Implant Dentures – Baltimore, MA

What Are Implant Dentures?

A traditional denture sits on your gums and uses natural suction to stay in place. Meanwhile, implant dentures are anchored to your jawbone with the help of dental implants. While this type of denture is typically used to replace the lower arch of teeth, we can also replace the upper teeth with removable implant dentures.

Your new dentures will be designed to snap onto the implant posts. They’ll be held in place so that you don’t have to worry about the looseness or slipping that occurs with traditional dentures. Some implant dentures are fixed in place and can be brushed like permanent teeth; others are removable so that you can take them out of your mouth to clean them after meals and at night.

Basics of Implant Dentures

There are two structural designs of implant-supported dentures: bar-retained dentures and ball-retained dentures.  Both require a minimum of two dental implants; however, more implants may be necessary depending on the number of teeth being replaced.  Both types of implant dentures provide a secure fit to achieve a natural, beautiful smile.

Implant Dentures vs. Traditional Dentures

Traditional dentures do not have an impressive track record when it comes to comfort and convenience.  Patients often express displeasure with the discomfort, embarrassment, and unnatural appearance that can accompany them.  Dentures alone do not function as natural teeth.  A lower denture is not secured to the gums and can slip, preventing the patient from enjoying certain foods and causing difficulty speaking. Traditional dentures also lead to bone loss as the jawbone beneath the denture is not stimulated like it would be by natural teeth.  As time passes, the bone and gums that hold a denture in place will deteriorate and the denture will cease to fit properly.

Implant dentures offer solutions to many of the issues and complications of traditional dentures.  They more closely resemble and act like natural teeth.  They stimulate the jawbone and increase bite strength ten-fold within the first year after application.  Patients are thrilled with their re-found ability to chew, speak, and smile normally, without embarrassment or discomfort.  Implant technology has elevated denture wearers’ quality of life.

Bar-Retained Dentures

For bar-retained dentures, at least three implants are placed in the jaw with metal bars running between them along the gum line. When we place the denture, it will rest on the bars, staying in place thanks to metal clips. This way, you can enjoy dentures that stay in place without needing the steel studs required for ball-retained dentures. Many patients find bar-retained dentures to be a far more comfortable option compared to ball-retained dentures.

Ball-Retained Dentures

Ball-retained dentures are also sometimes referred to as stud-attached dentures. Small balls are placed on top of the implant posts; these balls are made to fit into sockets in the base of the denture, allowing us to connect your new teeth directly to the implants. This makes for an extremely secure fit and is often a great choice if you need implant dentures for your upper arch. And compared to bar-retained dentures, ball-retained dentures are even less likely to slip or move at inconvenient times.

Care of Implant Dentures

Proper maintenance and care are critical to ensuring the success and longevity of your implant denture.  You should remove your denture at night for thorough cleaning. While the denture is removed, you will also need to clean all of the attachment structures along your gum line; this will prevent gum disease and decay.  By carefully following your dentist’s recommendations, your new smile should remain healthy and beautiful.