Implant Supported Dentures: Implants, the Jawbone and Dentures

Implant supported dentures are hybrid oral prosthetics that are surgically inserted into your jawbone. An implant is a post that is placed in a person's jaw and often fitted with a crown. Dentures are an affordable way to replace missing teeth, especially when you have lost most of them.

Implants are the most recommended way to replace missing teeth because they preserve jawbone tissue and do not require special maintenance. There is just one problem: Implants also happen to be one of the priciest ways to replace missing teeth. A single implant typically costs more than an entire set of dentures.

Implant supported dentures allow patients to get the best of both worlds. They provide a more comfortable option than traditional dentures, which come with issues like a lack of stability and patients constantly being worried that it will fall out.

How implant supported dentures work

The process of installing implant supported dentures requires patients to get four to six implants on each half of the jaw being treated. These implants are used to hold the patient's dentures firmly in place. It requires the person to be healthy enough for minor oral surgery. Patients should also have enough bone tissues to hold implants in place. Bone grafts will be needed if a person lacks the jawbone thickness needed. Those who get grafts will need to recover before getting implants. This can take up to three months.

Health conditions like diabetes can make a person a poor candidate for implants. Such conditions make it harder for them to heal.

During the installation of the implants, the dentist drills four to six holes in the patient's jaw and places implants in these holes. Areas where the patient's jawbone is thickest are typically chosen for this role.

These implants might be given up to six months to fuse with bone tissues in the jaw. When the process is complete, the patient gets attachments that can be used to connect their dentures to the implants, or they get specialized dentures that are permanently attached once installed.

Benefits of implant supported dentures

Implant supported dentures provide a variety of benefits over traditional dentures. These include:

• The implants keep the patient's jawbone stimulated, which prevents the bone tissue loss that occurs as a result of lost teeth; traditional dentures do not aid in preventing jawbone atrophy
• Implant supported dentures do not shift when worn; they are firmly held in place by the implants, which makes it easier to eat and speak
• Implants can last a lifetime, so the patient will likely only need to replace their dentures in the future
• People with implant dentures do not have to deal with messy dental adhesives
• Implant dentures restore the look and function of the patient's teeth

Give implant dentures a try

Want something other than traditional dentures? Call or visit our Allendale Charter Twp clinic to learn more about how implant supported dentures can provide a better solution for missing teeth.

Request an appointment here: https://www.grandvalleydentistry.com or call Grand Valley Dentistry at (616) 259-6046 for an appointment in our Allendale Charter Twp office.

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