Due to the growing popularity of dental implants, more dentists are learning how they can help patients with them. However, not every dentist is a good candidate for placing these kinds of restorations in all situations—one must have experience with different types and variations on implant surgery before being able to place an entire set successfully. Dental implants can vary in material and appearance, depending on what is best for the patient. However, there are many types of dental implants available to you as a clinician—you have numerous options to choose from when treating your patients.Copy HTMLCopy text
The different kinds of implant positioning
Because jaw bone health and density vary from patient to patient, it is important for dentists to understand the best method of placing dental implants in each situation. For example, some patients may prefer a subperiosteal implant over an endosteal one—so you should discuss options with your patients ahead of time. Live implant courses are great if you want to know more about it.
Endosteal Implants
Usually, you will rely on the endosteal (inside the bone) portion of dental implants to fully seat them in your patient’s jawbone. However, not all amputated teeth leave enough healthy bone behind for this purpose. It’s usually a good idea to perform a bone graft procedure in order to build up sufficient jawbone for an endosteal implant. Once bonded with the patient’s natural bone, it helps prevent further decay of that tissue.
Subperiosteal Implants
Subperiosteal implants are placed directly under the gums, rather than into the jawbone. Dentists don’t fully seat these implants in patients’ jaws; they go above or even on top of it. While endosteal implants are generally the best option for most patients, subperiosteal implants may be preferable in certain cases. For instance, a person with severely damaged jawbone could either not undergo or prefer not to undergo bone grafting procedure if possible.
The traditional dental implant procedure
The three-piece endosteal implant is the most common type used in dental procedures today. The procedure begins by implanting the first part of an artificial tooth, or implant screw, into the patient’s jawbone to act as a root for it. The dentist then installs the second part of the implant, called an abutment—which is connected to a titanium post that’s implanted in your jawbone. That’s where you attach a permanent crown onto it later on. It will take time to place both the implant and abutment before putting in a crown, because labs will create your crowns to perfectly match your existing teeth’s shape and color.
Regardless of your level of experience with live implant procedures, taking a course can help you operate on animals yourself. The first step in caring for a patient is understanding his or her medical issues. By course you can learn how to develop hands-on skills that will translate your knowledge into better care.
