What are Implant Overdentures?
Patients who are missing multiple or all their teeth typically worry about their replacement teeth slipping, loosening, and falling out while eating or talking on a day-to-day basis. While there are adhesives and creams available to help secure the dentures, implant overdentures can provide a more permanent solution. Implant overdentures at Pickett Family Dental can help stabilize and secure teeth, allowing the patient to feel more comfortable as they go throughout their day-to-day life.
How Do Implant Supported Dentures Work?
While dental implants and dentures both offer options for replacing missing teeth, the process can be combined to maximize the patient’s comfort and functionality. At Pickett Family Dental, we specialize in being able to create custom overdentures that attach to implants in order to secure them in place, allowing you to life your life with a secure fit and worry-free teeth. This multi-step process is as follows:
- Biocompatible titanium screws are inserted into the jaw and given several 3-6 months to bond with the jaw bone, creating a secure new foundation for your coming overdentures.
- Once the implants are secure, we’ll build a customized set of overdentures that fit your mouth and fill the natural shape and color of your teeth.
- We’ll attach the overdentures securely to the implants for a strong, secure fit that allows you to continue talking and eating stress free.
Anatomy of Overdentures
Implant overdentures consist of three main parts:
- A titanium alloy implant that is specially designed to bond with the gums and jaw bone
- An abutment that sticks out above the gums and attaches to the cap on the denture
- The custom modified denture for implants
5 Types of Implant Overdentures
There are 5 different setting methods for overdentures that include:
- Implant-Support Overdentures – These use two to six implants that are screwed into the jawbone, and can be removed to sleep and clean them.
- Fixed Implant-Supported Overdentures – These overdentures are locked in place with screws and cannot be removed. You clean them the same as natural teeth.
- Bar-Retained Implant-Supported Overdentures – These use a bar attached to the implants for the denture to clip onto.
- Ball-Retained Implant-Supported Overdentures – A ball-retained overdenture uses ball-shaped supports that connect the implants to the denture.
- Overdenture Partials – These are overdentures that only replace a few missing teeth rather than the entire row. It replaces tooth roots with dental implants so that the partial overdenture can clip onto them and provide a more natural appearance to your teeth.
Do Implant Supported Dentures Have To Be Removed at Night?
The dentures need to be removed at at night and to clean them. The attachments and/or bar need to be cleaned as well. Your dentist will give you instructions on how to clean these as they can be delicate.
What is the Difference Between an Overdenture and an Implant Supported Denture?
Removable overdentures are dentures that can be removed for cleaning and sleeping easily while fixed implant supported dentures are permanently secured in the mouth and must be cleaned and maintained just like normal teeth.
How Long Do Implant Supported Dentures Last?
About 95% of patients that receive implant overdentures don’t need replacements for 10 to 20 years with some lasting as long as 25 years with current dental technological advancements. This far exceeds other solo denture or implant options that only last 5 to 15 years. While that’s a respectable amount of time, combining them creates a far more durable product that feels much more natural.
Are You a Candidate For Implant Overdentures?
Once your jaw has finished developing, most adults can receive dental implants. There are exceptions based on health and medical conditions that might decrease the effectiveness of the treatment or cause potential dangers. However, aside from these rare outliers, most patients see fantastic results with benefits that greatly outweigh the risks.
To see if dental implant overdentures are right for you, visit our Keller family dental office or schedule an appointment with Dr. Pickett by calling us at (817) 431-5514.
