Types of Dental Implants Available in Foley, AL [Video Walkthrough]

Dental implants are the ideal tooth replacement method, as they replace beyond just the surface of your teeth. While other replacement options, like traditional bridges or dentures, only replace the crowns of your missing teeth, implants replace the entire tooth, down to the root! Once in your jaw, these implants replace missing tooth roots, keeping your jawbone healthy and supporting artificial restorations such as crowns, bridges, or dentures. However, there are a few different types of dental implants available. Before deciding which implant to move forward with, we recommend understanding the differences between each type to find the one that works best for your smile.

The Types of Dental Implants

At Riviera Dental Care in Foley, AL, we offer three distinct types of dental implants. The best option for you depends on your bone quality, budget, and preferences.

Traditional Dental Implants

Dental implants are titanium screws that we place in your jawbone to replace missing tooth roots. Thanks to their biocompatible material, these implants will integrate with your jaw over time, creating a strong foundation for restorations.

A traditional dental implant is anything over 3 millimeters in diameter and has a multi-piece design. To place these implants, we create an incision in your gums to access your jawbone. Then, we drill an opening in your jaw and screw the implant post in place.

After it’s had time to integrate, we reopen the incision and place the abutment, or attachment, that secures a crown, bridge, or denture.

The traditional implant process is complex and takes a few months to complete. However, it is necessary in some cases, and it creates an incredibly strong foundation that restores function to your smile.

Mini Dental Implants

Mini dental implants are a smaller version of traditional implants. Rather than being over 3 millimeters in diameter, these titanium screws are anything below 3 millimeters. Additionally, mini implants have a one-piece design, allowing us to place them in a single appointment.

These implants offer a variety of advantages for patients, including:

• Less invasive procedure: Because mini dental implants are smaller, we don’t need to use as much jawbone material. This is great for patients with less jaw structure, as they can often fit mini implants without issue!
• Faster healing period: Thanks to their simpler process, mini implants integrate with your bone more quickly, resulting in a faster recovery. In most cases, we can place a temporary restoration the same day we place mini implants, and secure a final restoration in just a few weeks.
• More affordable price: We place mini implants in just one visit, with only one component, and with a simpler procedure, making them more affordable than traditional implants. In many cases, we find small-diameter implants to be around half the cost of their traditional counterparts.

Of course, not everyone is eligible for mini dental implants. In some cases, you may need an implant with a larger diameter.

Mono Dental Implants

When a patient needs an implant with a larger diameter but doesn’t want to lose the benefits of a one-piece design, we may offer mono dental implants. With these innovative titanium posts, patients can enjoy the best of both worlds!

Mono dental implants are larger in diameter, but with the same one-piece design as a mini implant.

This titanium screw offers the same solid support as a traditional implant, but without a lot of the disadvantages.

Implants with a multi-piece design face challenges like:

• Complex procedures: Placing multi-piece implants involves multiple appointments and surgeries. But the more complex the procedure, the more difficult healing may be for older or frail patients.
• Screws loosening: With multiple components, the risk of one of the pieces coming loose is higher. Sometimes, the screw holding the abutment in place can loosen over time, making your restoration feel unstable.
• Possible infections: Implants with multiple components leave small microgaps between parts. Bacteria can accumulate in these gaps, increasing your risk of infections like peri-implantitis. If left untreated, this condition can lead to implant failure.

But with a one-piece mono dental implant, you reduce the risk of these problems while still maintaining a larger base for support.

Which Dental Implant Is Right for You?

Traditional, mini, and mono implants all have a place in our arsenal of tools. Each implant serves a purpose, and all should be considered as viable options.

During your free consultation with us, we will assess your jawbone quality and find out if you’re eligible for implants. If so, we’ll then determine which implant works best for you!

Visit Us in Foley, AL, for a Free Implant Consultation!

Dental implants replace missing teeth down to the root, keeping your jawbone healthy. And thanks to their biocompatible design, these implants provide a strong foundation for crowns, bridges, and dentures. At Riviera Dental Care, we offer three distinct types of dental implants, including traditional, mini, and mono. To learn which type of implant is best for your smile, book a free implant consultation with us in Foley, AL!

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