What are the parts of a dental implant?
Cleveland Clinic describes implant treatment with three basic building blocks: the threaded post that is placed in the bone, the abutment, a small connector that screws into the post and extends slightly beyond the gums, and the visible restoration, that is the crown, bridge or denture. During healing, a cover screw or healing abutment is added temporarily.
| Part | Where it sits | Job | When it is fitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implant body | In the jawbone | Replaces the tooth root | At surgery |
| Cover screw | Under the gum, on the implant | Seals the internal channel during healing | At surgery, in the two-stage approach |
| Healing abutment | Protrudes through the gum into the mouth | Shapes the gum around the implant | At surgery in the one-stage approach; at uncovering in the two-stage approach |
| Abutment with abutment screw | At gum level, between implant and tooth | Connects implant and restoration | In the restorative phase |
| Crown, bridge or denture | Visible in the mouth | Chewing and appearance | In the restorative phase |
What is the implant body?
The implant body replaces the lost tooth root. Leeds Teaching Hospitals describes it as a hollow screw, usually made of a titanium alloy. “Hollow” refers to the threaded internal channel into which the cover screw, healing abutment and abutment are screwed. According to Cleveland Clinic, bonding with the bone (osseointegration) takes three to nine months; Leeds gives two to six months before the implant is used. Ceramic implants are an alternative in some cases; the comparison of materials is in our guide Ceramic or titanium implants.
The shape of the connection between implant body and abutment differs from system to system. The review by Lauritano and colleagues (2020) compares external hexagon, internal hexagon and conical connections and finds that no design seals the interface completely. This variety also explains why the implant card is so important.
What are the cover screw and healing abutment for?
After placement, the implant can be covered in one of two ways. Leeds Teaching Hospitals describes it like this:
- One-stage approach: in straightforward cases, a healing cap is placed on the implant immediately and remains visible above the gum.
- Two-stage approach: in more complex cases, the implant is covered up to help healing and the gum is stitched over it. After healing, about two to six months according to Leeds, the implant is exposed in a minor procedure and the healing cap is fitted.
The Cochrane review by Esposito and colleagues (2009) compared both approaches in five randomised trials with 239 participants. There was no significant difference in implant failure per patient; in patients with no teeth, trends favoured the two-stage approach. According to the authors, the two-stage approach may be preferable when the implant has not achieved optimal primary stability or when a removable temporary denture could transmit too much force to it.
What is an abutment, and what types are there?
The abutment is the connector between the implant body and the tooth and is fixed in the implant with an abutment screw. A review in Dental Update (2013) distinguishes essentially:
- Stock abutments: ready-made metal abutments in standard shapes, some of which can be modified.
- Custom-made abutments: cast or milled by CAD/CAM from titanium or ceramic to suit the patient’s gum and tooth shape.
- Ceramic abutments: made of materials such as zirconia; according to the review, zirconia abutments are more fracture resistant and whiter than alumina ones.
When the abutment screw is tightened, the same review explains, a tension (preload) is generated that clamps the parts together. Chewing forces that act against this preload, especially when the parts do not fit precisely or forces act off-axis, can loosen or break the screw. What a loose tooth means is explained in our guide The tooth on my implant is loose.
Whether the crown is fixed with a screw or with cement is a separate decision; Leeds Teaching Hospitals names both routes. The comparison is in our guide Screw-retained or cemented, and the choice of crown material in Zirconia or porcelain crowns.
One-piece or two-piece: what is the difference?
In two-piece implants, the body and abutment are separate parts that are screwed together. In one-piece implants, both are made from a single piece. According to the review by Çota and colleagues (2026), two-piece systems leave a tiny gap (micro-gap) between body and abutment through which bacteria can leak; one-piece implants have no such interface.
| Feature | One-piece implant | Two-piece implant |
|---|---|---|
| Body and abutment | One piece | Separate parts, screwed together |
| Gap between body and abutment | None | Present |
| Healing phase | Upper part protrudes from the gum from surgery onwards | Cover screw or healing abutment possible |
| Choice of abutment | Cannot be changed later | Angle and shape can be chosen |
Despite this theoretical difference, the clinical results are similar. The systematic review by Limírio and colleagues (2019) analysed five studies with 270 people and 434 implants over an average of four years and found no significant difference in implant survival or bone loss. Çota and colleagues likewise conclude that current evidence does not demonstrate a clear clinical advantage of one-piece implants.
Bone level or tissue level: what does that mean?
The terms describe where the junction between body and abutment lies. According to the definition in the review by Atieh and colleagues (2025):
- In a bone-level implant, the junction sits at the crest of the bone.
- In a tissue-level implant, the body has an integral neck that passes through the gum and moves the junction to gum level, away from the bone.
The same review found no significant difference in peri-implantitis or implant failure in five randomised trials (241 people, 501 implants, one to five years).
What is on the implant card, and why does it matter at home?
The implant card is your implant’s identity document. Because the connection between body and abutment differs from system to system, any dentist who later replaces a screw, swaps an abutment or makes a new crown needs to know which system is in your mouth. The General Dental Council advises asking before treatment abroad what aftercare is provided and who you can contact afterwards; your implant card is the document that makes such aftercare possible.
So take the implant card home with you and give your dentist a copy. Which other documents to take home is listed in our guide on documents for dental treatment in Türkiye.
Which parts are fitted on which trip?
For international patients, the parts are usually spread over two trips. On the first, the implant body is placed and covered with a cover screw or healing abutment; depending on your case, a temporary tooth can be fitted for the healing period, as described in our guide on a temporary tooth during implant healing. On the second trip, a few months later, the implants are uncovered if needed, the abutments fitted and the crown, bridge or denture tried in and fixed. How long each trip takes is explained in our guide How many days do I need to stay in Türkiye for dental implants?
What is on the implant card at Rönesans?
After implant placement, you receive an implant card at our clinic. For each implant, the manufacturer’s official label is attached to it, showing details such as the diameter, length and batch number, with a QR code for checking that the implant is genuine. We do not name the make and model on our website; they are in your written treatment and cost plan, which you receive before treatment starts and which also states which tooth is treated how and what it costs.
During healing, a temporary tooth is fitted depending on your case. An intraoral scanner is available at our clinic for impressions, and our partner laboratory makes crowns, bridges and dentures using CAD/CAM. When you leave, you receive a copy of your treatment summary and your X-rays, and follow-up on WhatsApp at +90 532 363 49 54 is part of the treatment. The options for fixed and removable teeth are described on our pages dental implants, full-arch implants and implant-supported dentures; for care, see caring for teeth on implants.