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What kinds of dental implants are there?

Dental implants can be made from a number of different types of material, but by far the best is a specific alloy (grade 5) of titanium (Ti6Al4V). Some makers will try and save money on the metal, others will use old or out-dated technology.

Some of the more commonly used implant systems are Nobel-Biocare, Straumann, Biohorizons, and 3I. Some of them have advantages of each other in different conditions. Your implant dentist should be using a number of different implant systems and not just one. A dental implant is selected for the best fit in the patient’s circumstances.

Most dentists only use one dental implant system as it is very costly to have multiple. Here at Seapoint, we regularly use more than 5 dental implant systems which allows us to choose the best dental implant for your case. Everybody is different and choosing the right implant for you allows us to achieve the highest success rates.

Dental implants have evolved over the last 50 years and are now primarily small root shaped cylinders. There are some other specialised types which are designed for different uses but are not mainstream.

Root form:

The most common type is shaped similarly to the root of the tooth. They have a screw thread on them to anchor them firmly to the bone. The type of thread used varies widely from system to system depending on the manufacturer. Some are designed to engage very firmly in soft bone whereas others are designed to distribute forces to the bone in the best possible way.

Subperiosteal:

This is a type of frame implant similar in many ways to a chrome prosthesis. It is placed under the gum in a surgical procedure and is custom made for a patient. It is normally used when all the teeth in a jaw are missing and when there has been very significant bone loss. This implant is now most commonly custom made using CAD/CAM technology from a CT scan. There are very few surgeons who can offer this treatment as with modern bone grafting it is less required than before.

Blade Implants:

This implant was more common in the past, but is starting to make a comeback as it is helpful in thin bone. It is a narrow blade shaped implant which is inserted into a thin incision in the bone. Modern versions are made from titanium and so are more likely to be successful. This type of implant can help avoid bone grafting in certain cases.

The Point:

There is so much technology out there to solve almost any dental problem. Don't be disheartened if you are told that something is not possible. It usually means that the person you are talking to simply can't do it...

Talk to Seapoint, read more about our dental implant treatments here.