When you’ve lost most or all of your teeth, your first thought may be to replace them with a traditional denture. But while this approach certainly still has its benefits, modern dentistry also offers the option to combine dentures with dental implants, and doing so can make quite a significant difference for your smile. Below is a closer look at implant dentures and what makes them such an excellent solution for extensive tooth loss.
How Can Dentures Be Combined with Dental Implants?
A number of dental implant posts can be surgically inserted into your jaw. Once they finish forming a strong bond with the surrounding bone tissue, they can be used to support a full denture. This way, the implant posts can act as artificial tooth roots for the prosthesis. You will typically need around four to six implant posts to keep a denture anchored in place; the exact number can vary based on your needs.
How Can Combining Dental Implants and Dentures Make a Difference?
There are many advantages of implant dentures that you wouldn’t be able to enjoy with traditional dentures by themselves. Here’s a look at some of the benefits:
- The implant posts will prevent your dentures from slipping out of place. This means you don’t have to worry about your prosthesis making any unwanted movements while you’re trying to speak or chew.
- Like your natural tooth roots, implant posts can provide stimulation to the jaw. This ultimately helps prevent bone loss, which is a common consequence of losing your teeth.
- Implant dentures tend to look and feel more natural than traditional ones, which can help give your confidence a boost when interacting with others.
- The chewing power provided by your dental implants will allow you to eat virtually any kind of food without issue. This includes the sticky, hard, and tough foods that traditional denture wearers typically need to stay away from.
- Dental implants can potentially last for several decades without needing to be replaced. In contrast, a traditional denture can often be expected to last around five to ten years.
Should You Combine Dentures and Dental Implants?
If you want to enjoy the combined benefits of dentures and dental implants, you will need to confirm that you are a candidate for dental implant surgery. In general, you can have dental implants placed as long as you have an overall healthy mouth and plenty of bone tissue in your jaw.
To find out for sure whether implant dentures are right for you, you should schedule a consultation with your dentist. They can go over the benefits of combining dental implants and dentures in more detail, and they can help you figure out what’s truly the best option for rebuilding your smile.
About the Practice
At Dental Center of Aspen Hill, our dental experts provide our patients with a comprehensive range of treatments from basic checkups to more complex services. When it comes to replacing missing teeth, we offer start-to-finish dental implant treatments as well as comfortable, natural-looking dentures. To schedule a consultation with our team, visit our website or call (301) 871-8000.