Implant Retained Dentures – Savannah, GA

How Do Implant-Retained Dentures Work?

Traditionally, dentures have sat on the gums by themselves, staying in place with natural suction and the occasional adhesive. Nowadays, they can also be attached to surgically embedded screws called dental implants, which are made out of biocompatible titanium that can fuse with the jawbone itself. Implants can act as artificial roots for prosthetic teeth, and it usually takes at least four of them to support full dentures. While you can get dental implants for both your upper and lower jaw, implant-retained dentures are most often recommended to replace the lower arch of teeth. This is because dentures on the lower jaw are more prone to slipping in general.

Am I A Candidate for Implant-Retained Dentures?

To receive implant retained dentures, X-rays of your mouth will be taken in order to determine whether or not your jaw contains enough bone density to support them. Without an adequate amount of bone tissue to anchor to, implants won’t be able to integrate with the rest of your mouth. Fortunately, even patients who have experienced bone loss might still get implants after a bone graft.

Other factors that could affect your candidacy for implants include overall oral health, preexisting health conditions, the use of tobacco, and certain medications. Be sure to tell us everything about your situation during your consultation so that we can help you figure out your best option.

The Implant-Retained Dentures Procedure

After the first consultation, Dr. Fana will refer you to a periodontist or oral surgeon so that they can perform the surgery to place the implants in strategic areas of your mouth. You’ll receive the treatment from an expert who has performed the procedure multiple times. It’ll then take a few months for your mouth to heal around the implant posts; once it has, you can return to our practice so that we can place your new dentures.

Benefits of Combining Dentures and Dental Implants

Obviously, stability is a major advantage of attaching dentures to dental implants. Even dentures that have been carefully designed and fitted by an expert may one day start to slip if your jaw changes shape, which is extremely likely given the bone loss that occurs in the jaw after teeth are lost. Implants will anchor the teeth in place and can even stop bone loss from occurring with the stimulation they provide. Other benefits include:

• Varied Diet: With traditional dentures, you may have trouble eating certain foods. Implants, on the other hand, have chewing power almost on par with regular teeth.
• Clear Speech: When you can be sure that your teeth will stay in place, it’s easy to speak with clarity.
• Natural Appearance: While regular dentures sit on the gum line, implants are hidden beneath the tissues in your mouth. As a result, your new smile will look (and feel) much like real teeth.