A dental implant is composed of three parts: the titanium implant, the abutment or post, and the crown. The titanium implant is twisted into the jaw bone like a screw. A natural process called osseointegration takes place in a few months, where the jaw bone grows into the implant. The abutment is attached to the implant as a base for the crown. A prosthodontist makes and fits these materials for the patient. An oral and maxillofacial surgeon places the implant into the patients jaw. Implants may replace one or more teeth (image a), or the entire set, instead of using removable dentures. Several implants will be placed to firmly fix the artificial set of teeth (image b).
Image source: www.aaoms.org