Dentures have been a boon to people with a missing tooth. There are various types of dentures used in dentistry to replace a missing tooth.
An implant-supported denture has become a popular type of denture offering multiple advantages. The conventional dentures sit on the gum while an implant-supported denture is fastened to implants.
The Implant-Supported Dentures provide a high degree of benefits for patients with no teeth in the jaw but have enough bone.
Getting individual dentures for the entire jaw becomes a nerve-wracking procedure for the patients.
With Implant-Supported Dentures, the denture is combined with implants making the dentures more stable and functional.
This post addresses various aspects of Implant-Supported Dentures, including procedure and advantages.
How do Implant-Supported Dentures work?
Dental Implants consist of small titanium posts that mimic the root of the teeth. The dental implants fasten the replacement teeth to your jaw and offer support.
The implant dentures are of two types- bar-retained dentures and ball-retained dentures.
Bar-retained denture: a thin metal bar that conforms to your jaw’s curve is attached to the implants (usually two to five implants rooted) in your jawbone.
Clips or various accessories are fitted to the denture, the implant, or both. The dentures are then placed over the metal bar and secured in place using the attachments.
Ball-retained dentures, also known as stud-attachment dentures, have metal attachments that fit the implants’ metal attachment respectively.
The implants’ attachments are usually ball-shaped (male accessory) and it matches the socket (female attachments) on the denture. In most cases, the implants hold the male accessory while the denture has the female attachment.
The dental implants procedure
The implant-supported dentures are usually placed in the lower jaw as the regular dentures are less steady.
A traditional denture designed for the upper jaw fits perfectly and doesn’t require any extra implant support. Nevertheless, you can get Implant-Supported Dentures both in the upper and lower jaw.
Dental implants for dentures are placed in the front jawbone as there are more jawbones in the front than in the back.
Another added advantage of placing the implants in the front is, there are not many nerves in the front that could interfere with the implant procedure.
The dental implants are of two types: endosteal and subperiosteal.
Endosteal: it is the most common type of dental implant in which the implant is placed within the jaw bone surgically. The endosteal implants are two types which are cylinder and blade.
Subperiosteal implants: thin titanium frames placed under the gum, but it is placed on or above the jaw bone.
- The dental implant placement starts with removing damaged teeth present at the surgical site through a tooth extraction procedure.
- A solid base is given to the jaw bone using a bone graft called the alveolar bone graft in some cases.
- Once pre-treatment procedures are done, the implants’ titanium posts are screwed into the jaw bone followed by a healing phase. A healing cap or collar composed of metal is placed on the implant to pave the way for gums’ proper healing.
- During the healing phase, the implants fuse with the jawbone. This process is known as osseointegration.
- A temporary denture is placed at the implant site.
- The healing phase extends from three to six months. In some patients, the healing phase can last long for a year.
- Once healed, abutments are placed on the implants and impression for dentures is taken.
- The dentures are tried, and if everything is on the same page, the dentist attaches the denture with implant
- The procedure and treatment plan differs according to the patient’s condition. The healing phase also varies from person to person.
Advantages of Implant-supported dentures
Implant-supported dentures are most-sought after by people who have lost more than one tooth owing to its stability and plethora of benefits.
Excellent stability: the implant-supported dentures are fastened directly to the jaw bone just like natural teeth.
As the implant dentures mimic the dentures, you need not reserve only to soft foods and enjoy any food you like.
The traditional dentures may shift out place with time and make eating and speaking difficult.
Prevents atrophy: When a tooth is missing, the jawbone might shrink, unless alternate support is placed at the site of the missing tooth. The dental implant provides stimulation for the jaw bone and prevents jawbone atrophy.
Improves quality of life: The implant-supported denture improves your ability to chew and process food and improves jawbone’s strength, thus enhancing the quality of life.
Bottom line
If you are missing teeth, schedule an appointment with our expert dentist team at Ekdantam dental clinic and discuss your options.
