Among the two dental implants used most often are endosteal and subperiosteal. When a dental implant is put in the jawbone as an artificial root to hold a replacement tooth, it is known as the endosteal dental implants. This type of dental implants is usually done when someone has lost a tooth. And if you need dental implants but you don't have enough healthy jawbone to support them, subperiosteal dental implants are a way out. These kinds of dental implants are put on or above the jawbone and under the gum to project through the gum, holding the replacement tooth.
An endosteal dental implant is a most frequently used type of dental implant, where dental implants are drilled right into one's jawbone, a procedure that is considered safe by the American Dental Association (ADA). And then, a post is connected to the endosteal dental implant after the gum tissue has amended. Then an artificial tooth, or a crown, is added to the post. In a few cases, a bridge or denture is added to the endosteal implant. For this procedure to be done, the bone area must be enough to support the dental implants in length, height, and width. Endosteal dental implants can be done either blade or root form. And the dental professional decides about the type of endosteal dental implant based on the amount and quality of bone, and the patient's expectations about his/her final restoration will look, feel, and function.
The American Academy of Implant Dentistry states that cylinder form is frequently used, which is made up of a screw, a small cylinder (made of titanium, ceramic, or polymeric) and an abutment. And in the blade form, it may have one or more abutments. But interestingly, the prosthetic tooth replacement is fabricated to be placed on the abutment portion of the implant both in cylinder and blade types.
The Process Of Endosteal Dental Implant
First of all, the dentist has to decide whether the patient is a viable candidate for a successful dental implant. Then he or she will come in for a consultation to plan for dental implant placement. The consultation appointment is made basically to explain to the patient the series of meetings, the time required for the treatment, and costs for the dental implant and restoration. After the patient agrees and signs consent for the dental implant, the dental implant schedule is prepared. Before attaching the screw and cylinder portions of the dental implant, the dental surgeon may prescribe an antibiotic or other medication for the patient to use pre and post-operatively.
Once the screw and cylinder portions are placed, the surgeon provides four to six weeks for the patient's bone to grow and get fixed with the patient's body permanently. This period also allows the patient to eat, drink, and speak usually. Once this period is over, the patient again need to go to the oral surgeon at our San Francisco office to fix the abutment onto the dental implant. Then, the missing tooth is replaced by a dental crown, denture, or bridge. Most importantly, one must be ready to commit several weeks or months for healing and waiting for new bone growth in the jaw — to complete the full procedure.
Post-Endosteal Dental Implants Care
After the surgery, the doctor will instruct you for proper aftercare and oral hygiene during the recovery period given. Your dentist may also ask you to have antibiotics and pain medication and might even recommend eating only soft foods for about a week. Inflammation can be taken care of by regular cleansing, which will ultimately result in a successful dental implant. Silica toothpaste works as a wonder here as it reduces the bacteria.
Criteria For Getting Endosteal Dental implants?
Our oral surgeon will determine if endosteal dental implants are the best choice for you based on the following:
- Good general health
- Good oral health
- Healthy gum tissue (no periodontal disease)
- A fully-grown jawbone
- Enough bone in your jaw
- An inability or unwillingness to wear dentures
- You should also not use tobacco products
What if you don't meet the above criteria?
If our oral surgeon feels that endosteal dental implants are not right for you, they may recommend alternatives, such as:
- Subperiosteal dental implants, where implants are placed on or above the jawbone as opposed to into the jawbone.
- Bone augmentation, which involves augmenting or restoring bone in your jaw using bone additives and growth factors.
- Ridge expansion, where bone graft material is added to a small ridge created along the top of your jaw.
- Sinus augmentation, where the bone is added below the sinus, also called a sinus elevation or sinus lift.
All these methods make the jawbone large or strong enough to handle endosteal dental implants.
Hence, as an alternative to dentures and bridges, some people opt for dental implants. And the most commonly used dental implant is the endosteal dental implant. The endosteal dental implant helps the patients regain their smile after missing one tooth or many. Much research is needed in selecting the best dental implant for your situation. So, it would help if you read to learn more and wisely choose a highly qualified and experienced oral surgeon who can decide which course of treatment is the right fit. And most importantly, you need to be ready for the process of getting dental implants that take several months and one or two oral surgeries for the completion of the process.
To cater to your dental needs, it is essential to choose a dental implant expert having proper skills, apt training, and also should have enough experience to assess your situation, which is easily available at San Francisco Implant Pro Center. Based on his assessment, he should custom design a personalized treatment plan applicable to you.
Implants Pro Center©, San Francisco, offers a consultation which does just that. Learn more about dental implants and Implant Pro Center’s treatment approaches. Visit us and find out today how dental implants can change your life. At Implants Pro Center©, San Francisco, we accept all primary dental and medical PPO insurances, along with Medicare, thereby decreasing your anxiety about the expense of dental implant treatment or any oral surgeries. A tremendously experienced and caring team will give you life-long care, maintenance, and assistance. Implants Pro Center©, San Francisco, is also decked with all the modern technologies like CT-Scan, Intravenous Sedation, Platelet Rich Fibrin, Surgitron, etc. to present nothing less than the best of services. Be entirely at ease when we do your endosteal dental implant surgery.