Screw-in teeth are called dental implants. They’re the modern standard for permanently replacing missing teeth, designed to look, feel, and function like natural ones. A single dental implant has three parts: a small screw (the post) that gets surgically placed into the jawbone, a connector piece called an abutment, and a custom-made crown on top that looks like a real tooth.
The Three Parts of a Dental Implant
Each component has a specific job. The implant post is a small, threaded screw, usually made of titanium or zirconia, that serves as an artificial tooth root. It’s placed directly into the jawbone, where it fuses with the surrounding bone tissue over several months in a process called osseointegration. This fusion is what makes dental implants so stable compared to dentures or bridges.
The abutment is a small connector piece that screws into the top of the implant post once the bone has healed around it. It sticks up just above the gumline and acts as the anchor point for the visible part of the tooth. The crown sits on top of the abutment and is shaped and shaded to match your surrounding teeth. It’s the only part you actually see when you smile.
Titanium vs. Zirconia Implants
Most dental implants are made from titanium, which has been the go-to material for decades because it fuses exceptionally well with human jawbone. Titanium is highly resistant to corrosion in the mouth and works well with both bone and gum tissue.
Zirconia implants are a newer, metal-free alternative. They’re made from zirconium dioxide, a ceramic material that’s also compatible with human tissue. Some people prefer zirconia because it’s white rather than metallic, which can matter if you have thin or receding gums where a metal post might show through. Your dentist can help determine which material suits your situation.
Two Main Types of Implants
When most people say “screw-in teeth,” they’re talking about endosteal implants, which are by far the most common type in the United States. “Endosteal” means “in the bone.” These implants use screws, cylinders, or blades that get fastened directly into the jawbone.
The less common type is called a subperiosteal implant, meaning “on the bone.” Instead of screwing into the jawbone, a metal frame sits on top of it, just beneath the gum tissue. Posts extend upward through the gums to hold crowns. This option exists for people who don’t have enough jawbone to support a standard implant and can’t undergo bone grafting.
Full-Arch Options: All-on-4
If you’re missing most or all of your teeth, you may have heard the term “All-on-4.” This is a system that uses just four strategically placed implants per arch to support an entire row of teeth. Two implants go in vertically near the front of the jaw, and two are angled in the back for maximum support. A full set of replacement teeth is then fixed onto those four posts as a single unit.
Traditional full-mouth implants work differently. They typically require six to eight implants per arch, with each implant supporting an individual crown. This gives more flexibility since a single crown can be replaced on its own if needed. All-on-4, by contrast, uses one connected prosthetic, so individual teeth can’t be swapped out separately. Both approaches are permanently fixed in the mouth, not removable like dentures.
What the Procedure Looks Like
Getting a dental implant isn’t a single appointment. It’s a multi-stage process that can take anywhere from several months to over a year, depending on your healing speed and whether you need preparatory work like bone grafting.
The surgery itself is straightforward. Your dentist makes a small incision in the gum, drills a hole in the jawbone, and screws the implant post into place. The incision is closed, and you go home to heal. Most people feel mostly recovered from the surgery within about two weeks.
Then comes the waiting period. Osseointegration, the process of bone growing around and bonding to the implant, typically takes three to nine months. This stage is critical. If the bone doesn’t fuse properly with the post, the implant won’t be stable enough to support a crown. Once the bone has fully healed, you return for a minor procedure to attach the abutment. Your gums need another two to four weeks to heal around it. After that, the crown is placed and treatment is complete.
Who Can Get Dental Implants
The biggest factor is jawbone density. Your bone needs to be thick and strong enough to hold the implant post securely. After you lose a tooth, the jawbone in that area starts shrinking because it no longer gets stimulation from chewing. The longer a tooth has been missing, the more bone you may have lost. If bone density is too low, a bone graft can sometimes rebuild enough structure to make implants viable.
Several health conditions can complicate things. Osteoporosis weakens bones throughout the body, including the jaw. Uncontrolled diabetes slows bone healing and reduces bone strength. Active gum disease destroys the bone tissue that implants depend on, so it needs to be treated first. Long-term use of corticosteroids can also reduce bone strength, and bisphosphonates (medications used to treat osteoporosis) change how bone remodels, which may affect planning.
Lifestyle matters too. Smoking reduces blood flow to bone tissue and slows healing significantly. Diets low in calcium, vitamin D, and protein raise the risk of poor jawbone density. These aren’t necessarily deal-breakers, but they’re factors your dentist will evaluate before recommending implants.
Success Rates and Longevity
Dental implants have one of the highest success rates of any surgical procedure. A large-scale study analyzing over 158,000 implants found an overall survival rate of 97.8%. Within the first five to ten years, success rates generally range from 95% to 98%. Over 15 years, that number drops to around 83%, reflecting the cumulative effects of aging, maintenance habits, and changes in overall health.
Implants placed immediately after a tooth is extracted perform about as well as those placed in fully healed sites, with survival rates of 98.4% and 98.6% respectively. In practical terms, a well-maintained dental implant can last decades, and for many people, it lasts a lifetime.
Cost of Dental Implants
As of 2025, the total cost for a single dental implant in the United States, including the post, abutment, and crown, typically runs between $3,000 and $6,000. That range depends on the material used, your geographic location, the complexity of your case, and whether you need additional procedures like bone grafting or gum treatment beforehand. Full-arch solutions like All-on-4 cost significantly more but replace an entire row of teeth at once, which can make the per-tooth cost more manageable than replacing each tooth individually.