Dental Implant
A titanium or zirconia fixture surgically placed into the jawbone to serve as an artificial tooth root upon which a crown, bridge, or denture can be supported.
Full Definition
A dental implant is a biocompatible post—most commonly made of commercially pure titanium or titanium alloy—that is inserted into the alveolar or basal bone to osseointegrate and subsequently support a prosthetic restoration. In dental documentation and billing, the implant procedure spans multiple appointments and D-codes: the implant body placement (D6010), the abutment (D6051–D6057 range), and the final crown (D6065–D6067 range) are billed separately. Editors must understand that 'dental implant' commonly refers to the entire implant system colloquially but to the fixture only in precise clinical and billing language. Many insurance plans exclude implants as a covered benefit or impose lifetime maximums, making accurate documentation essential. Implant-related terminology is frequently misspelled ('implamt', 'inplant') in clinical notes.
Usage
Usage note: Two words, no hyphen. In billing contexts, 'dental implant' refers specifically to the body/fixture (D6010), not the entire implant-supported restoration system.
In Context
- "The treatment plan listed a dental implant, abutment, and implant crown as three separate billable events requiring individual D-codes." — Treatment plan document
- "When editing patient correspondence, use 'dental implant' rather than 'implant screw' or 'titanium post', which may alarm lay readers." — Patient communication style guide