Dental Implants in Gulfport MS

Types of Dental Implants

The type of dental implant you receive will be dependent on how many teeth you’d like replaced and the overall health of your jawbone and gums. 

1. Endosteal Implants

• Description: The most common type of implant, these are placed directly into the jawbone.

• Material: Typically made of titanium or ceramic.

• Shape: Can be screw-like (threaded), cylinder (smooth), or blade-shaped.

• Ideal Candidate: Suitable for patients with good jawbone density and volume.

2. Subperiosteal Implants

• Description: These implants rest on top of the jawbone, under the gum tissue, rather than being inserted into the bone.

• Material: Usually made of metal.

• Ideal Candidate: Best for patients who do not have enough healthy jawbone and are unable to undergo bone grafting.

3. Zygomatic Implants

• Description: A less common and more complex option, these implants are anchored in the cheekbone (zygomatic bone) instead of the upper jawbone.

• Ideal Candidate: Suitable for patients with significant bone loss in the upper jaw who cannot have traditional implants.

4. Mini Dental Implants (MDIs)

• Description: These are smaller in diameter than traditional implants and are often used to stabilize dentures or for areas where space is limited.

• Material: Typically titanium.

• Ideal Candidate: Good for patients with less bone mass and for non-complex cases.

5. All-on-4 Implants

• Description: A full-arch restoration method that uses only four implants to support a complete set of dentures (upper or lower).

• Ideal Candidate: Patients who need full mouth restoration but have limited bone mass.

6. Basal Implants

• Description: These implants are placed in the basal cortical bone, which is the deeper and more stable part of the jawbone.

• Ideal Candidate: Patients with significant bone loss who cannot undergo bone grafting.

7. Implant-Supported Bridges and Dentures (Snap-in Dentures)

• Description: Implants are used to anchor bridges or dentures, allowing for greater stability compared to traditional dentures.

• Ideal Candidate: Patients who need to replace multiple teeth or entire arches.

Surgical Advances in Dental Implants

Using the most recent advances in dental implant technology, Drs. Akers and York are able to place single stage implants. These implants do not require a second procedure to uncover them, but do require a minimum of six weeks of healing time before artificial teeth are placed. There are even situations where the implant can be placed at the same time as the tooth extraction – further minimizing your number of surgical procedures.

Dental implant placement is a team effort between an oral and maxillofacial surgeon and a restorative dentist.  Drs. Akers and York perform the actual implant surgery, initial tooth extractions, and bone grafting if necessary.  The restorative dentist (your dentist) fits and makes the permanent prosthesis. Your dentist will also make any temporary prosthesis needed during the implant process.