Dental Implant Parts

While dental implants are designed to look and function just like natural teeth, much of the ingenuity of the dental implant structure is hidden from plain view. Just as teeth are composed of much more than the visible crown you see above the gumline, dental implants, too, are composed of multiple parts that all work together to make implants the excellent prosthetic alternative that they are. Installed and placed in a 3-step process, these parts include the implant fixture, the abutment, and the prosthetic crown.

The implant fixture

The implant fixture is a small, post-like structure that is embedded into the jawbone during the first of the 3-step process of creating a dental implant. During this procedure, your dentist or oral surgeon will open up the gumline at the surgical site and anchor the implant fixture, which is generally made of highly biocompatible titanium, into the jawbone. She or he will then stitch up the gums and the fixture will remain below the surface of the gumline. At this point, the only thing to be done is to wait, as the implant fixture will require a few months to fully fuse with the bone in a process referred to as osseointegration. Once it has melded with the bone, the implant fixture will successfully mimic the function of tooth roots, not only providing deep support for the prosthetic tooth but also contributing to long-lasting bone health as it stimulates the jawbone.

In some cases, your dentist or oral surgeon may choose to place a healing abutment or cuff on the fixture that the gums can heal around to make way for the eventual permanent abutment. This is a choice that should be made in consultation with your dentist, keeping in mind your individual own goals and preferences surrounding the process.

The abutment

The next step in the creation of a dental implant is the placement of the abutment. The abutment is a small screw-like piece that connects to the implant fixture below the gumline and provides a base for the prosthetic crown to rest upon above the gumline. For this reason, if a healing abutment was not placed during the original installation of the implant fixture, your dentist or oral surgeon will have to open up the gums that cover the implant fixture to connect the abutment to it. If the gums have been surgically opened, more healing time (though less than the previous step) will be required to allow the soft tissues of the gums to heal following surgery.

The prosthetic crown

Finally, after the gums have healed following the connection of the abutment to the implant fixture, the prosthetic crown itself can be placed. Though the overall process takes anywhere from six months to a year, the final result is a strong and durable new tooth that might well last you a lifetime. There are also some choices to be made here, such as whether you prefer a permanent or “fixed” prosthesis (i.e. a tooth that never comes out) or a removable prosthesis. This, like the rest of the decisions made during this process, should be made in careful consultation with your dentist, who will be able to explain the benefits and drawbacks of each option.

Dental Abutment Definition