Orthodontic treatment is designed to straighten your teeth and restore your bite. But what happens when you are missing teeth or your needs are a little complex? In this post, our Surrey orthodontists share the purpose of orthodontic implants and how they can help you achieve your oral health goals.
What are orthodontic implants?
Orthodontics and dental implants can work together to achieve your desired result. Dental implants are artificial titanium roots designed to be installed in your jawbone. While these commonly replace missing teeth, the same technology can be used to make orthodontic adjustments. When used in this way, we refer to them as orthodontic implants. Orthodontic implants are positioned in different areas and used with additional devices like wires to provide leverage. This helps shift teeth into their newly prescribed positions.
When are orthodontic implants used?
For an orthodontic application to be effective, it needs to apply sufficient force to move your teeth. Unfortunately, treatment can be tricky if you have multiple missing teeth or if your teeth require additional pressure to make complex adjustments.
This is where an orthodontic implant comes in. These implants have become a reliable method in orthodontic practice for providing temporary anchorage to assist in adjusting teeth. Some advantages of orthodontic implants include efficient placement, decreased patient discomfort, cost-effectiveness, use within 48 hours of placement, reduced diameter, versatility, easy cleaning and simple removal.
What are the different types of orthodontic implants?
There are a few different types of orthodontic implants, including palatal plates, onplants, mini plates, and miniscrews.
- Palatal plates: The implant position is primarily on the hard palate, located in the midline up the upper palate (roof of your mouth) or behind the upper front teeth. Most palatal implants are made of titanium alloy with a screw-like shape. Following implantation in the oral cavity, impressions are obtained to produce the TPA (trans-palatal arch). The TPA is made of high-strength dental alloy to stabilize and hold the upper molars in place.
- Onplants: The onplant has the same role as a palatal plate and is implanted in the roof of your mouth. They are button-shaped and implanted between the periosteum (tissue between the gum tissue and bone) and the jawbone. Such implants require multiple surgeries, whereas palatal plates usually only require one.
- Miniplates: WIth miniplate implants, titanium plates are fixed in the jawbone by miniscrews. Most of the implant is located under the inner tissue. Miniplates and miniscrews are made of titanium alloy. Miniplates may retain better than other implants in certain cases. They can also withstand large orthopedic forces.
- Miniscrews: Miniscrews are made of pure titanium or titanium alloy. The shape of the implant below the bone surface is screw-like and is not generally used for surface treatment. The advantage of the miniscrew is that implantation is simple. Miniscrews are self-drilling or auxiliary. Due to their small size, miniscrew implants can be applied to nearly all jawbone locations. The most common implant position is on the front side of the upper or lower teeth. Mini-screw implants control the movement of teeth without the need for additional anchorage.
What is the cost of orthodontic implants?
As with many other services, the cost of orthodontic implants can vary from clinic to clinic. Several factors contribute to the final cost.
This can be the clinic's location, the orthodontist's expertise, or the equipment used. The complexity of the orthodontic issue also affects the final amount you will pay. Please speak with your orthodontist to discuss the estimate of the cost.