There are several options available if you are missing most or all of your natural teeth on an arch. While many people believe dentures are the only option, there is actually a better solution. Dentists can use dental implants to hold a denture in place instead of using a traditional denture. This solution will improve your chewing ability and your looks by preventing facial sagging and it will feel more natural.
Over the years, there have been a lot of improvements in implant technology and they have become more popular. They have a high success rate and patients are choosing dental implants over traditional dentures. LIFESmiles Family & Cosmetic Dentistry is a restorative dentistry office in West Boise, Idaho that provides full services for denture implants.
Conventional Dentures
A prosthetic device that you place in your mouth to replace teeth and blend in with your gum tissue is called a denture. This set of false teeth has been used for many years to replace missing teeth. The fake teeth, typically made of resin or porcelain, are fused to an acrylic base that mimics the color of gum tissue. Your dentist will take measurements of your mouth to create them so they will look natural when you wear them. To stay in place, they will rest on the gums or suction to the gums. Sometimes, you may need to use adhesive for extra support.
Conventional dentures take some time to get used to. They can feel bulky and uncomfortable at first. Denture wearers will experience bone loss so the fit of their prosthesis will change over the years. This will cause it to loosen and shift around in the mouth. Eventually, you will have to have it rebased or replace it altogether. Dentures cannot be worn all day. You need to take them out to let your gums rest and to clean them. Most patients choose to do this at night.
Overdentures
Overdentures are a better solution than traditional dentures. However, they will require the placement of dental implants. You will still receive a quality prosthesis that is customized to fit and look natural in your mouth. But instead of the denture resting on your gums, it will snap onto the dental implants. It will never move or shift around in your mouth. The implant fixtures will also prevent bone loss in the jaw which prevents facial sagging. It also prevents the denture from not fitting over the years so it will last longer. Most patients will only need to replace the overdenture due to wear and tear.
With an overdenture, you will need to remove it to clean it typically at night time. However, you simply snap it out to care for it. This also makes it very easy to clean your gums. Your dentist will need to place at least two implants fixtures on the bottom jaw but the upper jaw requires more.
Fixed Dentures
A fixed denture is by the far the most natural way to replace a missing row of teeth. This solution requires the placement of four, six or eight dental implants on the arch. After a thorough exam, your dentist will determine how many dental implants you need to secure the denture. A custom denture will actually be screwed to the dental implants permanently. You will never have to remove it; it simply stays in your mouth at all times like natural teeth. For many patients, the allure of never having to remove the denture is why they choose this option. This solution will prevent bone loss, have little to no food restrictions, and allow the denture to remain firmly in place like natural teeth.
However, this option does require more dental implants. For this reason it will be the most expensive option and you must have enough bone structure to support them.