Good links:
For Denture Sufferers
A well-fitting and good looking denture can provide years of comfort and enjoyment. As time goes by, dentures should be checked for fit and adjusted or relined as needed. The time interval can vary from patient to patient but often the reline or adjustment can make wearing dentures more comfortable.
Sometimes, more is needed than an adjustment or reline. Today, fortunately, there is an answer for people who may struggle with their dentures. An overdenture is a denture that uses precision dental attachments to hold the denture down. The overdenture attachment can be placed in tooth roots that have been saved or placed into dental implants, which have been placed to receive them.
Implant Supported Dentures
A full denture is difficult for many patients to wear and get used to. Sore spots and difficulty chewing are caused when a denture moves around in the mouth. Over time, the dental ridges required to support a denture will shrink, creating a growing problem keeping dentures in place. Implants can be utilized to hold the denture in place. There will be a major improvement in fit and function. Dental implants are artificial tooth roots. Holes are made into the jaw bones and the artificial roots are placed and covered over. The implants then heal and fuse with the jaw. After healing, an artificial top is placed into the implant containing an attachment for dentures. A dental implant provides a foundation to hold down a denture and hold it firmly in place. Dental implants provide a stable foundation for a denture for someone who has lost all of their natural teeth. It is estimated that implant supported dentures will restore nearly 90 percent of chewing ability!
Lower dentures require two implants to properly hold them in place for normal function, one on each side. Additional implants will provide additional stability. Although implants are usually placed for stability of lower dentures, implants can also be placed to add to the stability of upper dentures.
As with everything in life, there are always some disadvantages of implant treatment: they are costly; they require meticulous oral hygiene to prevent infection and loss of bone support and placement of implants is a surgical procedure. Any surgical procedure has risks. Infection, reactions to the medications and anesthetics are a couple of complications that can happen. The success rates for properly cared for implants are approximately 95 percent.
Patients who have dental implants report the following benefits:
- Better ability to chew
- Improved appearance
- Be more confident
- Maintain a healthier diet
- Are happier and feel better about themselves
Material on this page courtesy of Dr. Stuart Greene
