No one wants to go through life with a mouthful of missing teeth. Missing teeth can make you feel self-conscious about your smile and affect how you chew, speak, and socialize. There are countless reasons why a person can lose a tooth or multiple teeth, but one thing is for certain: you can still find your perfect smile. If you suffer from tooth loss—whether from decay, a sports injury, or gum disease—Dr. Chen and our team at Uptown Comprehensive Dentistry and Prosthodontics can help you achieve a natural, healthy smile you’ll be proud of.
What Are Dental Implants?
A dental implant is a small, corrosion-resistant titanium post that is surgically placed in the jawbone where the missing tooth once was located. The implant can replace one missing tooth or multiple missing teeth, depending on the patient’s needs. Once the implant heals and naturally fuses to the surrounding oral bone and tissue, your surgeon will attach a connector piece to it called the abutment. The abutment is the piece that secures the restoration to the dental implant, which becomes the visible part of your tooth. After the restoration (the replacement tooth) is attached to the abutment, the dental implant functions and looks just as a natural tooth does.
The Three Types of Dental Implants
There are three different types of dental implants from which you can choose: endosteal, subperiosteal, and zygomatic. The safest and most common option is endosteal, followed by a subperiosteal implant. Though it’s necessary at times, the zygomatic implant is the most complicated and least popular of the dental implants.
- Endosteal Dental Implants – For endosteal implants, the patient must have a strong, healthy jawbone so the implanted post can fuse to it.
- Subperiosteal Dental Implants – If a patient doesn’t have enough jawbone to house the implant, a subperiosteal implant is used. Instead of securing to the jawbone, subperiosteal implants rests on top of the bone but still under the gums.
- Zygomatic Dental Implants – The least popular dental implants are zygomatic implants. It is the most complicated procedure and should only be done if you don’t have enough jawbone for an endosteal implant. In this procedure, the zygomatic is placed in the patient’s upper cheekbone instead of the jawbone.
Regardless of the dental implants you require, Dr. Chen will work closely with you to find the perfect fit for your individual needs. Though Dr. Chen is a trained implant surgeon, he prefers to work with highly skilled and experienced oral surgeons and periodontists in Aurora and the surrounding areas. Dr. Chen wants the best results for each patient, and he trusts our community’s trained and compassionate surgeons to deliver optimal outcomes.
Please call us at (303) 627-5755 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Chen.