Frequently asked questions about implants What is a dental implant? Dental implants are substitutes for the roots of missing teeth. They act as an anchor or platform to attach new teeth. Most are made out of titanium, which has been found to be very compatible in the mouth. Am I a candidate for implants? Anyone missing one or more teeth may be a candidate for dental implants. They are especially practical for patients who have trouble or just don't like wearing removable dentures. My Aunt has implants and she can take her teeth out. However, I have a friend that just got her implants, and she says her teeth don't come out. Do they have different types of implants? What is the difference? Keep in mind that an implant acts like a root replacement or an anchor and not a tooth replacement. On this anchor, we can build or attach different types of teeth depending on the needs or desire of the patient. Think of it like this. In your home, you can place a bolt in the wall. On that bolt or series of bolts, you could hang a picture, stereo speaker, or even a plasma screen TV, if you had enough of them to support the weight. If that's the case, what different types of teeth can I have? There are two general categories: removable which means the teeth can be taken out and the fixed which don't come out. In most cases, someone who is only missing a few teeth would have fixed replacement teeth. However, it is possible to use one or two implants to secure a removable partial denture. This could be done when the remaining teeth cannot adequately hold the partial or to avoid having the metal clasps. When all the teeth in an arch are missing, either upper or lower, implants can be used to make a fixed bridge. This option is the closest you can come to having the function, feel, and appearance of your natural teeth. The alternative is to use attachments on the implants that allow dentures to snap in place. This keeps the dentures from slipping and allows much greater chewing ability. It looks like fixed is much better. Why would anyone want removable? The biggest reason is cost. For those on a limited budget, just placing a couple of implants to hold down a lower denture is a tremendous benefit. Also, a full arch fixed bridge requires more implants to support. Not everyone has enough bone to place the needed number of implants. There are some who just cannot wear a lower denture, and for those who do, it is a constant problem. Denture wearers must limit the types of food they eat, and some will not go out and eat in public. For this group, implants will change the quality of their life. Many don't mind wearing dentures if they will stay in place, and they can chew the same foods as everyone else. With dental implants, they can do this. Top Copyright 2004, Alsbury Dental Care. All rights reserved.