Traditional vs. Implant-Supported Dentures
If you’ve struggled with traditional dentures - dentures that simply sit on top of your gums - you understand their limitations. Food issues. Mouth sores. Problems talking. Traditional dentures are unstable and do not function like natural teeth.
The issues go beyond comfort. Since dentures float on the gums, they fail to stimulate the underlying bone. If the jawbone is not “exercised” through stimulation, it begins to dissolve and shrink.
There is a solution: An implant-supported denture.
An implant-supported denture securely hooks onto implants, which are titanium screws embedded in the jawbone. This latching system ensures the denture stays locked firmly in place and functions like natural teeth.
If you are suffering with missing teeth, Advanced Dentistry of Connecticut, serving the Stratford and Fairfield area, can determine if implant-supported dentures are right for you. Whether you are missing one, several, or all your teeth, our cosmetic dentist can create a customized solution to restore your smile and protect your oral health.
Implant Denture Benefits
Implant-supported dentures offer many benefits:
- Prevent bone loss. Implant-supported dentures exercise the underlying bone, encouraging bone growth. Traditional dentures don’t stimulate the underlying bone, which leads to bone loss, facial sagging, premature aging, and loss of function.
- Secure fit. Traditional dentures slip and slide within the mouth, often causing embarrassment and difficulty eating and talking. Implant-supported dentures lock into the implant and function like real teeth.
- Comfort. Traditional dentures sit directly on the gums, which can be uncomfortable or painful. As the underlying bone shrinks, traditional dentures may slip more, causing more rubbing and pain.
- Taste. Traditional upper dentures usually cover the roof of the mouth with plastic, which can limit the taste of food.
- Improve your bite. Not only are implant-supported dentures more secure, they also return up to 95 percent of your natural biting and chewing ability as compared to the 25 percent with traditional dentures. You can enjoy a wider variety of food with implant dentures.
- Confidence. Knowing your dentures won’t slip gives you the confidence to talk, sing, laugh, and eat again.
How They Work
Like a traditional denture, an implant-supported denture has an acrylic base that resembles gums with false teeth attached. But instead of floating on the gums, an implant denture snaps onto the implants.
Implant-supported dentures, also called over-dentures, vary in how they attach to implants, but there are two main categories:
- Removable Over-Dentures: These dentures attach to conventional dental implants, mini-implants, or to a bar connected to conventional implants. These can be removed after meals, at night, and in the morning for cleaning.
- Non-Removable Fixed Dentures: These dentures stay in the mouth all the time. You care for them like regular teeth by brushing and flossing daily. Though permanent, they can be removed by a dentist without damaging the implant, if necessary.
Find Out More
If you have lost, or are losing, all of your teeth please call our offices for a consultation. We can determine if implant-supported dentures are right for you or if other restoration techniques are suitable. We offer several types of dentures and dental implants to meet the variety of needs among our patients.