When it comes to dental implants, it’s important to know what types of implants are available and which are best for you. So take a look at what’s out there:

Root form dental implant

This is used when there is a lot of breadth and deepness to the patient’s jawbone.  When having root form implants fitted, you’ll receive anaesthetic and your dentist will then proceed to expose an area of the jawbone, before preparing it for the insertion of the implant. Once the implant is inserted and fitted into the correct place, your gums will be stitched back together and left to heal, which usually takes about six months. Once the implant is fully healed and the implant has fused with the jawbone, the abutment will then be attached. However, if you have a narrow jawbone, or your jawbone is too thin for root form implants, you may require bone-grafting treatment.

Plate form implant

If your jawbone is too narrow for an implant and bone grafting, then a plate form implant can be used instead. This implant is both smooth and long, which makes it a better shape to fit into a slender jawbone. The procedure is the same as the root form dental implant and will usually take around three to six months to heal.

Immediate load dental implant

This implant is immediately placed after the extraction of a tooth and the crown will be immediately attached to the abutment. In order to qualify for this procedure you must have a significant amount of bone in order to stabilise the implant. When having this type of implant there are two different procedures. The first requires an impression made of your jawbone after it has been exposed, which is then used to make a bespoke fitted implant for your jaw. The implant is then fitted into place on the exposed jawbone, before being stitched after the installation of the teeth. The other alternative is to have a CAT scan instead of an impression of your jaw in order to build the implant.