Library
Full-mouth implant glossary
About a hundred words you will meet in treatment plans, X-ray reports and research papers, each explained in one to three plain sentences, with a link to the page that goes deeper.
Search for a term or jump to a letter. If a word on your own treatment plan is missing, send it to us and we will add it. Brand and concept names, such as All-on-4, belong to their owners; All-on-4 is a trademark of Nobel Biocare and Precious Dental is not affiliated with any implant maker.
A
- Abutment
- The connector screwed into the top of an implant. The crown or bridge attaches to it, so it sits between the part in the bone and the tooth you see. Read more
- Acrylic
- A family of hard plastics (mainly PMMA) used for dentures, temporary teeth and the pink gum part of some full-arch bridges. Light and easy to repair, but it wears and stains faster than zirconia. Read more
- All-on-4
- A trademarked treatment concept of Nobel Biocare in which four implants, the back two usually tilted, carry a fixed full-arch bridge. Other clinics describe similar treatment as a four-implant full arch. We are not affiliated with Nobel Biocare. Read more
- All-on-6
- A fixed full-arch bridge held by six implants in one jaw. The extra implants spread the load and give a spare if one implant is lost. Read more
- All-on-X
- A loose umbrella name for any fixed full-arch bridge on a small number of implants, usually four to eight. Read more
- Alveolar ridge
- The ridge of jaw bone that held the tooth roots. It shrinks after teeth are lost, which is why bone volume is checked before implants. Read more
- Anterior-posterior spread
- The front-to-back distance between the most forward and the most rearward implants in an arch. A larger spread usually lets the bridge carry teeth further back safely. Read more
- Antibiotic prophylaxis
- Antibiotics given around the time of surgery to lower the risk of infection. Whether and which ones are used is the surgeon's decision, based on your health and allergies. Read more
- Attachment (overdenture)
- A small fitting, such as a ball, locator or bar clip, that lets a removable denture click onto implants. Read more
- Autograft
- Bone taken from your own body, for example from another part of the jaw, and moved to where more bone is needed. Read more
B
- Basal bone
- The deep, dense bone of the jaw below the tooth-bearing ridge. It changes little after tooth loss, which is why tilted and zygomatic implants aim for it. Read more
- Biological complication
- A problem in the living tissues around an implant, such as gum inflammation, infection or bone loss, as opposed to a broken part. Read more
- Bleeding on probing
- Bleeding when a dentist gently runs a thin measuring probe around an implant or tooth. It is the main sign of gum inflammation. Read more
- Bone density
- How dense and hard the jaw bone is. The lower front jaw is usually densest and the upper back jaw softest, which affects how firmly an implant holds on the day. Read more
- Bone graft
- Bone or a bone substitute placed where the jaw is too thin or too low for an implant. The body slowly replaces or integrates it over months. Read more
- Bruxism
- Clenching or grinding the teeth, often during sleep. It puts extra force on implants and bridges and is linked with more chipping and implant failure. Read more
C
- CAD/CAM
- Computer-aided design and manufacturing: the bridge or framework is designed on screen and milled or printed by machine. Read more
- Cantilever
- The part of a bridge that extends beyond the last implant with nothing underneath it. Long cantilevers put more strain on the implants and the bridge. Read more
- Cawood and Howell classification
- A 1988 system describing how a toothless jaw ridge changes shape after tooth loss, from a jaw with teeth to a flat or sunken ridge. Dentists use the classes to describe how much bone is left. Read more
- CBCT
- Cone beam computed tomography: a 3D X-ray scan of the jaws. It shows bone height, width and the position of nerves and sinuses, and is the basis of full-arch planning. Read more
- Cement-retained
- A crown or bridge glued onto its abutments with dental cement. It has no screw holes, but it is harder to remove and leftover cement can irritate the gum. Read more
- Ceramic implant
- An implant made of zirconia instead of titanium. Short-term results are promising, but long-term full-arch data are limited. Read more
- Chipping
- Small fractures of the tooth surface layer of a crown or bridge, most common with porcelain layered over a framework. Read more
- Cohort study
- A study that follows a group of people over time and records what happens to them. It can be prospective (planned in advance) or retrospective (looking back at records). Read more
- Combination syndrome
- A pattern of bone loss in the upper front jaw sometimes seen when a full upper denture works against natural lower front teeth or a fixed lower bridge. Read more
- Confidence interval
- The range within which the true value probably lies, given the study's data. A narrow range means a more precise estimate. Read more
- Cortical bone
- The dense outer shell of a bone. Implants that engage cortical bone tend to be firmer on the day of surgery. Read more
- Cumulative survival rate
- The estimated share of implants or bridges still in place at a given time, calculated so that people followed for different lengths of time can be combined. Read more
D
- Delayed loading
- Waiting for implants to heal into the bone, usually for several months, before fitting teeth that you chew on. Also called conventional loading. Read more
E
- Early loading
- Fitting teeth on implants between about one week and two months after surgery. Read more
- Edentulous
- Having no natural teeth in a jaw. A fully edentulous person has no teeth in either jaw. Read more
- Effective dose
- A measure of radiation exposure, in microsieverts (µSv), that takes into account which tissues were exposed. Used to compare different X-ray scans. Read more
- Extraction
- Taking out a tooth. In full-arch treatment several failing teeth are often removed on the same day as the implants are placed. Read more
F
- Fixed prosthesis
- Teeth that are screwed or cemented in place and that you do not take out yourself. A dentist can remove a screw-retained one for maintenance. Read more
- Framework
- The internal skeleton of a full-arch bridge, often milled titanium or zirconia, that gives it strength and holds the teeth in position. Read more
- Full mouth implants
- Implant treatment that replaces all, or nearly all, of the teeth in both jaws, either with fixed bridges or with implant-held dentures. Read more
- Full-arch bridge
- A single fixed bridge that replaces all the teeth in one jaw and is held by several implants. Read more
G
- Guided surgery
- Implant surgery using a 3D-printed guide made from the CBCT plan, so that implants are placed in the planned positions and angles. Read more
H
I
- Immediate implant
- An implant placed into the socket on the same day the tooth is taken out. Read more
- Immediate loading
- Fitting teeth on implants within about a week of surgery, often the same or the next day. It needs implants that are firm enough on the day. Read more
- Implant
- A screw-shaped post, usually titanium, placed in the jaw bone to act as an artificial root for a crown, bridge or denture. Read more
- Implant failure
- An implant that has to be removed, usually because it did not fuse with the bone or later lost its bone support. Read more
- Implant passport
- A record of exactly which implants and parts were used (brand, type, size, batch). Precious Dental gives one to every implant patient together with copies of X-rays and scans. Read more
- Implant success
- A stricter measure than survival: the implant is present and also free of pain, mobility, infection and excess bone loss, according to set criteria. Read more
- Implant survival
- The implant is still in the mouth at follow-up, whether or not it has problems. Most headline percentages are survival rates. Read more
- Inferior alveolar nerve
- The nerve running inside the lower jaw that gives feeling to the lower lip, chin and lower teeth. Implant planning keeps a safe distance from it. Read more
- Insertion torque
- How much turning force is needed to seat an implant, measured in newton centimetres (Ncm). A higher value shows the implant is held firmly on the day. Read more
- Intraoral scanner
- A small camera wand that records a 3D digital impression of the mouth, replacing or supplementing impression putty. Read more
K
- Kaplan-Meier
- A statistical method that estimates survival over time when patients are followed for different lengths of time or leave a study. It produces the step-shaped survival curves seen in papers. Read more
- Keratinised mucosa
- Firm, pale, attached gum. Around implants it seems to make cleaning easier and comfort better, though its long-term effect on implant health is debated. Read more
M
- Mandible
- The lower jaw bone. Read more
- Marginal bone loss
- Loss of bone height around the neck of an implant, measured on X-rays in millimetres. A small amount in the first year is expected. Read more
- Maxilla
- The upper jaw bone, which also forms the floor of the nose and the maxillary sinuses. Read more
- Maxillary sinus
- An air-filled space above the upper back teeth. After tooth loss it can expand downwards, leaving less bone for implants. Read more
- Mental foramen
- A small opening on the outside of the lower jaw, roughly below the premolars, where the nerve to the lip and chin comes out. It marks a boundary for implant placement. Read more
- Meta-analysis
- A statistical method that combines the results of several studies into one overall estimate. Read more
- Monolithic zirconia
- Zirconia milled from a single block without a porcelain layer on top. It chips less than layered porcelain. Read more
- Multi-unit abutment
- A short abutment, often angled, used under full-arch bridges. It corrects the angle of tilted implants and lets the bridge be screwed on at gum level. Read more
N
- Night guard
- A removable plastic splint worn at night to protect teeth or a bridge from grinding forces. Read more
O
- Occlusion
- The way the upper and lower teeth meet when you bite and chew. Full-arch bridges are designed and adjusted to spread these forces. Read more
- Odds ratio
- A way of comparing how likely an outcome is in two groups. An odds ratio of 2 means the odds are twice as high; 1 means no difference. Read more
- Oro-antral fistula
- An abnormal opening between the mouth and the maxillary sinus. A rare complication of upper-jaw surgery that usually needs repair. Read more
- Osseointegration
- The direct, firm bond between living bone and the implant surface, without soft tissue in between. It takes weeks to months to develop. Read more
- Overdenture
- A removable denture that clicks onto implants (or kept tooth roots). It is more stable than a normal denture and can be taken out for cleaning. Read more
P
- Panoramic X-ray
- A single flat X-ray image showing both jaws and all teeth, also called an OPG. Useful for a first assessment, but it does not show bone width. Read more
- Paraesthesia
- Numbness, tingling or altered feeling, for example in the lip or chin after lower-jaw surgery near the nerve. Often temporary, occasionally lasting. Read more
- Passive fit
- A framework that sits on all implants at once without being forced or bent. A poor fit can strain screws and implants over time. Read more
- Peri-implant mucositis
- Inflammation of the gum around an implant without loss of supporting bone. The main sign is bleeding on gentle probing. It is caused by plaque and is usually reversible. Read more
- Peri-implantitis
- Plaque-associated inflammation around an implant with progressive loss of the supporting bone. It is harder to treat than mucositis and is a main reason implants are lost years later. Read more
- Periodontitis
- Gum disease that destroys the bone holding natural teeth. A history of it raises the risk of problems around implants. Read more
- Photogrammetry
- A digital method that photographs scan markers on several implants at once to record their exact positions for a full-arch bridge. Read more
- Platform switching
- Using an abutment narrower than the implant top, so the join sits inward from the bone edge. It is intended to reduce bone loss at the implant neck. Read more
- PMMA
- Polymethyl methacrylate, the acrylic resin used for dentures and many temporary full-arch bridges. Often milled from pre-cured blocks for strength. Read more
- Prediction interval
- The range in which the result of a new, similar study would be expected to fall. It is wider than a confidence interval and closer to real-world variation. Read more
- PRF
- Platelet-rich fibrin: a gel made by spinning a small sample of your own blood, sometimes placed in sockets or grafts to support healing. Read more
- Primary stability
- How firmly an implant is held by the bone straight after it is placed, before any healing. It decides whether teeth can be fitted immediately. Read more
- Prospective study
- A study planned before patients are treated, with set measurements at set times. Usually more reliable than a look back at records. Read more
- Prosthesis
- The artificial teeth: a crown, bridge or denture. Read more
- Prosthesis survival
- The bridge or denture is still in use at follow-up, even if it has been repaired. It can be high even when one implant has been lost. Read more
R
- Randomised controlled trial
- A study in which patients are allocated to treatments by chance, so the groups are comparable. The most reliable design for comparing two treatments. Read more
- Retrospective study
- A study that looks back at records of patients already treated. Cheaper and faster, but more prone to missing data and bias. Read more
- Ridge resorption
- The shrinking of the jaw ridge after teeth are lost. It is fastest in the first months and continues slowly for years. Read more
- Risk ratio
- The risk of an outcome in one group divided by the risk in another. A risk ratio of 1 means no difference. Read more
S
- Screw-retained
- A crown or bridge held on its implants by small screws. A dentist can remove it for cleaning or repair, and there is no cement under the gum. Read more
- Short implant
- An implant of about 8 mm length or less, used where bone height is limited, sometimes instead of a sinus lift. Read more
- Sinus lift
- Surgery that raises the floor of the maxillary sinus and fills the space with bone graft, to make room for implants in the upper back jaw. Read more
- Sinusitis
- Inflammation of the sinus lining. It is the most commonly reported complication of zygomatic implants. Read more
- Surgical guide
- A 3D-printed template that fits over the jaw or gum during surgery and directs the drill to the planned implant positions. Read more
- Systematic review
- A review that searches for all studies on a question using a stated method, judges their quality and summarises them. Often combined with a meta-analysis. Read more
T
- Technical complication
- A mechanical problem with the parts, such as a loose screw, chipped tooth or broken framework, as opposed to a problem in the tissues. Read more
- Temporary bridge
- The provisional fixed teeth fitted during healing, usually acrylic or PMMA, before the final bridge is made. Read more
- Tilted implant
- An implant placed at an angle, usually leaning backwards, to avoid the sinus or the nerve and to reach better bone further back. Read more
- Titanium
- The metal most implants are made of, either commercially pure titanium or a titanium alloy. It is strong, light and bonds well with bone. Read more
- Titanium bar
- A milled titanium framework that runs inside a full-arch bridge, linking the implants and stiffening the bridge. Read more
- Torque
- Turning force, measured in newton centimetres (Ncm). Used for how firmly an implant seats in bone and how tightly prosthetic screws are tightened. Read more
- Trabecular bone
- The spongy, honeycomb-like bone inside the jaw. Softer than cortical bone, especially in the upper back jaw. Read more
V
- Veneering
- A layer of porcelain or composite placed over a framework to give teeth their final colour and shape. Read more
Z
- Zirconia
- Zirconium dioxide, a very strong tooth-coloured ceramic used for crowns, full-arch bridges, abutments and some implants. Read more
- Zygomatic implant
- A long implant that passes from the upper jaw ridge to anchor in the cheekbone (zygoma). Used when the upper jaw has too little bone for normal implants. Read more
Definitions are general explanations reviewed by our implant surgeon, not a diagnosis. For the research behind many of these terms, see the evidence library and the data pages.
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