Dental implants are durable, functional, and nearly impossible to distinguish from natural teeth, making them the most sought-after tooth replacement technology available today. Working behind that incredibly natural façade, of course, is a carefully designed support system made to support the engineered tooth and give it the strength and durability it needs to operate in your mouth for a lifetime. If you are considering dental implants and would like to know more about how the various parts work together and at what stages they are installed, you’ve come to the right place. Read on for more information about the parts of dental implants and how they work.
The implant fixture
The primary structural support of the dental implant is the implant fixture, which works to support the prosthetic tooth much in the same way that the roots of your teeth support your natural teeth. As such, this is also the first step in a multi-stage process of creating a dental implant. In this first stage, the implant fixture, which is essentially a small titanium screw, is installed into the jawbone below the gumline. Titanium is used because of its low weight and extreme biocompatibility, which means that it is almost universally accepted (i.e. never rejected) by the tissues to it is introduced during the installation process.
At the end of this procedure, the gums are stitched up over the implant, which is then left to heal and meld with the jawbone in a process referred to as osseointegration. This the forms the structural foundation of the entire dental implant, as it allows a connection with the jawbone that mimics that of the roots of one’s teeth.
Abutment
The second stage in the process of creating a dental implant is the addition of the abutment, a small cylindrical piece that fits into the implant fixture and provides an above-the-gumline support for the prosthetic tooth. During this stage, your gums will be opened up to provide access to the previously installed implant fixture and the abutment piece will be attached to it using either a screw or adhesive. At this point, you will have an anchor fused into the jawbone and a support piece connected to it upon which the new prosthetic tooth can rest. To allow for a more comfortable healing process, a temporary crown is typically attached at this point, and the tissues will be given time to fully heal before the prosthetic itself is attached.
Permanent crown
Once the gums have healed, the temporary crown will be removed and the permanent crown (i.e. prosthetic tooth) will be attached to the abutment. This is the visible part of the dental implant, and the piece that looks like your real tooth.
It is the underlying support system, though, that makes this tooth as durable and functional as it is. Creating this support system takes time – often six to nine months or even a year – but we think you will find that it is worth the time and investment. By the end of that process you will have a replacement tooth that is truly as good as new.