Types of Dental Implants

"Type" in dental implants usually refers to one of two things: the material (titanium vs. zirconia) or the placement strategy (single, multiple, full-arch, mini, zygomatic). We will walk through both.

For 95% of cases, the right answer is a standard titanium implant with a zirconia crown. The other 5% are specific situations where another type is the better fit — usually full-arch, zygomatic for severe atrophy, or zirconia for documented titanium sensitivity.

One titanium implant body in the jaw, one abutment, one zirconia crown. The most common case at our practice. $3,500 all-inclusive.

Best for: replacing one tooth without disturbing the neighbors. The implant occupies only the space of the missing tooth, so adjacent teeth are completely untouched.

Two implants supporting a 3- or 4-unit bridge. Used when several teeth in a row are missing and placing an individual implant for each would be unnecessary.

Best for: 3–4 consecutive missing teeth. Compared to a traditional bridge anchored to natural teeth, implant-supported bridges leave neighboring healthy teeth alone and last decades longer.

Pricing varies: typically $9,000–$12,000 for a 3-unit implant-supported bridge.

Six implants supporting a fixed bridge of 10–14 teeth. Used for full-mouth rehabilitation when most or all teeth in an arch are missing or failing. We standardize on All-on-6 — the extra two anchors deliver better long-term bone preservation and bite distribution than the older four-implant approach.

Best for: long-term denture wearers, severe periodontal disease cases, full-arch failures. All-on-6 starts at $26,000 per arch with the free bone graft included.

Same shape as titanium implants but made of zirconium oxide ceramic instead of titanium. White rather than gray, fully biocompatible, no metal allergy risk.

Best for: documented titanium sensitivity (fewer than 0.6% of patients), patients with strong preference for metal-free restorations, anterior placements with thin gum tissue where titanium can cast a gray shadow.

Trade-offs: less long-term data than titanium (15–20 years vs. 60+), slightly higher fracture risk on posterior implants under heavy bite force. $4,500–$5,500 per implant.

Smaller diameter (2–3 mm) implants used primarily for stabilizing dentures rather than supporting individual crowns. Faster to place, no bone grafting usually needed.

Best for: stabilizing a lower denture in patients with severe lower-jaw atrophy where a standard implant cannot be placed without grafting. Not recommended for posterior single crowns under chewing force.

Pricing typically $1,500–$2,500 per mini implant; four mini implants supporting an overdenture is often $6,000–$9,000 total.

Long (30–50 mm) implants anchored into the cheekbone (zygoma) rather than the upper jaw. Used for patients with such severe upper-jaw bone loss that even grafting cannot rebuild a viable foundation.

Best for: long-term denture wearers with extreme upper-arch atrophy, post-cancer-surgery reconstruction, failed prior implant cases with significant residual bone loss.

Allows fixed-bridge placement on the day of surgery — no grafting, no waiting. Specialized procedure; we perform zygomatic placement for the small subset of patients who need it.