Types of Implants
Today, most dental implants are made of titanium, a metal that has special qualities that make it useful for this purpose.
Titanium develops a thin film on its surface that protects it from corrosion. It is resistant to acids, salt solutions and oxygen, among other things. Titanium also is almost completely nonmagnetic. It is extremely strong for its weight.
Perhaps most important, the body does not reject titanium implants as foreign objects. When implants are placed in bone, the bone grows around the implant. The process is called osseointegration.
Titanium implants come with many types of surfaces, including:
- Acid etched
- Plasma sprayed
- Acid etched and grit blasted
- Hydroxyapatite coated
Hydroxyapatite is a part of what bone is made from. It bonds with bone in a process called biointegration.
There are several types of implants. Root-form implants are by far the most popular. Transosseous implants also are performed occasionally. The other types are used rarely.
Your dentist decides which type of implant to use based on the quality of the bone in your jaw and the type of crown, bridge or denture that will be placed on the implant.
Following are the types of Dental Implants
