If you’ve started researching dental implants, it doesn’t take long before the terminology gets confusing.
Endosteal. Subperiosteal. Single-tooth implants. Implant-supported bridges. All-on-4.
Are these all different types of dental implants? Sort of, but they’re not all describing the same thing. Some terms describe the implant itself. Others describe the restoration the implant supports or the way implants are used to replace missing teeth.
Here’s a simpler way to make sense of your options.
What Is a Dental Implant?
A dental implant replaces the root portion of a missing tooth. The implant is placed into the jaw and provides support for the restoration that eventually replaces the visible portion of the missing tooth.
That distinction matters because people often use the term “dental implant” to describe the entire replacement tooth. In reality, an implant restoration can involve several components.
Depending on the treatment, these can include the implant placed in the jaw, an abutment that helps connect the components and the crown, bridge or denture that restores the visible teeth.
If you’re considering treatment, you can learn more about our dental implant services in Shorewood and how we approach replacing missing teeth.
What Are the Different Types of Dental Implants?
When dentists talk about implant types, they’re often referring to how the implant is positioned in relation to the jawbone.
Modern dental implant advancements have also expanded the range of implant designs, materials and treatment approaches available, giving dentists more options when planning treatment around a patient’s individual anatomy and tooth-replacement needs.
Endosteal Dental Implants
Endosteal implants are placed directly into the jawbone.
They’re the type most people picture when they think about a modern dental implant: a small implant placed into the bone that can eventually support a dental restoration after appropriate healing.
The size and design of an implant can vary depending on the patient’s anatomy, where the implant will be located and the restoration it needs to support.
Having adequate healthy bone is an important consideration, which is one reason implant treatment begins with an evaluation rather than simply choosing an implant from a menu.
Subperiosteal Dental Implants
Subperiosteal implants use a different approach.
Rather than being placed into the jawbone in the same way as an endosteal implant, they are positioned on or above the bone but beneath the gum tissue.
These are much less commonly used in modern implant dentistry than endosteal implants, but you may still encounter the term while researching different types of dental implants.
One Implant Can Be Used in Different Ways
Here’s where implant terminology gets muddy.
A type of implant isn’t necessarily the same thing as a type of implant restoration.
The number of teeth you’re missing has a lot to do with how implants may be used.
Single-Tooth Dental Implant
When one tooth is missing, an implant can be used to support an individual replacement tooth.
Once treatment and healing are complete, a dental crown provides the visible portion of the replacement.
One advantage of this approach is that the implant receives its support from the jawbone rather than requiring the neighboring teeth to support a traditional bridge.
Implant-Supported Bridge
What if several teeth are missing next to each other?
It isn’t always necessary to place one implant for every single missing tooth.
Depending on the situation, strategically positioned implants may support a bridge that replaces multiple teeth. The number and placement of implants depend on the individual treatment plan.
Implant-Supported Dentures
Implants can also be used to provide additional support for dentures.
Instead of relying entirely on the gums for support, an implant-supported restoration connects to implants placed in the jaw. Depending on the design, the restoration may be removable by the patient or fixed in place.
This can be particularly interesting to someone whose primary complaint about traditional dentures is movement or lack of stability.
Full-Arch and All-on-4 Implant Treatment
When an entire arch of teeth needs to be replaced, multiple implants may be strategically positioned to support a larger restoration.
You may have heard the term All-on-4, which describes a treatment concept in which a full-arch restoration is supported using four implants.
That doesn’t mean four implants are automatically appropriate for everyone missing a full arch of teeth. Implant number, position and treatment design depend on the patient’s anatomy and individual needs.
We explain the concept in greater detail in our article about All-on-4 implants.
Which Type of Dental Implant Is Best?
There isn’t one implant that’s best for everyone.
Someone replacing a single front tooth has a very different situation from someone who has worn dentures for years. Available bone, gum health, the location and number of missing teeth, bite forces and the type of final restoration all play a role in treatment planning.
Your overall health and medical history can matter, too.
That’s why choosing an implant begins with evaluating the patient rather than picking a particular implant product.
If you’re looking for a dentist for restorative care, an evaluation can help determine which tooth-replacement approaches are actually appropriate for your mouth.
Does the Dental Implant Brand or Material Matter?
Dental implants aren’t all identical.
Design, dimensions, surface characteristics, materials and the restorative components available within an implant system can vary among manufacturers.
At Shorewood Family Dental Care, the implant system we use is from Nobel Biocare. The company manufactures implant systems and restorative components used in implant dentistry.
The specific implant selected for a patient depends on clinical considerations rather than simply choosing the same size and design for everyone.
Quality matters, but price alone doesn’t tell you everything about the quality of dental implant treatment.
What About Cheap Dental Implants?
It’s understandable to compare prices, particularly with a treatment that represents a significant investment.
But comparing advertisements isn’t always the same thing as comparing identical treatment.
An advertised price may or may not include every part of the process. Implant treatment can involve the implant itself, restorative components, the final restoration, imaging, preparatory treatment and follow-up care depending on the patient’s situation.
If you’ve encountered unusually low advertised prices, our article about cheap dental implants explains some of the questions worth asking before making a decision. Cost matters. So does understanding exactly what you’re paying for.
How Do I Know Which Dental Implant I Need?
You probably won’t, and you shouldn’t have to figure it out yourself.
The useful decision for a patient isn’t whether an implant should be a particular diameter or which implant system should be selected. That’s part of treatment planning.
What you can think about is what you want your tooth replacement to accomplish.
- Are you replacing one tooth?
- Several?
- Are you unhappy with removable dentures?
- How important is having a fixed restoration to you?
- What concerns do you have about treatment?
Bring those questions with you.
Your dentist can evaluate the missing-tooth area, assess your oral health and explain which options make sense from there.
Looking for Dental Implants Near Joliet?
If you’re comparing different types of dental implants, an evaluation can help turn all of those terms into options that actually apply to your mouth.
Shorewood Family Dental Care provides implant and restorative dental care at our Shorewood office for patients from Joliet and surrounding communities.
Learn more about dental implants near Joliet, or book an appointment online to discuss your tooth-replacement options.
You can also call 815-725-5991 to schedule an appointment.
