What are Hybrid Dental Implants?

Dental implants can be used as an anchorage for artificial crowns and can even retain dental bridges and dentures.

Tooth loss is a problem that occurs either due to extensive tooth decay or due to a severe blow to your face which can cause trauma to the teeth or the jaw. Lost teeth can be a cause of other dental issues that can affect you in the long run. When a tooth is lost, it is either broken off from the root or is entirely uprooted from the jaw bone. In the first case, the root is eventually lost due to decay. And if the tooth has been uprooted from the jaw bone, the jaw bone receives no stimulation for growth in that area. As a result, it is directly exposed to bacteria which eventually affects the bone and leads to its deterioration. Therefore, loss of teeth also makes you lose your jaw bone.

Loss of teeth also affects overall health as you will find it difficult to eat food. Without teeth, chewing becomes harder and you won’t be able to consume food that is essential for your overall health.

Loss of teeth also causes speech impediment. The pattern of our speech is determined by the shape of our teeth and the jaw. Loss of teeth alters the structure of the mouth thus, resulting in speech impediment.

Dentistry has the solutions for lost teeth and can restore the structure of the teeth by replacing the lost teeth using devices and procedures. Dentists use devices like dental bridges, dentures, and dental implants to replace a lost tooth so that the jaw bone gets the required stimulation for doing the job it is there for. The most popular and effective method of teeth replacement is dental implants.

What are Dental Implants?

A lost tooth needs to be restored in order to prevent the deterioration of the jaw bone. The jaw bone needs a root to grow around and hold on to. A dental implant acts as an artificial root for the jaw bone. A dental implant is a small metal post made out of alloys of titanium. The metal post is fixed into the socket where the earlier natural root was present. This is done by a surgical procedure where slight drilling is done to the jaw bone to make the gingival tissue fit for the implant. A dental implant fuses to the bone after it has been fixed. This process is known as osseointegration. The jaw bone grows around the implant and accepts it as a root. This holds the implant sturdily in place, just like a natural root for the artificial crowns, dentures and dental bridges. A dental implant can be a very costly procedure if you have lost a few teeth. Your dental insurance will certainly not cover the cost or it may not cover the entire cost as dental implants are considered as a cosmetic procedure. Also, traditional dental implants can also be unsuitable for some people as it requires surgery and people suffering from diabetes or any other blood-related diseases can have complications during the procedure.

Hybrid implants, on the other hand, have proved to be a better option than traditional implants. The basic aim of hybrid implant retained dentures or bridges is to minimize complications by minimizing the amount of surgery required in comparison with traditional implants. Also, a hybrid implant denture is held in place by just 4 implants which reduces and saves the cost of replacing the entire set of teeth using implants.

How are hybrid implants placed?

The design of a hybrid implant is significantly different from traditional implants. The implant consists of a metal plate shaped according to the gum line’s width and the metal post that is fixed into the bone is attached under the plate. The metal plate consists of holes for screws which support the artificial crowns. The distance between the screws is determined by the size and shape of the teeth to be replaced, this is needed only for a dental bridge though. The position of the screws are closer when front teeth or the premolars are to be replaced and the replacement of molars require more space between the abutment screws. The ability to hold multiple teeth using a single implant is what makes it so effective and popular among the dentists. Dental implant specialists use the hybrid implant structure generally as an anchorage for dental devices and restoration methods.

The process of implant placement

Implant placement requires a surgical procedure as the implant has to be grafted into the bone. The alveolar bone is first exposed by lifting up the gingival tissue through surgery. A dental implant specialist moulds the implant accordingly with the contours of the socket in the alveolar bone. The implant is moulded in the shape of a basic screw which the dental implant specialist fixes into the socket of the alveolar bone. The implant is then fixed to the jaw bone with the help of screws and the abutment plate which supports the dentures and bridges are fixed on the implant. The flap of gingival tissue which was removed earlier is then used to cover up the plate on the implant so only the artificial crowns fixed to the abutment are visible above the gum line.

What are the benefits of hybrid implant supported dentures and bridges?

One of the reasons for you to choose a hybrid dental implant is going to be its cost-effectiveness. Replacement of a lost tooth or a whole set of teeth using traditional titanium implants can be too costly. Traditional dental implants have been considered the gold standard for tooth replacement procedures as it costs somewhere around CAD 1500 to CAD 2500 for a single tooth and the results are long-lasting. Once the implant is in place and the procedure is complete, the implant and the crown functions the same as your natural teeth. Hybrid dental implants, on the other hand, are much cheaper than traditional implants. A hybrid implant will cost you around $8000 for the whole upper or lower arch.

Another reason for hybrid implants is the longer period of time taken by the traditional implants to heal, osseointegrate with the bone and be ready for the abutment placement procedure and the artificial crown. The whole process can take almost 6-8 months while a hybrid implant procedure is completed in one visit to the dental implant specialist. If you get a replacement for each tooth separately using traditional implants, it will require extensive surgery of the gingival tissue which will take a lot of time to heal during which you cannot use your mouth properly to eat or speak. Hybrid implant takes very little time to get used to and doesn’t even require heavy surgical procedures.

If you’re looking forward to the restoration of your lost tooth or if you’re a senior who is need of dentures, you can always visit our dentists in West Edmonton at Motivo Dental. Suggestions from our dentist will help you choose what is exactly needed for you to have that perfect smile.