What Are the 3 Types of Dental Implants? Understanding Which One Is Right for You
TL;DR: Choosing the right dental implant depends on your jawbone health and overall needs. At Paramount Implant Center, we offer three main types of dental implants—each with its own benefits. Here’s a quick breakdown to help guide your decision:
- Endosteal: Most common; placed in healthy jawbone
- Subperiosteal: Sits on top of jawbone for patients with bone loss
- Zygomatic: Anchored in cheekbone for severe upper jawbone loss
When you’re living with missing teeth, whether it’s one, several, or all, it affects more than just how your smile looks. You may have trouble chewing, your speech may be affected, and over time, bone loss in your jaw can even change the shape of your face. That’s why dental implants have become one of the most trusted and durable solutions for tooth replacement.
At Paramount Implant Center, we often hear the same question: What are the 3 types of dental implants? It’s a smart question to ask, and knowing the types of dental implants available can help you better understand your options and what might work best for your unique situation.
Let’s walk through the different kinds of dental implants, how they work, and what you need to consider before choosing the right fit.
Endosteal Implants
Endosteal implants are the dental implant type that is most often used, and for good reason. They’re directly placed into your jawbone and act as an artificial root that supports a crown, bridge, or denture. These implants are usually shaped like small screws or cylinders and are made from titanium, naturally fusing with your bone during healing.
This option is best if you have a healthy jawbone and enough bone density to support the implant, and it’s also the go-to choice if you want the most natural-looking and feeling result.
We recommend endosteal implants to many of our patients because they offer the most stability and longevity. Once healed, they function much like natural teeth—you can chew, smile, and speak with total confidence.
There are some downsides though, so if you’ve lost bone density due to gum disease, injury, or long-term tooth loss, you might not be a candidate without first undergoing a bone graft. While grafting is effective, it does extend your treatment timeline and adds another layer to the overall dental implant process.
Still, if your jaw is healthy and strong, this is often the best path forward.
Subperiosteal Implants
Not every patient has the bone structure necessary to support traditional implants, and that’s where subperiosteal implants come into play. Instead of being embedded into the jawbone, these implants rest on top of it, but underneath the gum tissue. A custom metal framework holds the implant in place and supports the prosthetic tooth or teeth.
We use subperiosteal implants when our patients have lost a significant amount of bone and prefer not to go through the process of bone grafting. This approach is less invasive and allows us to still provide a secure, functional restoration without the added time and healing required by grafts.
The procedure itself is generally faster, and healing may be more straightforward, but this option does come with some trade-offs. Because the implant doesn’t fuse with the bone the way endosteal implants do, they may not be quite as stable or last as long.
Still, for the right patient, they’re a solid and effective solution. If you’ve been told you aren’t a candidate for traditional implants, this might be one of the best dental implant options to consider.
Zygomatic Implants
Zygomatic implants are the least common of the dental implants types, and they’re only used in very specific cases. These implants are much longer than the others and are anchored into the zygomatic bone, what you might know as the cheekbone, instead of the upper jaw.
We reserve this method for patients with extreme bone loss in the upper jaw who don’t qualify for bone grafting or want to avoid the long healing period grafts require. If you’ve been told that you’re not a candidate for implants due to severe bone loss, zygomatic implants may offer an alternative.
This procedure is highly technical and requires a great deal of precision and experience. Not every dental practice offers it, but at Paramount Implant Center, we’re trained in advanced implant techniques, including zygomatic placement.
Zygomatic implants often allow for immediate loading of a full arch of teeth, which means you can leave the office with a new smile the same day. That makes them a powerful option for patients who’ve been dealing with missing teeth or dentures for years.
The trade-off is complexity. There’s more involved in the planning, placement, and healing of zygomatic implants, and they’re not necessary for most patients. But in the right circumstances, they offer outstanding stability and results, without the need for grafting.
Make the Right Choice for Your Needs
So, which of these dental implant types is right for you?
That depends on several factors. The condition of your jawbone is one of the biggest. We use 3D imaging to evaluate your bone density, examine the structure of your jaw, and map out the safest, most effective placement strategy. We also take into account your overall health, lifestyle, and how many teeth need to be replaced.
Some patients only need a single implant. Others need full mouth restoration. Some have strong bones, others don’t. That’s why choosing the right implant isn’t about what’s most popular, but it’s about what’s going to give you the best long-term outcome.
Here’s a quick recap of the different kinds of dental implants:
- Endosteal implants: These are the best option for most patients with healthy jawbones, and it’s the most common choice.
- Subperiosteal implants: These are great if you have bone loss and want to avoid grafting. While it’s less invasive, it may be less durable.
- Zygomatic implants: A specialized option for severe upper jaw bone loss. Anchored in the cheekbone and suitable for full arch restorations.
If you’re still uncertain which dental implant option fits your case, that’s where we come in. Every treatment plan starts with a full consultation. We walk through your goals, review your imaging, and lay out a plan that makes sense for you, not just today, but for the years ahead.
Final Thoughts
At Paramount Implant Center, we don’t believe one type of implant is best for everyone. Your mouth is unique, and so is your care plan. Whether you’re just starting to research types of dental implants or you’ve had a consultation elsewhere and want a second opinion, we’re here to help.
We’ll answer your questions without pressure, we’ll explain your options clearly, and we’ll work with you to restore your smile in a way that feels right, both functionally and financially.