand that the cost of dental implants can be significant, so we have made it easy to find and schedule an appointment with one of our dental offices that offer dental implants. Doctors Network offers dental plans to reduce the cost of dental implants. Now you can get tooth implants for as little as $1000. Visit Doctors Network to find experienced Manhattan dental associates.