Thanks to advances in modern dentistry you are spoilt for choice when it comes to the types of dental implants on offer. Of course each implant option comes with its own set of advantages and disadvantages, and assessing these with the help of your dentist can help you make the most informed decision for your long term dental health.

The Pros And Cons Of Conventional Dental Implants

Conventional or standard implants are the same size and shape as the teeth you were born with. The biggest advantage of this is they blend is seamlessly with your natural teeth, and fill the space left behind by the missing tooth.

By replacing missing teeth titanium dental implants help to preserve your muscle tone, help you articulate words better and give you more confidence.

The biggest disadvantage of conventional implants is they can only be utilised if you have enough jaw bone to support them. Your gums should be healthy and you should have enough bone available to support the implant.

An implant that is embedded in the jawbone is known as an endosteal or endosseus implant.

If your bone density is not sufficient you may need a bone graft, or you may be a candidate for subperiosteal implants, which are embedded above the jaw bone in a metal frame.

The Pros And Cons Of Mini Implants

Mini implants are extremely useful types of dental implants for small spaces. If you have small teeth, are missing front teeth or the spaces between your teeth are too small for conventional implants, mini implants may just do the trick. Another major advantage of mini implants is the rate at which the mouth heals after their insertion, thanks to their smaller size.

Mini implants can be used to provide a temporary solution to missing teeth. Thanks to their small size they are also more affordable than conventional dental implants and may provide a more viable interim solution for people on tight budgets.

The biggest disadvantage of using mini implants also relates to their size and strength. A conventional implant is usually 3 to 4mm wide but a mini implant is usually less than 3mm. This means they cannot handle the heavy duty chewing that molars undergo and cannot be used to replace back teeth.

The Pros And Cons Of Fixed Bridgework

While implants outperform bridges in many cases, combining fixed bridgework with dental implants provides a number of dental benefits to replace multiple missing teeth.

On their own bridges can be uncomfortable to wear because they need to use your surrounding teeth for support. They can also cause wear on the surrounding teeth. They may feel insecure in the mouth and move around a little, but when they are supported by a stable and permanent dental implant, these disadvantages fall away.

Possibly the greatest disadvantage to fixed bridgework is the amount of work required. Once the dental implants have been inserted you may need two to three more visits before the bridge is fully attached.

Have questions about the different types of dental implants?
Contact our world-class dentists to discuss your long term dental health: 03 8595 2630