The loss of all of your teeth can be a frightening experience. Dentures are something most people would rather avoid. Maybe you already lost your teeth and are dealing with dentures. We make excellent, well fitting dentures in our office, but no matter how well they fit, most people do not like their dentures. Dental implants have revolutionized the way we treat those who have lost their teeth.
There are 3 basic options listed below. All options have their advantages, but the decision making process is too complicated to fully discuss in this setting. It is much better to talk in person with Dr. Scherer about what can be done and allow us to help you find the solution that best fits your desires.
2 implants with a denture that rests on your gums:
Two implants are placed in the front region of your jaw, and anchors are inserted on the inside of your denture that snap over them. This is one of the most common treatments in the US because it is convenient and uses a traditional denture design, meaning it can be adapted to a denture that you may already have. The two implants provide stability and retention so the denture stays in place while you eat and talk. However, the denture still rests on the gum tissue, and you can still get sore spots from heavy use, or food particles that get under your denture, and you will still have some limitations in what and how you eat. Also, as long as the denture is resting on the gums you will continue to have ongoing bone loss in your jaw that may lead to more difficulties in the future
4 – 5 implants with a bar connecting them and a denture that snaps over the top:
With this option we place 4-5 implants depending on the shape of your jaw and fabricate a titanium bar that connects them. Next, a special denture is made that fits over this bar. The bar strengthens the whole system, and makes it possible to have a removable appliance that does not rest against your gums. Systems like this have been shown to improve the amount of bite force by 1000% over a traditional denture. You will be able to eat just about anything you could eat before losing your teeth.
5 to 9 implants with a bridge that is cemented in place and restores all of the teeth:
Sometimes we have the option of placing a few more implants and creating a full arch bridge that is cemented or otherwise permanently fixed in place and does not need to be removed. This has obvious benefits in terms of comfort, but also allows us to use customized more beautiful porcelain crowns, and to restore the full chewing function that was lost with your teeth.
