Embrace comfort and confidence with dentures that feel like your own natural teeth! At Angels Smiles Dental Care, we offer two types of quality implant-supported dentures to suit your individual needs.
Our Implant-Supported Dentures
Our two types of implant-supported dentures, overdentures and fixed (or hybrid) dentures, both consist of synthetic teeth and gums crafted from acrylic and attached to your jaw via dental implants. The main difference between the two lies in the way they are attached. Overdentures connect to the implants through snap fasteners, while fixed dentures are permanently screwed into the implants. Because of this, the fixed implant denture offers a comfortable, natural, and secure fit. The implant overdenture can be easily and conveniently removed, similar to a traditional denture, but one that will never slide around again!
Increasing your comfort is a wonderful benefit of implant-supported dentures, but protecting your jaw health and facial structure may be an even greater one.
Avoid Facial Collapse
An unfortunate side effect of losing your teeth is jawbone resorption. When the jawbone is no longer being used to support teeth, the body begins to disintegrate it so the materials can be used elsewhere in the body. But a healthy jaw does more than just support teeth; it supports the structure of your face. Because of this, advanced bone resorption in the jaw leads to a condition known as facial collapse. Facial collapse gives the face a shriveled appearance, causing a person to look much older. It also makes wearing a traditional denture increasingly difficult and uncomfortable, which in turn can further limit what you’re able to eat.
Fortunately, the placement of dental implants stops this process in its tracks. The body, recognizing the implant as a tooth root, will not break down the bone surrounding the implant. So by choosing dental implants, you effectively prevent facial collapse while promoting your comfort — not just for today but also for years to come.
Will I Need Bone Grafting?
If you’ve already lost some jawbone due to resorption, you may wonder if you’ll need bone grafting to receive dental implants. Thankfully, there is a method of implant placement that allows patients with lower bone quantity to receive implants without bone grafting. Called the All-on-4, this method involves placing each implant at an angle to make optimal use of the available bone. Though its name refers to the common use of four implants to support an entire denture, the All-on-4 method can be used with a different number of implants as needed or desired. It’s a wonderful option for patients looking to avoid the added healing time and inconvenience involved with bone grafting. To learn more, visit our All-on-4 page.
Implant-Supported Dentures: Our Process
Your first step toward restoring your smile with dental implants is an exam with Dr. Dr. Oksana Bailey. At this visit, we’ll review your medical history to make sure dental implant surgery is a good fit for you (in most cases, it is). We’ll also take x-rays, a CBCT scan, and digital impressions. This scan is an important part of the process because it gives Dr. Bailey a 3D view of your mouth, jaw, and nasal passages that she will need to determine the proper placement of each implant. The digital impressions will be used in creating your custom-fitted dentures.
The next step is implant surgery. At this time, the metal fixtures that will attach to your dentures will be embedded precisely in their pre-determined locations. You’ll be given temporary dentures to wear until your permanent ones can be placed. After surgery, your jawbone will begin to fuse to the implants in a process known as osseointegration. This should take a few months, after which we’ll schedule an appointment for you to receive your new dentures. At this final visit, your new smile will be complete!
Experience Comfort and Stability
If you’d like to learn more about your options in implant-supported dentures, we invite you to schedule a complimentary consultation with Dr. Bailey by calling our office. Or feel free to request an appointment online, and we’ll contact you to set one up.