Has your dentist recommended dentures or a partial denture for your smile? If so, you could be a candidate for implant supported dentures, which have more benefits than traditional dentures yet aren’t quite the same as having dental implants for every tooth. Implant supported dentures involve having a few dental implants placed in your mouth and these will effectively support your full or partial denture, which will attach to them and be held firmly in place. Why should you consider implant supported dentures and who are they a great fit for?
More Stable and Secure
If you already have dentures, you know that they can be frustrating. Dentures are typically held in place by a combination of suction and your jaw structure, although some people find they need an adhesive agent to help their dentures remain secure. Regardless, many people experience anxiety and embarrassment about their dentures moving around in their mouth or even falling out.
This isn’t so with implant supported dentures. You’ll have an easier time speaking, chewing, and feeling more at ease with your dentures with implants to properly support them. The lower jaw is more common for implant supported dentures, as dentures are usually much less stable in your lower mouth, however, upper and lower implanted supported dentures can be done and work great for your smile!
Prevent Bone Loss
When people lose their natural teeth, the roots that once helped retain your facial structure are gone. With this, bone loss often happens and can be responsible for a subtle change in your facial structure over time. However, with implant supported dentures, your dental implants will help prevent bone loss, encourage new bone growth, and retain your beautiful facial structure.
That being said, you will need to have adequate bone in your jaw in order to support the placement of your dental implants. This is why it’s better to seek implants as soon as you’re able after losing your natural teeth. That way there’s no risk of bone loss. However, even if you’ve had traditional dentures for years, you could still qualify for implant supported dentures!
More Hygienic and Easier to Clean
Although wearing your implant supported dentures at night isn’t recommended, they can easily be removed, cleaned, and ready for you in the morning. Implant supported dentures tend to be more hygienic than traditional dentures, as they’re easier to remove, clean, and put back in your mouth!
There are two types of implant supported dentures—ball and bar retained. With the ball retained, your denture will snap onto the implant. With the bar retained, a custom bar that attaches to about five dental implants will be used to attach the denture to. Regardless of which one you receive, your dentures will be secure and you’ll feel more confident and at ease than you ever did with traditional dentures!
Visit your dentist to ask about implant supported dentures and find out if you qualify. They’re usually done in a few simple steps—from the consultation to your dental implant procedure to getting custom dentures, you’ll be ready to enjoy your new smile in no time!