Can Dental Implants be Used With Dentures? Yes, and Very Successfully!
Can Dental Implants be Used With Dentures?
The lower denture shown here is supported and retained with dental implants
In general, our office tries to save teeth. However, sometimes the teeth are already gone or having a denture made is really the best decision. Your denture(s) should be comfortable and natural looking. If not, Dr. Gillis and her team can help! We have completed many dentures with the added support of small diameter or mini implants. Many patients come to our office with unaesthetic, poorly fitting dentures and a list of concerns. We would be happy to discuss the possibility of adding implants to help support or retain your denture.
The inside of an implant supported denture will have special attachments that fit over the mini implants or small diameter implants.
An Implant Supported Denture: The denture looks the same from the outside but has special, precision attachments inside to help it stay in place and function better.Below are some of the most common problems facing denture wearers:
- The denture is loose
- The denture does not fit well
- Trouble talking, eating or smiling
- Denture sores develop
- There is not enough bone to support and retain the denture
All of the above problems can be resolved or improved with the addition of dental implants to help stabilize the denture. All that is required is enough bone to support the implant. Now that we can do Mini or small diameter implants, very little bone is needed to make this treatment option available to you!
An Implant Supported Denture: The denture looks the same from the outside but has special, precision attachments inside to help it stay in place and function better.
Implants that support or stabilize dentures come in many styles and sizes. Usually the implant will have an attachment or shape that fits into an attachment inside the denture. The denture basically snaps in over the dental implants. ‘Tom’ was basically so unhappy with his denture that he rarely smiled. He could not chew well and his mouth was uncomfortable. He noted it had been so long since he smiled, that he had forgotten how!
After having implants and attachments placed to hold his lower denture, Tom was all smiles!
Four small diameter implants were placed with local anesthetic. You can see how little bone remains on his lower jaw to support a standard denture. Attachments were added to the inside of the denture to fit over the implants. The new lower denture snaps over the implants and fits very securely.
Mini implants or small diameter implants in the lower jaw.
Lower Denture seated over the mini implants
We can even use a combination of implants, the healthy roots of teeth, and attachments placed into the roots to support a denture. This allows us to create a denture that feels and looks more natural. And, more importantly, we can provide our patients with a custom solution to their tooth and denture concerns. By adding implants and attachments, a denture can chew food almost as well as natural teeth!
The upper arch has a combination of small diameter implants and root attachments as well as saving roots to help maintain the bone.
When an implant supported denture is possible the patient often feels as though they got their own teeth back. The dentures stay in and function comfortably! The teeth should look very natural!
Our patient shown here has an upper denture supported by small diameter implants and a precision root attachment. There are precision attachments inside the upper denture that fit exactly over these implants. The remaining roots help to stabilize the denture and maintain the surrounding bone. He is very pleased with the additional support he feels by adding implants below his denture!
Our office is very concerned that you know what options are available to you and and the difference between those options. When an implant supported denture is possible the patient often feels as though they got their own teeth back. The dentures stay in and function comfortably. The teeth should also look very natural! The cost for this type of procedure will vary depending on the situation. We believe that every Patient is unique and their particular situation should be addressed as carefully as possible. If you would like to visit us and see for yourself we would be happy to set up a no charge consult appointment. Please call our Grand Junction Western Colorado office at (970) 242-3635. We would love to hear from you.