Dentist in Upland, CA – Types of Dental Implants

If you are considering dental implants and are looking for more information about what types there are to choose from, our dentist in Upland, CA, is here to help! Depending on your case, we will help determine what type of implant is best to restore your smile.

Types of Implants

The goal of implant dentistry is to restore your teeth for a complete, full smile. However, there are two different methods to achieve this goal, depending on your gum and jaw health. These include:

Endosteal implants: These are the most common type of implant. They are screw-shaped and are placed in the jawbone. They are usually made of titanium and have a crown placed on top
Subperiosteal implants: These are implants placed in the gum above the jawbone. Since endosteal implants are placed in the jawbone, they require strong bones to support them. If you do not have strong enough bone and cannot (or do not want to) undergo bone augmentation, subperiosteal implants can be used

Rebuilding Bone

If your jawbone is not strong enough to support endosteal implants but you want to restore your natural jawline and have them placed, there are methods to rebuild bone. Some of these methods are:

Ridge expansion — a bone graft is added to create a ridge to widen your jaw in order to support implants
Bone augmentation — growth factors or bone additives are used to regrow and strengthen your jaw bone for natural, strong implant support
Sinus lift — if the bone has deteriorated due to missing upper back teeth, bone can be added to augment the sinus

Implant Benefits

The main benefit of dental implants is that they are permanent, and even if you need augmentation to have them placed initially, their natural function can further increase the strength of your jawbone over time. They can last decades when cared for properly!