Affordable Dental Implants – Know the Facts

By Susan Braden
Published Apr 28 2010

One modern dental procedure rapidly rising in popularity for those who need artificial teeth is implant restoration. If you are considering implants, you may have some questions about the procedure and the terminology behind this expensive procedure. Here is a brief look at the procedure that will hopefully answer many of your questions and concerns.

What is an Implant?

An implant is a metal tooth "root" that anchors a tooth-colored crown to your jaw. If you are in need of an implant, it is important to take into consideration that the term "implant" may only refer to the artificial tooth root that anchors the crown, and not actually the crown itself. This implant anchor is typically made of titanium and mounted into your jawbone to hold the visible crown in place. This is often also referred to as an "implant supported crown." There are a number of different types of often less than affordable artificial teeth (called prostheses), such as crowns, bridges, and dentures, that can be mounted upon implants. The type which your dentist recommends will affect how affordable dental implants are for you. Your dentist may suggest an affordable dental plan or insurance to help cut the cost of your implant procedures.

Types of Implants

There are primarily three different types of implants.

• Eposteal Implants. Eposteal implants are bone-mounted implants that anchor directly to your jawbone to support the prosthesis.
• Endosteal Implants. The most common type of implant, endosteal implants are mounted within your actual bone. The mounting of this implant requires drilling into your jawbone to install a titanium screw, which acts as a tooth root to support to prosthesis.
• Transosteal Implants. A transosteal implant is the least common and most expensive type. It runs all the way through your bone. Inserting this type of implant is the most invasive of all implant procedures: your dentist drills straight through your lower jaw to bolt a plate onto the bottom of your jaw.

Structure of an Implant Restoration

There are three components of implant restoration. To insert an implant in your mouth, a dentist uses an implant post (the metal tooth root), an abutment (the stump of the crown prosthesis), and the crown itself. Your dentist will mount the crown atop the abutment.

Hopefully, this description helps you gain a basic understanding of implants. Though implants can be very expensive, the advantage is that they may feel and look natural. Unlike other tooth replacement procedures, implants allow you to eat, laugh, and talk with confidence. If you are considering implants, hopefully this information has been a help to you!

For more affordable dental tips from Susan Braden, see this article.