If your missing teeth are causing you discomfort, then dental implants could be a suitable tooth restoration option for you. Commonly known as teeth implants, dental implants are tiny metal anchors that are fitted in a jaw to hold up prosthetic crowns. There are a number of different types of dental implants. Two of the most common forms of teeth implants are root form implants and plate form implants. While root form implants are thin, long metal screws shaped like tooth roots, plate are shaped like small blades. This article will tell you more about plate form implants.
What are plate form implants?
Plate form implants are also known as blade implants. They are generally used on patients who have low quantity and quality of bone in the jaw. In some cases, patients may naturally possess a very narrow jaw bone. In other cases, a patient’s bone may wear away as a result of conditions like bone atrophy, or factors like old age or poor nutrition. When a patient visits a dentist for a consultation regarding dental implants, the dentist will conduct a thorough assessment to determine their suitability for teeth implants.
If upon examination, it is learnt that a patient has insufficient bone quantity, and that the area is not suitable for bone grafting, a dentist may advise plate form implants. Unlike root form implants that may be too wide for placement in thin ridges of bone, plate form implants have a flat and long shape, enabling them to fit into narrow jawbone quite easily.
The procedure for fitting plate implants is similar to that for root form implants. After application of an anaesthetic, the dentist will conduct minor surgery to uncover the jawbone where the teeth implants will be placed. After suitably preparing the bone to accept the shape of the implant, the blade implants are carefully fitted in the jaw. The gums are then stitched up and left to heal for a certain period, during which the bone will osseointegrate with the teeth implants.
Situated in the heart of London, the Harley Street Dental Clinic has a team of highly skilled dentists who specialise in fitting plate form dental implants. The goal of the team at our clinic in London is to offer all our patients excellent implant treatment, through careful assessment and planning. At the Harley Street Dental Clinic, we are committed to painless dentistry, and provide the highest level of comfort to all our patients.