Thinking of Replacing Your Denture with Dental Implants?

This is becoming an increasingly popular option amongst people who currently struggle with full or partial dentures, especially as these appliances can gradually become less well-fitting. While one option is to reline dentures or even have them remade to fit a little bit better, this isn’t a permanent solution. Instead, choosing dental implants could stabilise a loose denture or even replace it completely with a permanent fixed bridge.

Why Do Dentures Become Loose?

The reason why dentures become loose after just a short while is due to the way the jawbone reacts once your natural teeth are removed. Your jawbone is made from a type of bone called alveolar bone and this is really quite fragile. Alveolar bone develops as your teeth erupt through the gums, and is with you for as long as your natural teeth are in position. It is constantly stimulated to continue renewing old bone cells through the pressure created during chewing and biting. These pressures or forces are transmitted through your natural tooth, down through your tooth roots and out into the alveolar bone.

If your natural teeth are extracted then these tooth roots are also removed, and there’s no longer any way for the alveolar bone to receive any sort of stimulation to ensure it continues to replace old bone cells. As a result, it is gradually reabsorbed by the body, and that ridge of gum in your mouth that is used to support teeth will become flatter. This is a real problem for denture wearers as dentures are constructed to make maximum use of this bony ridge for retention, especially for lower dentures. It tends not to be so much of a problem for upper denture wearers as the entire roof of the mouth is covered up with the base of the denture, providing additional suction to keep the denture in position.

Dental Implants Act like Natural Tooth Roots

If you decide to opt for teeth implants then you’ll find they act like natural tooth roots, not only supporting a replacement bridge or implant-supported denture but preventing any further bone loss in that particular section of your jaw. They are designed to fuse with the jawbone so the result is a very strong structure that can easily support replacement teeth. Implant-supported dentures click onto the dental implants and can easily be removed for daily cleaning. Quite a few people will find this option very appealing, but others may prefer to get rid of their dentures completely. In this case, it’s possible to have a permanent bridge that will be cemented or screwed into position.

If you currently struggle with wearing dentures, then dental implants might make an amazing difference to your quality and enjoyment of life. They are not suitable for everyone, and it’s best to book an appointment with Dr Ferakh Hamid to find out more about this up-to-date treatment.