A dental implant starts with a titanium post, which an oral surgeon connects directly to your jawbone. Because of the need to drill a hole into the jawbone to place the post, you have to wait for six months for the bone to heal around the post and make it secure. This should give you plenty of time to think about the type of crown you will place on this post. You have two choices: a crown that uses a screw to attach to the post, and a crown that cements to the post. 

Screw Attached

The primary advantage of a crown that attaches to your post with a screw is that your dentist can easily remove the crown in the advent that it becomes damaged. On the other hand, a crown that is designed for use with a screw will have a hole running through the middle of it, and the screw head at least will be visible when you open your mouth. Furthermore, a screw can work lose over time, so you might have the occasional need to go to your dentist to have the screw tightened. 

Cement Attached

You also have the option of a crown that is attached with cement. Dental cement is extremely long-lasting, and a crown attached with cement can last for a decade or more without coming lose. On the other hand, if you chip or otherwise damage your crown, there is no easy way to remove and replace it. Thus, if you play a contact sport professionally, or as a hobby, you might want to go with a screw-attached crown just in case you damage it. On the other hand, a cement attached crown will look just like a natural tooth, and will obviously not have a visible screw to detract from its appearance. 

When you choose your dental crown, you need to think about your lifestyle and the amount of risk you face of damaging your crown. No matter what type of life you lead, there is always some risk of damage. Thus, a good rule of thumb is to use screw-attached crowns for molars and other teeth that are not highly visible when you smile and to use cement-attached crowns for your front teeth where a screw could mar your smile. In either case, you should have a long-lasting crown that will create a prosthetic tooth that looks and performs like a natural tooth.